Huli Huli Tiki Lounge in Powell is a little taste of Hawaii in the middle of Ohio.  I had noticed the Tiki Bar part when we would drive through Powell on our way to John and Jackie’s.  On a recent visit, I asked if they had eaten there yet.  They said they had, but would be glad to eat there again.  Because we are still avoiding crowded restaurants, we placed a takeout order and Tom and John went to pick it up.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from something that seems to be serving Hawaiian food.  My experience of Hawaiian food is lots of fish, pork and pineapple, with some coconut and rice.  The restaurant looked like a fun place to eat from the outside.  The menu also looked like fun, offering an interesting mix of foods.  I was tempted to get the Trio of Bao with Spam.  But I got the Hawaiian plate instead.  Tom ordered the Kalua Pork Sandwich.  John and Jackie got some shrimp and Bang Bang Broccoli.

Several of the menu items at the Huli Huli Tiki Lounge have Bang Bang sauce.  I had no idea what that is, so I looked it up.  Bang Bang sauce has a few variations, but it always has Sriracha, Thai sweet chili sauce, and mayonnaise.  As such it is sweet, creamy and has a little bang to it.  Bang Bang Broccoli basically tasted like breaded, fried broccoli.  Almost everything tastes better fried (just ask anyone who makes Fair food).

The Hawaiian plate is probably the best thing on the menu.  It is rice with your choice of meat, a small side salad, and macaroni salad.  I ordered mine with beef.  Jackie ordered hers with coconut shrimp, but, because I was placing the order and know nothing about shrimp, I ordered grilled shrimp for her.  For some reason, we always seem to get Jackie’s takeout order wrong.  Over the last two years of ordering lots of takeout, I think her order has been wrong about half the time.  Once the server forgot to put Jackie’s order in the car entirely.  A couple of times the restaurant has been out of whatever it was that Jackie wanted.  Poor Jackie.  She is always a good sport about it.

Tom and John went to pick up the food and said the Huli Huli Tiki Bar looked like a fun place to eat.  My Hawaiian plate was delicious.  I wasn’t sure about macaroni salad and rice, but it worked.  The Bang Bang Broccoli was also very good.  Tom said his Kalua Pork wasn’t great, and next time he would get a Hawaiian plate.  John ate Jackie’s grilled shrimp and Jackie made do with rice, macaroni salad, side salad and broccoli.

The Huli Huli Tiki Lounge opened in February.  It is owned by Dustin and Genie Sun.  Their specialty, of course, is cocktails, but I enjoyed their “bar food.”  The Huli Huli Tiki Lounge is open Tuesday through Sunday from noon until 8 p.m. and closed Mondays.

I would definitely eat at the Huli Huli Tiki Bar again.  They aren’t trying to do too much with the menu.  I appreciate that because it means they can concentrate on a few things and get them right.  I would get the takeout again, but I hope to be able to eat inside soon.