Aloha Salads

A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS WEEK’S HOUSE SPECIAL: ONO ISLAND AHI SALAD

When making your 2018 fitness and weight loss resolutions, take comfort in knowing that you won’t have to sacrifice taste when planning your healthy diet for the new year — at least not at Aloha Salads.

With six locations islandwide — plus the most recent location in Harajuku, Japan, which opened earlier this month — it’s easy to walk in to any Aloha Salads and leave with a low-calorie meal that tastes great and makes you feel good, too.

Co-owner Sara Lufrano says that the reason she and husband/co-owner Chris opened the business back in 2006, was because there weren’t any healthy takeout restaurants in Hawaii at the time.

“We wanted to give people with a busy lifestyle an alternative to the plate lunch — meat, rice, mac salad,” she says. “We also saw the local farms with beautiful produce that no one was using at the time, and we wanted to use the freshest ingredients.”

The eatery’s salads are packed with locally grown ingredients from Green Growers in Hauula and Ho Farms on the North Shore. Plus, in favorites such as Ono Island Ahi salad, Aloha Salads uses fresh, local ahi.

Other favorites include homemade Tomato Bisque, Curried Chicken Wrap, and Aloha Passion salad with grilled steak.

“We make every item to order for each customer, customizing their order to their exact preference,” Lufrano adds.

All dressed up

The eatery’s famous homemade mango vinaigrette dressing offers the perfect balance of tart and sweet flavors.

Over the rainbow

The salad combines a multitude of flavors and colors with the addition of diced mangoes and strawberries, plus slices of buttery avocado.

Reel this in

Fresh field greens are topped with slices of fresh, never-frozen ahi caught in Hawaiian waters that have been blackened and lightly seared.

Addicting add-ons

Also added into the mix are bean sprouts, green onion and fresh, shredded coconut.