Comic Kitchen: Loa

Superheroes spend a lot of their time fighting crime, so it’s no wonder that many of them work up an appetite. Comic Kitchen creates a three-course menu for a superhero and provides insight into food they enjoy. For heroes like Loa, food is a source of great joy. A native of Hawaii and member of the X-Men, Loa grew up with some of the most diverse dishes on the planet.

Starter – Ahi Poke

For a starter, Loa would want to eat something light, which is why she’d go for a Hawaiian classic like a bowl of poke. The name comes from the Hawaiian phrase ‘to slice’ and contains cuts of fish served with an assortment of vegetables and rice.

Ahi poke is one of the most popular variations. This bowl from Oke Poke is exactly the kind that Loa would enjoy. It features tuna, sushi rice, avocado, carrot, wakame, spring onion and ahi sauce.

I could imagine Loa appreciating the mixture of colours and different flavours. She’d savour the spicy taste of the ahi dressing, which is a combination of soy sauce, oil, sesame seeds, chili and salt. The end result is a starter that’s fresh, satisfying and healthy.

Main – Loco Moco

After the lightness of the starter, Loa would have room for a hearty Hawaiian meal like loco moco. Considered to be Hawaii’s version of comfort food, loco moco features rice topped with a hamburger patty and fried egg. The dish is finished off with succulent brown gravy or barbecue style rue.

Much debate surrounds the origin of the dish. According to one story, loco moco was developed in the 1940s by a woman called Nancy Inouye in the town of Hilo. Inouye wanted to give the hungry neightbourhood kids food they could afford, so she whipped together a meal that was inexpensive and easy to make. When thinking of what to call the dish, Inouye asked her husband, Richard and he said “the kids are crazy. Call it loco moco.” In another story, a boy nicknamed Loco became the first person to eat it, and the name stuck.

I could see Loa tucking into a plate of loco moco whenever she returned to Hawaii. She’d spend the day surfing, eat the food on the beach and watch the sun go down.

Dessert – Mochi

Hawaiian cuisine is a mash up of western and eastern influences, with many dishes being inspired by Japanese culture. Mochi is a popular dessert in Hawaii and was brought over by Japanese plantation workers in the mid-1800s. Made from rice, mochi is steamed and pounded into paste. Then, it is molded into balls and stuffed with a variety of fillings.

Loa would choose different flavours, such as the sesame seed, yuzu and matcha mochi found in Wasabi Dessert Room. Each cake provides a different contrast, from the sweetness of the yuzu to the savoury quality of the seeds. Loa would take bites from each cake so she could enjoy the flavours mixing together.

Are you a food blogger or restaurant buff? Want to collaborate on Comic Kitchen and share your culinary skills with the world? Contact ryderj09@hotmail.co.uk for more information.