Manago Hotel, in Captain Cook, has been named one of six winners in the prestigious James Beard Classic Award representing the Pacific and Northwest Regions for 2023. The selections are made to restaurants open for 10 years or more. I think being open since 1917 more than qualifies Manago Hotel for such an honor!
Manago’s Hotel famous pork chops are probably the most famous dish there. They are fried in a cast iron pan, rumored to be as old as the restaurant. I was told it was made by Hilo Iron Works when the restaurant started.
Kinzo Manago and Osame Nagata began selling udon, bread, jam and coffee out of their homes and when traveling salesmen from Hilo needed to stay overnight, Kinzo and Osame would spread their Japanese futons, Japanese mattresses, and charge the visitors a small amount to stay overnight. This proved to be very profitable so they opened a hotel as well.
Today, fourth generation sisters, Britney and Taryn Manago are running the restaurant and hotel and the pork chops are still the best seller!
Pork Chops Manago
Serves 4
4 center cup pork chops, thick cut
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1-2 tablespoons butter
Mix flour, salt and black pepper together on a plate. Rinse the chops under running water. Dredge them in the flour mixture. Heat cast iron skillet over a low to medium low flame, add butter. Once melted, add the chops, cook about 7 minutes per side, depending on how thick they are.
Zucchini Manago
Serves 4
2 medium zucchini, cubed
1 teaspoon bonito flakes
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Water
Put zucchini, bonito flakes, sugar and soy sauce in a medium pot. Add water to cover. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until zucchini is cooked, but firm.• • •
There are always side dishes, like the Korean banchan, such as boiled, sweetened lima beans, macaroni potato salad or ogo namasu, which I received from Dwight Manago while putting together my cookbook, “What the Big Island Likes to Eat.”
Ogo Namasu
Serves 4 to 6
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 medium onion, sliced
1 medium tomato, cubed
One pound fresh ogo from Hawaiian Sea Farms at Keahole, Kona
Toasted sesame seed oil to taste
Soy sauce to taste
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop the ogo in the pot. As soon as the ogo turns green, remove it from the pot, drain it, and rinse it in cold water.
Put the ogo in a large bowl. Add sesame oil and soy sauce to taste.
Make the sauce by mixing the sugar, vinegar, and salt. Stir the sauce until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved. Add the sauce to the ogo, then the sliced onions and the cubed tomato. Mix well and serve.
Foodie bites
Have you seen an interesting tangerine at the market called dekopon tangerine? I saw it on display at Whole Foods on Oahu and then at KTA the other day. It is a seedless hybrid tangerine that is a cross between a Kiyomi and ponkon (Nakano number 3) tangerine and was developed in 1972.
Called “dekopon,” its generic name is “shirnuhi” or “shiranui.” It is also known as “sumo” citrus. This tangerine is a trademark of the Kumamoto Prefecture. They are grown in large greenhouses and are harvested from Devember through February. These tangerines are then left for a period of 20 to 40 days so the levels of citric acid decreases.
If you want your dekopon citrus to last, here’s a dressing you can use with your greens.
The “sumo” citrus gives the dressing a delicious orange flavor.
Depokon Tangerine Sesame Salad Dressing
Serves 4
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
Juice of 1 1/2 depokon tangerines
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon ginger juice
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Preheat a small skillet on medium heat. Add sesame seeds and stir often until the seeds begin to turn light golden brown. Transfer sesame seeds to a bowl to cool. Add all remaining ingredients to another bowl. Whisk well until fully combined, then add sesame seeds and stir.
Email Audrey Wilson at audreywilson808@gmail.com.
