Aunty Maile's Restaurant

🇺🇸 UNITED STATES (Hawai'i)
📍 19106 Normandie Avenue, Torrance, South Bay
🅿️ Ample parking in plaza

🚌 Torrance bus #2 and #6 🚏
🥤 No Alcohol

If you happen to come during a busy lunch rush at Aunty Maile's, when the weather is the right type of beautiful and sitting in the sun is still enjoyable, it might come as a surprise just how hopping the place can be. Just southwest of the busy 110/405 interchange in a fairly industrial section of town, the aloha you can enjoy when the sliding doors open also is a pleasant surprise.

If the wait is greater than normal, they will warn you at the counter, but grab a pre-made musubi or start with cake to hold you over, then grab a seat inside or out. If you are near the kitchen, which is open to the space, you will see a busy but untroubled whirl. One of the chefs has a University of Hawai'i hat, which tilts upward only when he glances at the more than a dozen hand-written tickets still waiting to be fulfilled.

As you enjoy a serviceable spam musubi ($3.25, below), you can take in the restaurant's atmosphere. At least half of the patrons seem to be islanders, groups of older Japanese women from Honolulu amongst many other Hawaiians. Despite being technically in Torrance, this feels more like Gardena when you are inside, the ohana is not just a sign on the wall.

In addition, there is a beautiful painted wooden Hawaiian flag up there as well as many photos from the many paradises the eight islands offer. Even if you were warned about a wait, the order will probably arrive in less time, unfortunately all in styrofoam even when dining inside.

While there are a few places around the South Bay that make better poke, the offerings here are still enjoyable. This Hawaiian style ahi poke ($10.95 small, above) is a sauce-less version that has kukui nuts, dried seaweed, onions, and Hawaiian salt. Aunty Maile's serves five styles, which are also available as bowls with rice and macaroni salad.

The loco moco ($13.95, below) fills about all the volume available in the container it is served in, rice, a burger patty, and two eggs served any style completely drowned by brown gravy. The patty has the charbroil taste from the grill, which really transports you into the moods of O'ahu diners like Liliha Bakery. If only they had counter seating here in Torrance.

For a transport straight to the Chinese-Hawaiian lunch counters of the islands, try a bowl of Hawaiian style saimin ($12.95, above), which does a fair replication. Noodle lovers that frequent the San Gabriel Valley and have not yet been to Hawai'i will probably not understand the allure of this simple dish, but you can tell it is enjoyed by those that call The Aloha State home.

While you are waiting for the order, and indeed while you are eating, the call from the dessert case is quite strong, with full cakes beautifully displayed. You can finish off meals with slices like haupia (coconut), guava, and lilikoi ($6.50, below), with whipped and sweet passion fruit frosting.

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

I COULD USE YOUR HELP

Eat the World Los Angeles is and always has been free. It is a hobby born of passion and never solicits money or free food from restaurants. No advertisements block the content or pop over what you read. If this website has helped you explore your city and its wonderful cultures a little better please tell your friends about us and if you have the means to contribute, please consider doing so. Eat the World Los Angeles is a labor of love, but also takes a lot of money and time everyday to keep running.
Thank you!

VENMO: @JAREDCOHEE

CASH APP: $JaredCohee

PAYPAL: (no account necessary, use link)