Fumi’s Kahuku Shrimp beat out all the other local shrimp trucks as one of the best lunch spots in Maxim magazine’s 2011 Food & Drinks awards, which includes restaurants across the U.S.

"We were surprised at the news," said manager Andy Hsu.

It is the first time a Hawaii shrimp truck has been featured in Maxim’s annual food awards, according to Maxim spokeswoman Nora Garrity. The selections were based on submissions by a combination of celebrities, Maxim readers and magazine editors.

Maxim reader Hagen Peyser and menswear sales director David Donahue nominated Fumi’s, calling the hot and spicy shrimp plate awesome.

"They’re not peeled — they just saute ’em in the sauce and you suck all the juice out, then peel and eat it," they said.

Fumi’s has been around since 2005, according to Hsu, and serves up shrimp straight from the shrimp farm in the pond out back. In 2008, Fumi’s built a new building to go with the original food truck.

What sets Fumi’s apart is a nice, canopied, seating area with a view of the shrimp ponds, Hsu said, as well as a pretty good selection of plates.

Fumi’s offers 11 different shrimp plate combinations — from butter garlic to spicy garlic shrimp, fried coconut shrimp and tempura shrimp — each for $12. The plates are served with two scoops of rice, salad and a pineapple wedge. Fumi’s also offers live shrimp for sale from a tank.

ON VACATION: Betty Shimabukuro is on vacation. Her article, "By Request" will return in August.