Driving up at the top of Mill Street in Wailuku, I came across a new food truck called Shark Bite Cafe. It was located in a parking lot next to a two-story commercial building. The Shark Bite Cafe has a commercial kitchen in that building (it’s where they run their catering company) so it made sense to see the truck there.
I asked manager Carla Vonurff about what inspired their eclectic fusion menu.
“We felt some of the food truck foods were lacking in variety, so we wanted to bring this kind of fusion to the locals,” says Vonurff. “Kind of the same food we are serving at parties or on private jets.”
They definitely had dishes that I don’t see on your typical food truck offerings. Their menu sways from Thai cuisine to Mediterranean to local plates. They also approached the menu with some humor: “Not your mama’s Shawarma,” “Gobble Gobble” and “Piggy Licious” are just a taste of the fun they had when naming their dishes.
The dishes all possess a gourmand element. The turkey sandwich ($11.50) features homemade stuffing, roast turkey, cranberry sauce and citrus spread on a hoagie roll. A side of succulent potato salad accompanies it. They have a catch of the day dish called Fresh Off the Boat (market price), served with chickpea relish and rice. The day I visited, they had salmon grilled to a crisp but still tender inside, and the chickpea relish was a cool salad of chickpeas, chopped onion, parsley, tomato and seasonings that smothered the fish. Both were superb.
I also tried the Soup-err Cheesy, their signature Shark Bite tomato bisque soup with their brioche bread grilled cheese. The brioche is a soft, delicious egg bread that supports a half-inch filling of melty cheese. Their tomato bisque is no joke; it’s savory, delicious and a perfect dip for the grilled cheese.
Shark bite also does some baking. I sampled their delicious chocolate chip and the oatmeal cookies. Both are made in classic versions and the cafe sells two for $1.50 or six for $4. They also make brownies, coconut macaroons and banana bread for your sweet tooth.
Shark bite has a few salads, Greek and Chinese chicken, which you can order without the chicken. There’s also a tandoori tofu for vegetarians. They also have rich pork belly, kalbi chicken and fresh squeezed lemonade. They just built a shaded area for those needing a spot to dine, and expanded their hours to include dinner.
“This will be our starting menu, but then we will probably change some things up with seasonal varieties,” says Vonurff. “We want to focus on what seems to be a hit.”
Shark Bite Cafe
1830 Mill St., Wailuku
808-720-6629
Fax orders: 808-720-6635
Open Monday – Saturday
11am-2:30pm; 4:30-7pm
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