Tita’s Grill

Tita’s Grill is directly across from the school I work at. As you can imagine, many of the teachers (and students) eat their breakfast and lunch here. I’m not sure if the name is supposed to be pronounced “Tee-ta”, or “Titta” because the implication of the meaning is very different. The signs out front are pretty classic and have that local charm, so I like to think it’s the latter. I’d like to think that a strong, sassy woman is making that bread. So I will.

I can be loyal to good bread. This is the kind of bread that has absolutely no nutritional value and exists only to be absolutely delicious.

You can buy a slice, but c’mon. You gotta just go all in and get the loaf. $5. If you can possibly force yourself to save some, you can make an amazing french toast.

Sweet, a bit of that white bread chew, this hits that absolutely raving carb addict that lives inside all of us.

The bread is awesome. They spread the slice with margarine, but you forgive them the second you sink your teeth into it. All day you can see people walking away with a brown bagged loaf.

You can get a slice for breakfast but you can also get a sandwich for lunch. A melt. There’s pastrami, tuna, and occasionally roast beef. Maybe the Pastrami doesn’t match up to Carnegie Deli, but it is one million times better than what I can buy at the store here. Paired with this perfect bread, I’m happy. The bread is buttered and sauteed, so the cheese is melted too. You won’t even want to give your crusts away.

There are more local style foods here: plate lunches, loco moco, beef stew, sometimes lau lau, and always some great cocoa rice, but I like the sandwich the best. I eat a lot of sandwiches (I mean, every place around here serves killer sandwiches). This one is the decadent version.

As a kid, there were months in a row that I tried everything I could to spend as little time as possible outside. Between the rain, cold, and windstorms, the purpose of existence was about getting in, and getting warm. I do remember many mornings walking to school, violin case in hand, in the rain, my feet hurting from the cold (uphill both ways)….

Now I hardly ever feel like I’m even indoors. In Hawaii we never close the windows. My classroom door opens to the outside (hallways are nonexistent). You can go to the beach even if it’s raining. My pores are basically always open. A/C is a luxury and central air is rare. You can dry your clothes on the line all year long. Winter, if you can call it that, just means that you’re not on the verge of sweat.

I realized, when I was preparing these reviews, that every establishment I went to on the North Shore has outdoor seating (maybe “seating” is a strong word for a few chairs to the side, but that’s what I’m calling it). Some don’t have any indoor area. There’s something to be said for eating in the sun and in a breeze. I’m thinking it enhances the flavor. Plus no dress code and you don’t have to worry about the sand on your feet. It may not be the best place for a first romantic date, but it gets the job done. Hawaii’s pretty good at the whole “no frills” thing. Sometimes it works against you to be too dressed up around here.

And we eat outside. There’s a bit of wildness to it. Like lions on the plain after the hunt. Maybe that explains why I have such a crazy 5 year old. She gets to eat outside whenever she darn well pleases. Maybe she’ll be a tita too.

Tita’s Grill

56-505 Kam Hwy, Kahuku, HI (approximately) Google Maps

Directly across from Kahuku High School and on the right of Kahuku Superette

Open 7am-7pm Monday through Saturday

Favorite Eats: sandwiches, cocoa rice, specials

Expenses: $5-$10 (cheap $1-$2 bread slice, cocoa rice, panipopo, and bread pudding)

Little Foodie? Whole family friendly

FYI: Outdoor seating only, no bathrooms, right by the highway. This is a very local, small establishment, food may take several minutes. Take out style.

This is part of a series of posts about North Shore Food.