Kauai Oxtail Soup
Kauai Oxtail Soup (aka.Oxtail Long Rice), is a specialty of Lihue as a working mans food. The wonderful noodles that are used are called long rice, which makes it different from other sorts of soup dishes. It does not take too long to make and has become a destination food for those flying to Kauai with its popularity from the locals. It is great during a rainy day and brings the feeling of aloha with the tasty soup and enjoyable meaty oxtails that are accompanied with vegetables. What makes the largest difference of Kauai oxtail soup is the extra kick of ginger that is in the soup broth. When it was made it was a beloved oxtail soup at first and as more noodles had piled on top of the oxtails its appearance was like a homestead of clear noodles. These noodles that were clear were mostly eaten as "long rice" on the side, but this large amount of noodles would reflect the broth in all its personality. It could be simple and clear or have its own distinct flavor and be more complex. The varieties can be traced to those who would make their own soups with bones throughout the island. The types of Oxtail Soup would be made from those who lived far from the airport of Lihue and could not easily make it out to get their favorite restaurants oxtail soup. To make it to their preferance the recipe would change towards a particular taste of the ones who would make it. Oxtail is the perfect pieces to use for a delicious soup, however it was not unheard of to use Chicken carcasses as well. Breakfast and Coffee of Tip Top In November of 1916, Denjiro Ota was a cook of the Plantation manager and was approached by the Lihue Store Manager to start a cafe which would be at the tip top building and be known as the tip top cafe. In 1925, Mitchell Ota took over and added: the bakery, banana pancakes, and other dishes. 1965 the cafe moved and had a motel built. In 1990, Jonathon Ota took over to where it was today. Over time the cafe would had worked hard for its customers in order to reach 100 years of service. Within that time many have grown to love their oxtail soup, but many would believe it to be more iconic for its large amount of noodles. It was so big that sometimes the dish would have to be shared amongst two people, but thats a special part of showing the aloha with portions of food. Little did the cafe know that they would be seen as a Long Rice and Oxtail Soup institution that would be responsible for keeping people working hard through the day. The outside may seem a bit intimidating from its old appearance, but the warmth of the people and the dishes speak for themselves. Long Rice of Kauai and Oxtail Soup A few variations found would be: Ginger Oxtail Long Rice, Teriyaki Oxtail Long Rice, Miso Oxtail Long Rice, Bacon Long Rice, which are unique recipes found in households that based their oxtail soups off of Long Rice that was made and found from Hawaiian-Chinese families. These families would meet at celebrations and ate together by mixing soups with their plantation ingredients of the past. It reminded them of the long hard days of eating very little with the celebration of a new life with eating until they were tired and ready for a nap. Many visitors to the island who ever had a chance to try the flavored noodles would not see it as traditional Hawaiian food. It would resemble a large bowl of Saimin more than even a bowl of hardy Oxtail soup as many bones were covered from the clear and glossy noodles on top. As it was changed with ingredients of a mixed plate of a Hawaii breakfast more than it did any ingredients that would enter an imu. It would not be the end of mixing of cultures as the bowl of oxtail would have toppings added on it that are representative of Kauai, such as Gotenburg Sausage, Portuguese Sausage, Baked Ham, and American Bacon.
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