A Winning Formula

Good food has often little to do with nor benefits from too much fuss, grand presentations, imagined “artistry” and always from hard work, effort and a love for what you do and who you serve. At least that’s Char Hung Sut’s philosophy. With more than 60 years of experience in delighting local palates with its rustic and hearty fare, Char Hung Sut remains a symbol for “local-style” Chinese comfort food. A now fourth-generation establishment, Char Hug Sut (smell of the tea house) was originally a Chinese tea house and served local-style dim sum like gau gee min and duck noodle. Today, their Hawaiian-style-sized manapua, or char siu bao (a steamed bun with pork filling) reigns supreme, but their menu includes close to a dozen items, including pork hash, chow fun, ma tai soo and an assortment of rice cakes.

“We make them fresh every day,” says Barry Mau, grandson of original founder Bat Moi Kam Mau who arrived to Hawai‘i from a small village in China when she was only 16. “My grandmother used to work at Dole Cannery making kukui nut leis, but her real talent was making dim sum.” Now helming his own in the vibrant quarter of Chinatown, Barry can now be found up before the break of dawn to prep for the busy day. “I oversee retail and my brother Bruce makes the dough,” says Barry. “The bread is the real secret. It has to be fresh and done just right.”

There’s obviously something to Barry’s formula; the manapuas at Char Hung Sut are everything they promise to be. The basic and fresh ingredients are brought to life with simple cooking techniques that transcend generations. Next time you’re in the neighborhood, stock up on their tasty manapuas and rice cakes to enjoy a simple meal on your porch while enjoying the cool, salty trade winds of Hawai‘i—after all, you can never have enough of a good thing.

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