I recently wrote about Pacific Diner, one of my favorite diners in the area. It’s the quintessential American restaurant where hard-working locals hunker down at the worn counter to chew the fat — both literally and figuratively. But there’s another version of the American restaurant that I’ve only recently discovered. It’s similar to a diner; anyone is welcome and everything is affordable and comforting. The difference is in where the food itself originates.

Hawaii is incredibly diverse. Eastern Asian countries have a strong influence along with other countries as well as the islands’ own natives. Likewise, the food is quite a mix of cultural staples. For a time, there was strong demand for immigrant laborers to work the sugarcane fields. This introduced even more diversity and, more importantly, the traditional cooking styles that can turn any ingredients into hearty comfort food. Of course, that’s not strictly an American way of cooking, but it’s a cornerstone of the classic American diner experience. The food at Rutt’s exemplifies this.