‘Grocerant’ a grazing pit stop for hungry holiday shoppers

For some, holiday shopping means wandering the mall for hours, and a person can feel faint without a break for sustenance. At Ala Moana Center, Foodland Farms’ “grocerant” format is an alternative to the food court in providing quick made-to-order edibles morning, noon and night.

Catering mostly to a grab-and-go crowd looking for a quick bite or dishes to complement a meal at home, the store doesn’t have many places to sit, so you might have to park yourself on a bench outside. That may be OK if all you need is enough fuel to keep you on your feet until you’ve checked off every name on your shopping list.

Here are a few of the options:

HI Steaks

Foodland’s steak brand is the most evolved of its culinary concepts, a stand-alone steak shop with fast food-style seating.

At the heart of the menu are pulehu-style tri-tip steak combos served with a spring mix or Asian potato salad, and choice of white or brown rice. The original USDA Choice top sirloin steak plate is $11.99. Top sirloin meatloaf is $11.99, and ginger-shoyu barbecue boneless chicken is $9.99.

Hawaiian guava-smoked pork butt ($11.99) was a little too sweet for my taste, but you’re allowed to choose one dipping sauce to customize the meat — teriyaki, garlic butter, Korean, A-1, horseradish or chimi­churri.

The HI Steaks menu continues to evolve three months after the reopening of Foodland Farms in August. Breakfast is in the works, and diners will soon see smoked meat and eggs, steak and eggs, taro pancakes and more before the lunch crowd arrives.

The daily menu will also be expanded to include crisp pork belly, karaage chicken and many more pupu items.

Hot and cold bars

This is my favorite part of the Foodland Farms experience. I love the variety of a buffet without the commitment and high price.

For starters, I appreciate the quantity of vegetable items, which is limited at most restaurants. At home a lot of people find them time-consuming to wash, chop and otherwise prep for the dinner table.

I usually gravitate to the grilled eggplant and zucchini, and roasted cauliflower and broccoli, before moving on to picnic fare such as potato or egg salad. There are also pasta salads, chop chae, fruit salad, fluffy quinoa, plus all the fixings for tossed green salads.

Over on the hot side, you’ll find more roasted vegetables, such as maple sweet potatoes, ginger-sesame braised kabocha and roasted Brussels sprouts.

Hot-table proteins celebrate international flavors of Thai coconut chicken curry, chorizo-spiced pork with white bean cassoulet, tikka tandoori chicken, pastele stew and char siu. This is just a fraction of what’s available, and entrees change daily for those who appreciate variety.

Food is sold by weight at $8.99 per pound; I usually manage to fill a 5-by-4-inch box for about $13 to $14 and can make two meals of it.

Early risers will find stacks of bacon, eggs, French toast with lili­koi syrup and other breakfast items from 6 to 10:30 a.m.

Fried chicken

The old Foodland offered fried chicken one way, straight up golden brown. The new Foodland has added a chicken specialty of the day, plus an array of shaker seasonings so you can change things up depending on your taste or mood. There are seven seasoning salts, from habanero and sweet Sriracha to adobo or maple brown sugar.

Eight pieces of chicken usually cost $9.99 when not on special, or 99 cents per piece (Maka‘i member price). The chicken of the day is $7.99 per pound and is available as a plate lunch for $7.99.

Pizzas

Neapolitan pizzas are such a hit with the boutique pizza set, it was just a matter of time before they reached a mass audience. Here pizzas are made with imported Naples 00 flour that gives the crusts their distinctive chewy character.

And pizzas range from the classic Margherita to a Farmer’s Favorite with grilled vegetables, garlic and mushrooms. The cost is $3.99 per slice, $19.99 for a whole pizza, whether you choose a signature pie or build your own combination.

Charcuterie

I’ve seen people hitting the bar as early as 11 a.m. weekdays for a chance to sip wine by the glass in a search for their favorite vintage. Wine can be accompanied by an R. Field Wine Co. charcuterie board with dry salami, slow-cured Prosciutto di Parma and mortadella for $10.99 with Marcona almonds and lavash; or a cheese board featuring Parmigiano-Reggiano, Belletoile brie and 18-month aged gouda ($10.99) with fig jam and lavash.

A $15.99 R. Field Grand Selection board offers samplings of manchego, double-cream brie, Gorgonzola, soppressata, prosciutto and a Three Little Pigs truffle mousse pate. Consider it multitasking, satisfying your hunger, while considering selections for your next dinner party.

Shave ice

When you’re in need of a quick refresh, the chill factor and a hit of sugar are eye-openers. Foodland’s signature flavors include dessertlike lemon toffee crunch, chocolate Chantilly cake and strawberry guava li hing

Fruit purists aren’t left out in the cold. Check out the natural syrups created in collaboration with OnoPops, including fresh lilikoi, guava and mango.

Nadine Kam’s restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Advertiser. Reach her at nkam@staradvertiser.com.