You’ve probably heard by now that Spam is a pretty popular type of food in Hawaii, so popular that some call it Hawaiian steak. If you’ve been struggling to understand the local hype or have gone all-in and want to devour even more Spam-centered delicacies, then a trip to Kauai’s The Musubi Truck is a must for you.
You will find The Musubi Truck tucked on a narrow strip of land on Kukui Street where it branches from downtown Kapaa. There’s a white picket fence that wraps around the property which otherwise boasts gravel, umbrella-ed picnic tables, and the big food truck itself parked in the very back. Most days, chickens and roosters wander the grounds, and enjoying a bite to eat here often feels like being part of the neighborhood.
As their name suggests, the primary food served at The Musubi Truck is variations on a dish called “musubi”. Musubi is a popular Hawaiian rendition of a Japanese rice and protein dish called omusubi. With musubi, a thick slice of Spam meat is either fried or baked and served wrapped tightly together with a block of sticky rice. Nori is used to keep the two together and make it easy for diners to enjoy the savory snack with their hands.
At The Musubi Truck, the big banner dish here is the OG Spam Musubi. The OG Spam Musubi features baked spam served with traditional steamed rice and seasoned with furikake and kabayaki sauce. It’s a simple dish and yet this entire food truck operation was dreamed up and put into motion by two Kauai families who wanted to share this traditional food. These co-owners also wanted to share their own unique ways of elevating the dish, and they certainly have.
Other great menu items available at The Musubi Truck include:
Da Bomb Musubi. If you’re not sold on Spam, then consider this food truck’s Da Bomb Musubi option. Here, the chefs swap out that processed meat for kalibi-marinated Wailua beef (that’s some pretty fresh grass-fed steak there!) and tie it together with kimchi cucumber, carrot, and a side of spicy aioli sauce.
Miso Happy Musubi. You can also skip the beef and choose instead this menu item that features miso-marinated chicken tied with green onion, kabayki sauce and served with a demi-glaze.
If you’re not sure which musubi you want, The Musubi Truck also has a combo item called the Ohana Sampler which features one of each of their specialty musubis plus the OG. They also, depending upon the season and availability, have other fresh menu items. The most popular of other food entrees is their Spicy Mayo Poke Bowl which features freshly caught ahi tuna (again, when in season) salted, spiced up, and served with green and white onion on a scoop of steamed rice.
This food truck even has a decent non-alcoholic beverage menu. You can choose from tea, a couple of soda options, bottled water, Hawaiian Sun juice, and homemade slushie options (which are also available with ice cream and ideal for hot summer days).
Insider Tips:
-If you like to back local causes, then you’ll appreciate that The Musubi Truck has a unique partnership with the local community. For every $5 donation you make with them, they provide meal vouchers for one child meal (musubi, chips, and a drink) served and distributed among local youth programs that work with at-risk youth. Learn more by asking about their “Feed Our Keiki” program.
-The Musubi Truck offers boasts a forward-thinking online menu and ordering system. You can browse their daily menu at any time on their website and place an order through that website for either pick-up later in the day or even local delivery. We recommend getting an order for pick-up and enjoying the savory snack or lunch at the nearby Kapaa Beach.