Yes, Spam.

New York has the hot dog, Brussels has its frites. Maui’s on-the-go treat? The Spam Musubi. Until this morning, I had managed to live my entire life without sampling Spam, the infamous canned spice ham. During World War II, due in part to its lack of need for refrigeration, Spam was a standard ration among the U.S. military. And thus, Spam was introduced to Hawaii. Enter the Spam musubi, combining the quintessentially American canned meat with the Japanese influence in Hawaiian fare.

Kuau Mart, a north shore favorite of locals and surfers, reputedly has a might fine version. The Mart makes their Spam musubi fresh each day. Indeed, my musubi was a warm, stick-to-your ribs, sweet and savory treat – perfect on this cool, overcast morning.  A fried slice of Spam was set atop an inch thick slab of rice and wrapped in nori. Kuau Mart adds a touch of their own shoyu, soy sauce mixed with sugar,  giving the musubi a  light touch of sweetness to balance the tanginess of the meat.

If you’re in Maui, pre or post surf, or simply driving through town on your way to Hana, stop at Kuau Mart for a touch of local life and a Spam musubi snack. But don’t dawdle, I hear you’d be hard pressed to find any left after 10 a.m.

Spam musubi: $2.00 each

Kuau Mart, 701 Hana Highway (just minutes outside Paia)