Poke To Poi
Milwaukie, Oregon USA
Cuisine Style: Hawaiian
Average Price: $$
Overall Rating: 2/5
Dined in October 2017
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Executive Chef and Owners:
Matthew, Sandie, Mandy, and Malia
The Ohana Hawaiian Cafe started as a far-fetched dream according to the owner; to pursue their passion for good, satisfying food and love for serving people. They began with classic age-old family Hawaiian recipes, and Ohana means family. They established the restaurant in 2005, as a husband and wife team, and now have two locations outside of Portland, Oregon. My wife and I live in Florida and were visiting her family. They recommended Ohana to us, and we all went out for a lunch. Was it like other Hawaiian restaurants I had been to or better? Here are my thoughts…
It has a very clean atmosphere, being attached to a larger building with more shops and businesses, in an area south of Portland that was very picturesque and pleasant. The restaurant was very clean, open floor plan with floor to ceiling windows facing the main city street, though a lack of parking. Luckily we went on a weekend, but the area was still full. I can’t imagine a weekday trying to find a place. The restaurant had a few other customers, and our party took up three tables. We looked over the menus and had a few beers and wines. The restaurant did not have a cocktail list, and a full bar was not visible from what I saw.
Menu:
- Appetizers (pupus)
- Mixed Plates
- Sandwiches
- Main Plates
- Sides
- Desserts
For the table, we ordered a few appetizers or “pupus” to start. From the menu, they had Portuguese sausage which I found odd for a Hawaiian restaurant, and spam musubi that was grilled-to-order and served with a teriyaki glaze on top of a rectangular chunk of rice, wrapped in nori. Though that sounded interesting we went with a few others instead. The first choice was the Hawaiian ahi poke made with fresh bigeye ahi tuna from Hawaii, cubed and seasoned with Hawaiian sea salt, shoyu dark soy sauce, onions, sesame oil & fresh Hawaiian seaweed (ogonori).
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| Hawaiian ahi poke |
The second starter plate was the coconut prawns dish, seven to the order coated with homemade coconut batter, then served with a pineapple marmalade. We also had a bowl of freshly made and sliced taro chips.
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| coconut prawns |
All entrees come with a scoop of rice and macaroni salad. The first dish enjoyed by the group was a teriyaki fried chicken, lightly crisped bone-in chicken thighs seasoned with garlic then coated with homemade teriyaki glaze and finished with a drizzle of sesame oil.
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| teriyaki fried chicken |
The next dish enjoyed by the group, and looked fantastic was a macadamia nut crusted chicken breast. I had one bight of this crispy chicken breast coated with a crispy macadamia nut panko crust. It was tender and very nicely flavored and served with a house-made pineapple marmalade.
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| macadamia nut crusted chicken breast |
My dish was the charbroiled short rib plate with your choice of a pulehu salt rub with Hawaiian red clay sea salt, fresh garlic, and ginger, or marinated, then grilled and glazed with our homemade teriyaki sauce.
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| short rib plate |
I chose the first option and for an additional side I wanted to try the poi, which on their menu is listed as “If you have to ask what it is, you probably won't like it.” Poi is a Hawaiian word for the primary Polynesian staple food made from the underground plant stem or corm of the taro plant. It is a traditional part of Native Hawaiian cuisine, mashing the taro with a stone pestle, or "poi pounder,” then adding water until the poi is smooth and sticky. Though taro is grown all around the world, only Hawaiians make poi out of it.
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| poi |
Loco Moco was the next item on the groups' list of entrees, which is a dish that is the same as hamburger steak without the onions but topped with two eggs any style and a gravy.
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| Loco Moco |
My wife’s brother had the teriyaki chicken sandwich which comes on a ciabatta roll with mixed greens, fresh grilled pineapple.
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| teriyaki chicken sandwich |
Finally, my wife’s brother-in-law had the island style charbroiled teriyaki chicken, a tender boneless skinless chicken thigh dish grilled and glazed with homemade teriyaki sauce.
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| charbroiled teriyaki chicken |
So, was it like other Hawaiian restaurants I had been to or better? The answer is that it was much better, and a very nice experience. See the notes below for more detail.
Dessert:
We did not have dessert but the main staple on their menu is shaved ice which is a Hawaiian style snow-cones. finely shaved ice falls softly into a bowl and flavors of your choice of syrups, to which you can also add vanilla ice cream or house-made haupia (coconut) ice cream.
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Other Noteworthy Hawaiian Articles & Restaurants:
Kona Grill Sleek chain with Hawaiian menu + sushi, reviewed in Tampa, Florida
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
A Few Oregon Favorites:
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Casual beach fare at PDX
Portland, Oregon
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Passion, science, & innovation
Newburg, Willamette, Oregon
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world-class Biodynamic Oregon wines
Newburg, Willamette, Oregon
|
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Enhancing the Spirit of Pioneer wines
Dundee, Willamette, Oregon
|
Country style market & café w/craft beer
Dundee, Willamette, Oregon
|
Distinctive crafting and character
Dundee, Willamette, Oregon
|
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
Final notes, review basics, observations and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Overall from this experience, and the score factors outlined in the ‘about page’ section, based on my individual experience and rating, I give Ohana Hawaiian Cafe a 2 out of 5 stars, meaning that they were far above the average dining experience of most restaurants.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings
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Max Points Possible:
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Total Points Awarded:
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Total Points deducted:
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Ambiance
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10
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9
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1
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Food quality
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10
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8
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2
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Plate presentation
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8
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7
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1
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Customer service
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8
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4
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4
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Alcohol and other beverages
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6
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3
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3
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Total regular points awarded
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42
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31
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11
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Total percentage — less the Bonus
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0.738095238095238
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“Wow” factor BONUS
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5
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1
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0.0238095238095238
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Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
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0.761904761904762
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
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2
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**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
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2 of 5 Stars:
76% Rating with a 1 point “wow” bonus
Far Above the Average Dining Experience
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Corkage fee’s:
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This Restaurant does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge
$25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant style:
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Casual dining
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Cuisine Style:
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American, Barbecue, Hawaiian
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Gluten Free, Low Carb, Pescatarian, Vegetarian Options
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Reservations:
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Not Required
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
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Dress code:
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Casual attire
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Child policy:
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The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
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Experiences:
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Place for foodies, Contemporary, Modern, Good for special occasions, and a Neighborhood Gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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Street meter parking
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Wifi
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The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
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Noise level:
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Medium
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Smoking:
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Nonsmoking restaurant
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Patio or terrace:
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No
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricey)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
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Price
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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££
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$$
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥¥¥
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European Union (EUR)
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€€
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Ohana Hawaiian Cafe:
10608 SE Main Street
Milwaukie, Oregon
97222, USA
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+1 503-305-8170
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Email Contact:
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Serving hours:
Pacific Standard Time (GMT, Zulu, or UTC-8:00)
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Mon-Sun
11:00 am - 9:00 pm
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Social Media
&
Accolades:
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****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
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Taste of tribal Zimbabwe cuisine
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
|
Vibrant Pan-Indian Cuisine
Colnbrook, Slough, Berkshire, England, UK
|
Stylish modern Spanish and global cuisine
Dubai Creek, Dubai, UAE
|
Other Pictures:
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
