There’s a small hamburger chain here in Japan called Kau’aina. It’s supposedly from Hawaii and they have a stores in Honolulu and on the North Shore. It looks like a surf / burger place as there are surfboards on the wall and pictures of surfers. They have 3 or 4 stores in Tokyo.
Anyway, it’s the only place I’ve been that has real American style hamburgers. All the fast food places like McDonalds have Japanified burgers. That means they are *itty bitty*. But, the Kua’ania ones are expensive. Acutally though, I’ve never gotten a burger there just a turkey avocado sandwich. My favorite turkey avocado sandwich place is in Huntington Beach by the pier where they use soy-turkey and they put one entire avocado on your sandwich. Anyway, the turkey avo sandwich at Kua’aina is not as good as that one but it’s still pretty good BUT.. It’s $12!! Ugh! Then I have to get a drink ($3) and a side like fries ($3). Total, $18!!! But, it makes me feel good because it reminds me of both being in America and being in Hawaii. America because it tastes American and it’s got American sizes and also because they have a Hawaiian radio station running so I get to hear American music and Hawaiian local news. I go maybe once a month.
They just opened one here in Santa Monica on Broadway between Ocean and 2nd about 3 months ago. I've been twice, and the hamburgers are pretty good. Coincidentally, one of the contracters we had make a bid on our remodelling also did the work on that restaurant.
What's the plan?
The three Kua’aina in Japan that I’ve been to are in Kamakura (near the ocean), Aka Renga (the new shopping complex in Minato Mirai) and Ikspiri (the shopping complex at Tokyo Disney Resort) They are indeed the thickest (and best, IMHO) burgers in Japan!
Though I’ve spent many months in Hawaii, I never did go to a Hawaiian Kua’aina. After all, why settle for that when you can get the ultimate at Cheeseburgers in Paradise!
http://www.alaskajohn.com/hawaii_2002/cheeseburgers.html
Great to see other’s appreciate Cheeseburgers in Paradise as well! Thanks for the link anon_joepet!