Okazuya

Window display of okazu offerings

Okazuya (御菜屋 or おかずや) or okazu-ya are a Japanese-style delicatessen common in Hawaii. Unlike western delicatessens found in North America or Europe, an okazuya is an establishment that sells readymade Japanese-styled food. "Okazu" refers to a side dish to accompany rice, while "ya" refers to a retail establishment.[1][2][3]

In Hawaii, an okazuya offers an array of okazu, food items that are sold à la carte, often by the piece, which can be combined to create a meal.[4] However, many of the dishes may also be offered in the form of ready-to-go bento.[5][6] It is often considered the precursor to the plate lunch.[7][8]

  1. ^ Mannur, Anita (January 2006). "Asian American Food-Scapes". Amerasia Journal. 32 (2): 1–6. doi:10.17953/amer.32.2.42q45g759q686875. ISSN 0044-7471. S2CID 146663990.
  2. ^ Yano, Christine (January 2006). "Shifting Plates: Okazuya in Hawai'i". Amerasia Journal. 32 (2): 36–46. doi:10.17953/amer.32.2.7w6u2184865054r6. ISSN 0044-7471. S2CID 147504188. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  3. ^ Yano, Christine R. (October 2009). "Becoming Local: Japanese American Delicatessens in Hawai'i". Chinese and Northeast Asian Cuisines: Local, National, and Global Foodways. (in Chinese). 財團法人中華飲食文化基金會: 19–1–19-18. doi:10.6641/PICCFC.11.2009.16.
  4. ^ "What Are Okazuya?". connect2local.com.
  5. ^ Folen, Alana (September 2, 2012). "Home, Sweet Home at Nuuanu Okazuya | Nuuanu Okazuya". Dining Out. Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference hawm was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "Origins of Plate Lunch". Honolulu, Hawaii: KHNL. November 27, 2002. Archived from the original on January 5, 2008. Retrieved November 12, 2008.
  8. ^ Smith, Andrew F. (March 9, 2007). The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink. Oxford University Press. p. 326. ISBN 978-0199885763.