Taste this: Spicy Mochiko Chicken at Aloha Kine Grindz (234-678-0050), located in Tallmadge’s Rocco Plaza (284 West Ave.).
Creator: Denise Malong
Eye test: The popular menu item is layered — from fried spam rice (can be ordered with or without Spam) to bites of sweet and garlic chicken and spicy mayo sauce drizzled on top.
Process: Pieces of chicken are layered and sauced with spicy, sweet and garlic flavors. The chicken bites are then wrapped with sweet rice and mochiko powder (the same casing used in mochi, a Japanese rice cake) then deep fried.
The mochiko chicken can be ordered with or without spicy mayo. It’s part of the restaurant’s menu of Hawaiian-style comfort foods and staple dishes.
Sides: The plate is typically paired with Spam fried rice and a cup of macaroni salad.
About the creator: Malong relocated to South Akron from Oahu, Hawaii, when she was 25 years old. Since opening in 2023, online food influencers like UncReviews, Stefan Johnson and Explore Local Food have visited the drive-thru restaurant.
Malong wanted to bring Hawaiian-style comfort food to Akron.
“We don’t have this kind of food out here, so it’s different.” Malong said.
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About Aloha Kine Grindz: Aloha Kine Grindz is a Hawaiian-style restaurant on the edge of Akron. The restaurant is housed in a drive-thru building — orders can be placed by phone, online or at the window.
How to buy: Aloha Kine Grindz is open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner from 4 to 8 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays through Fridays; and Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Online ordering is available on Doordash and Uber Eats.
