Kosher On Kauai

(For a general understanding of Kosher, click here)

While there are no Certified Kosher restaurants or Kosher Stores on island, many kosher items can be found in local stores. Besides for the hundreds of Kosher Certified products, with an "OU" or "OK" symbol on many mainland and international products (such as cereals, tuna, pastas etc.), there are some Kosher sections in the following supermarkets:

*Star Market
(located in Kukui Grove Shopping Center in Lihue, opposite Costco)
They have a kosher section in the center isle of the store, with a sign reading "Kosher". It includes such items as Manichewitz Matzah, crackers, Gefilte fish and many more.
There are usually some "Empire"  chicken in the freezer!
 

* Safeway, Foodland, Big-Save
These stores have many kosher certified items. Although there is no designated Kosher section, you will find many certified Kosher things on the shelves throughout.

Wines: Most local supermarkets (including Foodland and Big Save) carry Manishewitz & Magen David. The Farmers' Market store in Kilauea's Kong Lung Center carry a better wine called "Baron Herzog".    Dakine Wine in Kapa'a carries two Israeli wines "Galil" & "Yarden".

Fish: The Pacific Ocean is full of kosher fish, so your best option is to go fishing in Hawaii!
Smoked Salmon (lox) can be found in most stores, with a Kosher Certification.

If you purchase fresh fish, make sure it is whole, and not sliced. For perhaps the knives are used for other fishes too and have residue.

Challah: - We recently discovered a good Challah solution. In Costco (Lihue), they sell a whole-wheat loaf called "La Brea" from Los Angeles, CA. It is half pre-baked in California, then frozen. The bakery do complete the baking here and have it on display on their racks. However, this is no good. You can go to the people working in the bakery and ask for them to bring out the frozen loaves, straight out of the box that has the certification. Take it home/hotel and (if you have a kosher oven) stick it in the oven for 20 minutes...and you got healthy Challah!

Alternatively, (If you do not have a Kosher oven, e.g. tourists in a hotel) you can double-wrap it in silver foil and let it bake (in any oven) for longer, until it is done.

Occasionally, one can find frozen Challah dough in the freezer, which then needs some oven time to turn into scrumptuous Challah for Shabbat.

OAHU KOSHER - 

Hawaii's only Kosher Catering 

Call Yudi Weinbaum on 808.888.4949

or visit www.oahukosher.com