The Humble Hawaiian [restaurant review]
The Grindz at 1600 partner Gary Yonamine. Photo I enjoy colorful slang terms, and have avidly read articles about the lingo of the Victorian underworld, Roaring Twenties revelers, beatniks, Cockneys, and carnival workers. It’s vivid, informal, and whimsical, often based on obscure allusions, rhymes, and wordplay. It can also be subtle, and even an enthusiast might miss an example in plain sight. Consider the sign for The Grindz at 1601 in Hermosa, a café in the 24 Hour Fitness building on PCH just north of Pier. From the name I had assumed it was a coffeehouse, or perhaps a reference to weightlifting since it’s in the same building as the gym. I discovered it was neither. Grindz, as the Urban Dictionary informed me, is the Hawaiian pidgin term for humble everyday meals. The decor and setting aren’t particularly Hawaiian, unless you take into account the fact that like everywhere else most new construction in Honolulu is glass and steel office buildings. But the welcome is as warm as the islands, and it seems that everyone who works here is part of the same Hawaiian family. The menu offers the odd hodgepodge that is modern Hawaiian food, a mix of Japanese, Chinese, Korean…
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