Local Loco Moco Mojo

Well smack me down and call me loco, or you can call me Moco, or you can call me Ray, or you can call me Jay, or you can … ahhhh, never mind. I got carried away and wandered too far into left field again.

You know what loco moco is, right? I’ve talked about it several times here in left field, and in that place for my taste over there on the other side of your computer screen.

Loco moco is a plate or bowl of rice with a hamburger patty on it, covered with brown gravy, and with a fried egg sitting right on top. There are variations – rice, patty, egg, THEN gravy … country gravy instead of brown gravy … Spam instead of the hamburger patty … kimchee or potato-macaroni salad on the side … maybe some mayonnaise between the rice and patty.

We take it pretty seriously here in Hawaii. There’s always debate about where it originated. Some say it started on Kauai, others (like me) argue that it’s a Hilo concoction. I remember having loco moco at a small little restaurant (no, not Café 100) when I was a mere lad in the late ‘50s, going through puberty in junior high.

So here’s the deal.

I just learned that there will be a month-long competition to determine which Waikiki restaurant makes the best loco moco. Really? Yeah, really. Whatchu gotta do is order loco moco at Ocean House, Cheeseburger Restaurant Waikiki, Jimmy Buffett’s, Giovanni Pastrami, Keoni’s by Keo, AND Hula Grill.

Once you’ve gobbled down these six loco mocos, vote for your favorite on Facebook or Twitter (tag your post with #WBWloco and the name of your favorite).

Of course, you know my PR friends are putting this together, and they just can’t kick off a momentous event like this without a special event. Really? Yeah really.

If you’re not doing anything important this Saturday, June 19, haul your buns down to Cheeseburger in Paradise and lay your eyes on some Hawaii media people as they participate in a stuff-your-face-and-pass-the-bicarbonate loco moco gorging contest.

Who are the brave ‘uns? Catherine Toth (Daily Dish), Steve Uyehara (Hawaii News Now), Billy V. (Hawaiian 105 KINE), Raeceen Woolford (Miss Hawaii 2009 … woohoo!) and Charles Criscola (photographer and DJ). Hope they don't sneeze while they're doing it. Rice up the nose is nasty.

What? You’re not on Twitter and/or Facebook? Heyyyy, c’mon! Get with it. Otherwise, you’ll be eating loco moco in Waikiki without a chance to speak your piece!

You can always speak your piece here. Just make sure you don’t speak with your mouth full.

Really? Yeah, really.