Ate Oh Ate Offers a Taste of the Islands Right Here in Portland
2021-08-19
Local restaurant offers tasty Hawaiian fare at an affordable price.
Photo courtesy of Ate Oh Ate
If you're looking for some good solid Hawaiian food in Portland, Ate Oh Ate is a great place to put on your "places to try" list.
The name "Ate Oh Ate" is a play on words. Hawaii's local area code is 808. But there's no playing with the food. Ate Oh Ate consistently delivers a tasty meal at two convenient neighborhood locations.
Photo courtesy of Ate Oh Ate
Hawaii is known for its "plate lunches", a kind of working person's lunch that has long been popular in the islands. According to an article titled "A Brief History of Plate Lunches in Hawaii", plate lunches originated on sugar and pineapple plantations in the 1880s. The article states:
Workers would bring bento boxes for lunch that consisted of leftovers from the previous evening, usually fish or meat, which were then supplemented with rice to make the meals more filling. From these humble beginnings came food carts and trucks. The carts visited the fields every afternoon allowing the workers to purchase inexpensive plates full of food. It was during this time that the moniker “plate lunch” was attached. A simple mac salad, made with mayonnaise and salt and pepper, was added to the plate around this time."
Ate Oh Ate delivers with this simple offering. A particular favorite is the "teriyaki chicken plate" which includes grilled boneless chicken thighs glazed with a teriyaki sauce. Unlike many teriyaki sauces, Ate Oh Ate's is flavorful without being overpowering. The "Shoyu chicken plate" is equally delicious.
Photo courtesy of Ate Oh Ate
Another great option is the honestly titled "Kahlua Pig Plate" which includes pork shoulder that is slow-roasted in banana leaves with steamed cabbage. The pork is tender and delicious.For the vegetarians in the group, there's a teriyaki tofu plate which is a solid offering.Plate lunches come with rice and a choice of macaroni salad or green salad. We recommend the macaroni salad. It's not that mayonnaise heavy mac salad you find in the deli case. Ate Oh Ate's Hawaiian style "mac salad" has a smooth creamy texture and a slight tang that makes it a fan favorite.
Photo courtesy of Ate Oh Ate
Most plate lunches also come in a sandwich version.
If plate lunches aren't your thing, you might try the "Loco Moco" dish which combines a seasoned hamburger patty, fried eggs, and a shiitake brown gravy served over steamed white rice. Ate Oh Ate also has a tasty curry bowl that includes sweet potato, carrots, onion, and kale tossed in a Japanese curry sauce and served over steamed white rice.
Photo courtesy of Ate Oh Ate
If you're extra hungry, start your meal off with an appetizer. We recommend the "Spam Musubi" which looks like a take on sushi. It combines rice, fried Spam, egg, and furikake that is layered and wrapped in a Nori seaweed wrap.
Ate Oh Ate serves fresh tasting high-quality food. As the restaurant says:
Our goal is to provide you with the finest and most delicious Hawaiian-style food possible. We use only the highest-quality products, including all-natural meats, fresh vegetables, real Best Foods Mayonnaise, and authentic Spam in our Musubi (accept no substitutions!).
Photo courtesy of Ate Oh Ate
If you're dining in, Ate Oh Ate has a selection of Hawaiian beers and tropical themed cocktails, as well as "Hawaiian Sun Juices" for the kids.
Most entrees at Ate Oh Ate are in the $12-14 range for a generous portion of food that will likely have you storing some leftovers for later.
Ate Oh Ate has two locations: one in southeast Portland at SE 52nd and Woodstock, and one at 24th and East Burnside. You can dine in, order to go, or use local delivery services.
At least they are not “downtown”. As much as I like Hawaiian food it would take a hell of a lot more than that to get me to drive downtown, certainly not getting out of my car downtown…
J Poulivaati
2021-08-19
Not authentic plate lunch. They try very hard, but plenty of other places that make it better and closer to Hawaiian Plate Lunch style.
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