The Tropical Themed Restaurant In Northern California You Must Visit Before Summer’s Over
Now that we’re in the heart of summer, it’s time to start embracing it as much as possible before the fall season rolls around. One simple way to do so is by picking creatively themed restaurants that reflect the season. That’s why, if you haven’t been to The Banana Hut Hawaiian BBQ in Eureka yet this summer, your visit is overdue.
Check it out:
Known for its cute and casual atmosphere, the Banana Hut offers patrons a taste of Hawaiian paradise right here on the mainland.
It was started by Fatima Evans as a food truck at the 2004 Redwood Acres fair. Fatima built up a following and added more specialty drinks and Hawaiian entrees, and in 2006, she opened a restaurant. A year later, her husband Ken retired from his job as a juvenile probation office to join her in the restaurant full time.
The food served here is heavily influenced by Hawaiian, Korean, and barbecue flavors. Most of the dishes are served with rice and veggies on the side. Pictured here is the teriyaki chicken, a popular menu item.
Another signature dish is the "Local Boy Kine:" Kalua Pig and Pork Lau Lau served with rice, and either poi, chicken long rice or lomi lomi salmon and a choice of side.
Or stick to some frosty cold beers served in these mugs. If you close your eyes, you can imagine you are enjoying it at the beach with hardly any effort at all.
And of course, the signature tropical drinks, like the Mai Tais and Pina Coladas, are what really make you feel like you just left the mainland behind for island life.
Jill is a freelance writer from a small Northern California town and lives in the Sierra Nevada mountains. If you have an idea for an Only In Northern California story, email her at jsanford@onlyinyourstate.com.
