Come ‘pig out’ on plates with a fun twist

Street Tacos ($16.50)

Among Kaimuki’s intriguingly funky eateries is The Surfing Pig on Waialae Avenue.

If you’re in the area around noon any day of the week, check out The Surfing Pig’s lunch menu. Old School Sandwich ($12.50) is made with Kono’s 12-Hour Slow-Roasted Award-Winning Kalua Pig, produced at The Surfing Pig’s sister restaurant. Tangy with guava barbecue sauce and served with papaya seed coleslaw, this local twist on the classic pulled pork sandwich is accompanied by crispy shoestring fries topped with herbs and sea salt. With truffle oil, Parmesan cheese, herbs, and chicharron dust for flavor and crunch, a $3 upgrade to truffle fries is hard to resist.

Old School Sandwich ($12.50)

“They’re one of our biggest sellers,” notes owner Stan Glander.

If you’re lunching with a friend, try Street Tacos ($16.50), six little tacos with a trio of delicious fillings — kalua pig and bourbon onions, tempura shrimp with citrus aioli slaw, pico di gallo and sriracha, and fried fish with onions and chive-sour cream sauce.

Surfing Pig Burger ($16)

Not surprisingly, Surfing Pig Burger ($16), topped with bourbon onions, smoked gouda, citrus aioli, tomato and fresh Waipoli greens, is a huge favorite.

“We use local grass-fed ground beef and add a secret ingredient that makes it the best burger on the island,” says chef Shayla Kaai. “We get some bacon nice and crispy, then mix it into the burger with whole-grain mustard, grated onions, and a little love, with extra aloha on the side.”

“The burger and tacos are so popular that we’ve added them to our late-night happy hour menu,” says Glander. During the last hour of every evening, the tempting trio of tacos gets a noble upgrade, becoming Don Julio Tacos when paired with a shot of 1942 tequila. And the Hibiki Burger, The Surfing Pig’s local grass-fed beef burger, is accompanied by Japanese whisky.