Hawaiian in the Inland Empire: Ono BBQ, Perris

Ono Hawaiian BBQ

(Perris Crossing, Winco) 
3150 Case Rd, Suite H-4 
Perris, CA 92570 
(951)928-6088

After being introduced and rapidly becoming addicted to spam musubi during this fall's trip to Hawaii, the taste of a spam musubi has really not left my mind for long. Imagine my surprise when working several days in a row in the beautiful Inland Empire to discover a Hawaiian BBQ spot just a few miles from my school site!

Located in a strip mall just a few feet from a truck stop, I was lucky to get there minutes before the lunch crowd. Immediately after ordering the room was packed.

Drawn immediately to the spam musubi, and prepping my taste buds for comparative analysis. $3.09 for TWO pieces? Well, I suppose it really is just potted meat product, a little rice, nori and BBQ sauce. 

I was a little drawn toward these mini-meals, each selection served with rice and macaroni salad.  I stuck this knowledge under my cap for later reference.

The majority of the other customers in the room, quite a few construction workers and house painters, were ordering the combo plates. Worried a little about time I ordered my lunch to go and headed back to the school site. 

While not the star of the show, the salad was good.  Big chunks of cuke, slightly under ripe tomato with won ton strips and a lovely dressing. "Hawaiian" dressing is basically Thousand Island, or a twist thereon.

My musubi were a let down. Not as tightly wrapped, not as warm, not as much BBQ sauce as the beautiful musubi I ate on Oahu from L&L BBQ, from Nijiya on University, and Oneawa Market in Kailua. Granted, at L&L where I actually saw the musubi being constructed, the versions I ate in Hawaii were made by Hawaiians. 

This one wasn't bad by any means, it was a delicious little lunch.  Unsure how anyone could eat two at one sitting, I devoured one of the pair, my salad and a diet Coke.  $5 and some change for all three items.

Despite my slight disappointment in the musubi construction, my musubi love feels in no way diminished.  There are L&L BBQs in Eagle Rock and Glendale waiting (hopefully with musubi in hand) for me to walk through the door.

Pictures courtesy of iPhone.