History

The loco moco came out of Hilo's Lincoln Grill in 1949 when a gang of teenagers called the Lincoln Wreckers asked owner Nancy Inouye for a cheap, fast lunch. She dropped rice in a saimin bowl, topped with a hamburger patty, a fried egg and brown gravy. The first boy nicknamed Loco gave the dish its name. Cafe 100 in Hilo, opened in 1946 by 442nd Infantry veteran Richard Miyashiro, now sells 29 variations. Rainbow Drive-In in Kapahulu Honolulu has slung the canonical version since 1961.

Common allergens: Gluten, Egg, Dairy

Make it at home

Yield Serves 2Hands-on 20 minTotal 25 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 400g ground beef (80/20 chuck)
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • Sea salt, black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 350ml beef stock
  • 1 tablespoon shoyu (Japanese soy sauce)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 400g cooked short-grain rice, kept hot

Method

  1. Mix the beef with Worcestershire, a heavy pinch of salt and several grinds of pepper. Shape into 2 patties about 2cm thick.
  2. Heat a heavy skillet over high heat. Sear the patties 3 minutes per side for medium. Transfer to a warm plate.
  3. Lower the heat to medium. Add the butter and onion to the skillet. Cook 4 minutes until soft. Sprinkle the flour over and stir for 1 minute to cook out the raw taste.
  4. Whisk in the beef stock slowly to avoid lumps. Add the shoyu. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes until thickened. Season.
  5. In a non-stick pan, fry the eggs sunny side up in a film of oil. The yolk should still be runny.
  6. Build each bowl: two scoops hot rice, patty on top, egg on top of the patty, gravy ladled over the whole construction. Eat immediately.

Tip from the editors. The gravy can be made entirely in the burger pan; do not wash it between steps. The fond from the seared patty is half the flavour.

This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.

Where to eat loco moco

Loco moco in Honolulu

Rainbow Drive-In ★ 4.5

Rainbow Drive-In in Kapahulu Honolulu has slung budget plate lunches since 1961, with mix plates of loco moco, BBQ beef and boneless chicken averaging $11 with rice and mac salad.

Try: Plate lunch with two scoops rice

Tip: Lunch peak 11:30 to 13:00. The mix plate at $14 is the most expensive plate and feeds two.

3308 Kanaina Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96815

Zippy's Kapahulu ★ 3.8

Until Open 24 hours

Zippy's Kapahulu in Honolulu is the 24-hour diner of the local Higa-family chain, the city's most reliable late-night sit-down with chili, saimin and the Zip Pac bento.

Try: Zippy's chili, saimin

Order: Chili and rice plus a side of mac salad.

Tip: Open 24 hours, dine-in and drive-through. The chili and rice and a saimin bowl are the late-night order.

601 Kapahulu Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96815

More cities are in research. Want loco moco covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

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