Island style grinds at The Loft

Transitioning from movie theatre darkness to late afternoon sunshine,

following a matinee showing of the Fantastic Four, I stumbled across

the Charter Centre parking lot in search of The Loft -- a Hawaiian

grill serving generous potions of island favorites.

The Loft is, quite literally, a loft. After placing your order at

the downstairs counter, you proceed upstairs for seating in the loft.

Starkly decorated in light woods, with an exposed blue ceiling, the

loft feels pacific -- yet cosmopolitan. Lest the idea of trekking up

and down stairs for soda refills or forgotten silverware (actually

plastic utensils) sours you, there’s also limited outside seating at

parking lot’s edge.

While the movie had four equally fantastic characters, The Loft

had one predominantly fantastic item: the Korean barbequed beef. In

this incarnation, the beef was lean, thin, tender slices of grilled

tri-tip topped with a tangy teriyaki styled sauce. This tri-tip, with

its minimal amount of fat, is the best I’ve had in Huntington Beach.

While you have the option of getting this delectation as a bowl

(served over steamed rice) or a plate (adding ramen cabbage salad and

macaroni salad), the reality is all items are packaged in to-go

Styrofoam containers. The macaroni salad is favorably noteworthy in

that there are no chopped veggies or vinegar aftertaste to distract

from the elbow macaroni proportionately seasoned with mayo and

pepper.

If the Korean barbeque beef played the part of superhero, then the

lau lau portrayed the villain. This “island favorite” (code for

“acquired taste”) stuffed a large, acrid taro leaf with a parched

combination of pork and butterfish (smelled it, didn’t see it) to

create a Hawaiian style burrito that only someone who grew up eating

them could enjoy.

The island-style fried chicken is the favorite dish of my buddy,

who clued me in to The Loft. These boneless, cue ball-sized chunks of

dark meat chicken are dipped in a ginger marinade before being deep

fried. I would have enjoyed this adult version of chicken nuggets

more had they been accompanied by mashed potatoes and gravy.

When it comes to chicken I much prefer white meat to dark meat and

grilled to fried -- which led me to the healthy Hawaiian teriyaki

chicken breast. These strips of grilled chicken breast were great.

One friend who frequents The Loft reduces her calorie count on this

offering by substituting a bed of cabbage for steamed rice.

While their bacon fried rice surely can’t be classified as

healthy, it for sure can be classified as tasty. I’d love to see them

take this dish a step further -- and the cholesterol count a step

higher -- by plopping a fried egg on top.

Last but not least, I tried the fried saimin -- egg noodles

seasoned with a soup base and flash fried in a wok. They also mixed

in some Char Sui chicken, prepared like the pork spare ribs I enjoyed

as a child, with cabbage and green onions.

If you’re feeling adventurous, try the loco moco -- steamed rice

topped with a homemade hamburger patty and two eggs over easy. The

whole thing is then smothered in Hawaiian gravy.

Drinks include soda, a very sweet Hawaiian iced tea and Hawaiian

Sun tropical juices.

If you somehow have stomach space available after partaking, try

their mangu pastry made with sweet potato.

* JOHN VOLO is the Independent restaurant critic. If you have

comments or suggestions, e-mail [email protected].