Ali’I Hawaiian Grill is not just for aristocrats

The interior at Ali’i Hawaiiian Grill is sleek and modern, without Hawaiian kitsch. Photos by Richard Foss.

The Ali’i Grill in Manhattan Beach offers Hawaiian food for the masses

I fondly remember the Beach Hut in Manhattan Beach, a happy little shack that was the introduction to Hawaiian food for South Bay locals. They were noted for giant portions of cheap food that was then regarded as exotic. This is where we first experienced loco moco, spam musubi, sweet fried bread, curiously addictive macaroni salad, and the other cliches of that cuisine. The original Beach Hut closed in the early 2000s after 40 years in business, but a branch is still located on Pacific Coast Highway in Torrance.

Manhattan Beach’s newest Hawaiian restaurant celebrates a completely different version of that cuisine — there’s hardly an item on the menu at Ali’i Hawaiian Grill that would have been familiar to Beach Hut habitues. The name Alii is pronounced A-lee-ee, and means nobility, but the style and décor are uncomplicated. The menu features modern Hawaiian poke, wraps, and seaweed salad rather than the carb-loaded homestyle plate lunches. The interior is free of Island cliches, with no pictures of palm trees or ukuleles on display. That’s not because the management has other decorating ideas, because the walls are bare, as is the shelving unit at the back of the restaurant. It looks like they’ve just moved in and haven’t finished unpacking, even though they’ve been open for six months.

The menu is all about various ways of serving five proteins: braised beef, huli chicken, teriyaki or miso salmon, kalua pork, and poke. The first four are available as a plate with two side items, a wrap, or tacos. (The menu also lists loco moco style with eggs and gravy, but it hasn’t been available any time I’ve been there.) I’ve made multiple visits and enjoyed almost everything, though there are a few things that could be improved.

There’s only one starter, but it’s a must-have. It’s a smoked ahi dip, which is offered either with vegetables or fried wonton chips, and it’s creamy with a delicate smoke and rich seafood flavor. I got it with the wonton chips and wished I had gotten it with crudites instead, because the chips are very delicate and broke when we tried to pick up the thick dip. It would be fine with tortilla chips too, or just spread on good bread. I can envision picking up some of this for a party tray because it’s delicious.

Poke is a favorite item here. I’ve tried two versions, the sweet and spicy and the onion limu. The sweet and spicy wasn’t particularly spicy, but the mix of sweet, salt, and gentle red pepper worked well. The limu was more interesting. Limu is a word for edible seaweed, and I don’t know which variety is used in this preparation, but it has a nice moist crunch and delicate ocean flavor. The other flavors besides the fish itself are dark soy sauce, green and white onion, which I suspect was pickled, and what tastes like a hint of sesame oil. The saltiness is cumulative but a small portion is delightful.

They keep several types of poke in stock on any given day, plus one that isn’t on display that is a surprise. Ali’i offers tacos made with braised beef, kalua pork, and poke. On a day I was dining alone, I ordered one of each for a main course. Two were as I expected, the braised beef and the pork, but the poke came out cooked. I thought there might have been some miscommunication, because I was expecting the usual raw fish with soy and flavorings, but the person behind the counter explained that the poke in the tacos is cooked. Expectations aside, it was a good fish taco, adorned only with raw cabbage and a little chopped green onion. I think a dash of salsa would have improved it, but none is offered. I liked the other two better, particularly the tender, slightly smoky braised brisket. I don’t know what they used for a braising stock, though it obviously contains some soy sauce and a little garlic, but it was a hit. The pork was very tender and had a concentrated meaty flavor, like carnitas gone Hawaiian, and I wondered if a little pineapple juice is in the mix somewhere. Whatever it is, it adds a hint of flavor and caramelizes on the meat.

The braised beef wrap at Ali’i Hawaian Grill is shown here with spicy mayo and wonton chips.

The wraps can be made with beef or kalua pork, and also with chicken or salmon. On one visit my wife tried the miso salmon. “You’re not going to like this at all,” she said mournfully after the first bite. I was not fooled, as this is her code for don’t try it, or you’ll want all of it. It was indeed worth it. Miso salmon is a Japanese preparation of a fish that never swims in tropical waters, but it fits in nicely here. The sides available with the wrap include seaweed salad, which is the usual commercial version, and smoked potatoes served cold, a decidedly unusual choice. I think I would have preferred these warm, but it was an interesting novelty and went well with the spicy mayonnaise-based dipping sauce. Vegetables are another choice, and on the day we tried them included average steamed broccoli and good green beans in an Asian garlic sauce.

Ali’i doesn’t have an alcohol license and surprisingly, doesn’t serve coffee, so your choices are canned soft drinks, bottled green tea, or water. I tried the passionfruit-guava nectar from Hawaiian Sun and found it to be pleasantly but not overwhelmingly sweet and fruity.

No desserts are offered, but there’s a 31 Flavors across the street. Since the street is PCH and there’s no crosswalk, it will take you a few minutes to get there, but you’ll want to walk off the rich Hawaiian food anyway.

Ali’i uses quality fish and other ingredients and does a commendable job at keeping prices down. While the environment is on the sterile side, the food is worth the trip. It’s not the Hawaiian food that we grew up with, but it’s better, and better for you.

Ali’I Hawaiian Grill is at 924 N. PCH in Manhattan Beach, next to Big Wok. Wed-Mon 11 a.m – 8 p.m. Parking in rear, patio dining, wheelchair access good. No alcohol served. (310) 540-2323, menu at aliihawaiiangrill.com. ER

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