Old Time Saimin Places

[Walkoff Balk]

Re: Old Time Saimin Places

Do local high school carnivals still sell saimin?

[Mike_Lowery]

Re: Old Time Saimin Places

Do local high school carnivals still sell saimin?

from my experience in the past couple years, yes...and it's usually S&S.

[Pomai]

Re: Old Time Saimin Places: Hamura's

Do local high school carnivals still sell saimin?

from my experience in the past couple years, yes...and it's usually S&S.

Living on Kauai, I get to frequent Hamura's Saimin often.

What stood out the most on my visit at Hamura's Saimin on Kauai was the really old school feel and nostalgia of the place itself. Especially the community style seating, plus da' Chili Peppah watah on da' table, along with other local families sitting beside us arguing with each other on what to order, while ourselves (and other tourists) watch on. Very, ehem, entertaining!

But certainly NOT the saimin (nor teriyaki stick), which I personally thought tasted rather back-to-basics, and not much better than what I can get from the store from S&S Saimin (Sun Noodle), honestly speaking. Nothing wrong with that, but just sayin'.

What other Saimin shops are available on Kauai? Just curious, as it seems Hamura's is the only game in (Lihue) town (or on the island for that matter). Especially in how the place is promoted in tourist-focused advertising on Kauai.

[Mike_Lowery]

Re: Old Time Saimin Places: Hamura's

What stood out the most on my visit at Hamura's Saimin on Kauai was the really old school feel and nostalgia of the place itself. Especially the community style seating, plus da' Chili Peppah watah on da' table, along with other local families sitting beside us arguing with each other on what to order, while ourselves (and other tourists) watch on. Very, ehem, entertaining!

But certainly NOT the saimin (nor teriyaki stick), which I personally thought tasted rather back-to-basics, and not much better than what I can get from the store from S&S Saimin (Sun Noodle), honestly speaking. Nothing wrong with that, but just sayin'.

What other Saimin shops are available on Kauai? Just curious, as it seems Hamura's is the only game in (Lihue) town (or on the island for that matter). Especially in how the place is promoted in tourist-focused advertising on Kauai.

Different strokes.

There's also Kako's, tucked away behind Kauai Toyota in Lihue.

[Expat Kamaaina]

Re: Old Time Saimin Places

Wow, people! I think there are a lot of people who like old time saimin like my wife and I do. Thanks to all for your comments.

We like the old fashion saimin, especially if the noodles are fresh or hand-made. The S&S (now Sun Noodle, I think) is just not the same. Not only is the taste of old style saimin something to remember, but the nostalgic effect of eating saimin when you were a kid -- having maybe 35 or 50 cents and being able to buy a bowl of saimin (olden times). I frequented a whole lot of small, neighborhood "saimin stands" and enjoyed those too, but I was too young to remember if they were indeed any good. But I do remember later in life, when my wife and I used to frequent Palace Saimin, Washington Saimin, and The Old Saimin House. Once in a while we used to go to Boulevard Saimin, but that was a fall back place for us to go. BTW, I could not open the Advertiser newspaper link that showed what happened to Washington Saimin.

Again, thanks for all your inputs. I now have places to go eat when I next go back to Honolulu.......BTW, my Mom's family came from Maui and while on Maui, as a small kid, we used to eat Saimin at Tasty Crust and at Kitada's.

[Pomai]

Re: Old Time Saimin Places: Sam Sato's Dry Mein (Wailuku, Maui)

Oh, one place I dare not leave out of this thread is Sam Sato's in Wailuku, Maui, who are most famous for their Dry Noodle, a.k.a. "Dry Min" or "Dry Mein" (whichever looks spelled better to you)...



The cooked saimin noodles are tossed with just a dash of oyster sauce and oil, then served "dry" in a bowl, then garnished with bean sprouts, charsiu and green onion. The what-tastes-like chicken stock and dashi broth is served on the side, tsukemen style, which you can either dip the noodles in, or drizzle over the noodles in the bowl. However you prefer.



They get their noodles from Iwamoto Natto Factory in Paia.

[scrivener]

Re: Old Time Saimin Places

Something's wrong with that picture of Sam Sato's. I see two open parking spaces in the lot. That's not the same place I visited a few years ago!

[Pomai]

Re: Old Time Saimin Places

Something's wrong with that picture of Sam Sato's. I see two open parking spaces in the lot. That's not the same place I visited a few years ago!

Actually, that gold Chevy Malibu between those two empty spaces along side it is our rent-a-car.

Speaking of rent-a-car, there were like two groups of mainland tourists there during our visit, with the rest being locals. Good vibe. Great place, this Sam Sato's!