The Pig & The Lady, Honolulu

We talk a lot around here about the next generation of food as lifestyle, of a new culinary wave. And one place where this is bubbling over? Hawaii. Yup, just as their lava flows from volcanoes, Hawaii is gushing with culinary creativity, standing out as a contender for the next food pilgrimage worthy site.

The Pig & The Lady is one stop that epitomizes this marriage of gastronomic traditions and contemporary flavors. Or so they say. To be fair, I’ve never been but the buzz about this place is hard to ignore. Conceived and led by Andrew Le and Martha Cheng, both Hawaiian-based chefs with a ton of street cred, The Pig & The Lady is a pop-up restaurant with an ever-changing menu, currently in residence during off-hours at Hank’s Haute Dogs. The prix-fixe menu articulates Chef Le’s Vietnamese background but Southeast Asian flavors blended with a real Hawaiian flare are undoubtedly present. Smoked Spicy Pork Belly with Green Papaya Kim Chee, Bun Bo Honolulu, and Taro Croquettes have graced recent menus. Over at their Farmers Market space, their Breakfast “BLT” Banh Mi is all the eatery rage, made of house cured bacon, local sweet marinated tomatoes, lettuce, pork pate, and mint puree finished off with a “fried” slow poached egg.

So next time you’re traipsing around Honolulu wondering what to eat, say aloha to The Pig & The Lady.

[First photo via Honolulu Weekly]