Seafood

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Back to HawaiiHawaiian Seafood

The seafood in Hawaii has been described as the best in the world. And why not? Without a doubt, the islands' surrounding waters, including the waters of the remote northwestern Hawaiian Islands, and a growing aquaculture industry contribute to the high quality of the seafood here.

The reputable restaurants in Hawaii buy fresh fish daily at predawn auctions or from local fishermen. Some chefs even catch their ingredients themselves. "Still wiggling" or "just off the hook" are the ultimate terms for freshness in Hawaii.

Although some menus include the Western description for the fresh fish used, most often the local nomenclature is listed, turning dinner for the uninitiated into a confusing, quasi-foreign experience. To help familiarize you with the menu language of Hawaii, here's a basic glossary of island fish:

ahi -- yellowfin or big-eye tuna, important for its use in sashimi and poke at sushi bars and in Hawaii Regional Cuisine

aku -- skipjack tuna, heavily used by local families in home cooking and poke

ehu -- red snapper, delicate and sumptuous, yet lesser known than opakapaka

hapuupuu -- grouper, a sea bass whose use is expanding

hebi -- spearfish, mildly flavored, and frequently featured as the "catch of the day" in upscale restaurants

kajiki -- Pacific blue marlin, also called au, with a firm flesh and high fat content that make it a plausible substitute for tuna

kumu -- goatfish, a luxury item on Chinese and upscale menus, served en papillote or steamed whole, Oriental style, with scallions, ginger, and garlic

mahimahi -- dolphin fish (the game fish, not the mammal) or dorado, a classic sweet, white-fleshed fish requiring vigilance among purists, because it's often disguised as fresh when it's actually "fresh-frozen" -- a big difference

monchong -- bigscale or sickle pomfret, an exotic, tasty fish, scarce but gaining a higher profile on Hawaiian Island menus

nairagi -- striped marlin, also called au; good as sashimi and in poke, and often substituted for ahi in raw-fish products

onaga -- ruby snapper, a luxury fish, versatile, moist, and flaky

ono -- wahoo, firmer and drier than the snappers, often served grilled and in sandwiches

opah -- moonfish, rich and fatty, and versatile -- cooked, raw, smoked, and broiled

opakapaka -- pink snapper, light, flaky, and luxurious, suited for sashimi, poaching, sautéing, and baking; the best-known upscale fish

papio -- jack trevally, light, firm, and flavorful and favored in island cookery

shutome -- broadbill swordfish, of beeflike texture and rich flavor

tombo -- albacore tuna, with a high fat content, suitable for grilling

uhu -- parrotfish, most often encountered steamed, Chinese-style

uku -- gray snapper of clear, pale-pink flesh, delicately flavored and moist

ulua -- large jack trevally, firm-fleshed and versatile