At Ben’s Huli Huli Chicken & Hawaiian Café, the taste of the ocean and sun-kissed beaches of Hawaii linger with every bite of succulently sweet “Huli Huli” chicken. The café wall tells all that, in Hawaiian, “huli” means to turn (referring to how the chicken is cooked on the grill). My Huli Huli Chicken Plate came with two large pieces of perfectly grilled meat, jasmine rice garnished with toasted coconut shavings, a slice of pineapple—a sweet interlude to the meal—and a helping of macaroni (patrons can also opt for a green salad). You quickly sense that the chicken marinade is made with care, so it came as no surprise when I was told ingredients like ginger and pineapple are left to seep into the meat overnight, delicately flavoring every bite. On the wall, another Hawaiian word caught my eye: “ono,” meaning delicious or tasty, which aptly described the plate before me. At Ben’s, lemon water is passé; instead, they serve pineapple water that’s subtly sweet and strikingly refreshing. You’re also serenaded by island music and treated to an overall atmosphere that can only be described as tranquil—it’s like taking a summer vacation for lunch, and I’m certainly traveling back for seconds. 

Ben’s Huli Huli Chicken & Hawaiian Café, 6610 Folsom-Auburn Road, Folsom. 415-870-4858.

—Tara Mendanha // Photo by Dante Fontana