Lawson Station (Moana Surfrider) – Hawaii 2013

Lawson Station has an interesting history.  For instance, from the name, you wouldn’t really expect to find a Japanese convenience store.   Lawson actually has roots in Ohio where it was originally known as Lawson’s Milk Company back in 1939 (that’s probably why their logo has a big milk container on it).

Back in the 70’s, a Japanese company bought the rights to open Lawson stores in Japan and it is now one of the largest convenience stores in Japan and carries things like bento boxes, onigiri (like the Spam musubi that we had at Marukame Udon recently), and mochi ice cream.

In an interesting twist of fate, Lawson returned to the US in 2012 when 2 shops were opened in Hawaii bringing the uniquely Japanese convenience stores to Kalakaua Avenue.

Mochi Ice Cream is made from pounded sticky rice cake with an ice cream filling.  They have a number of different flavours to choose from including mango, lychee, guava, strawberry, passion fruit, vanilla, green tea, macadamia nut, and li hing mango.

Definitely try out the mango, strawberry, passion fruit and vanilla flavours if you get a chance.

Speaking of Spam earlier…

We tried a can of Spam macadamia nuts but I didn’t really think it tasted like Spam.  The ingredients listed show that it’s just regular Dry Roasted Macadamia Nuts, Salt, and Spam Brand Flavoring.

What exactly is “Spam Brand Flavoring”?

Apparently, it must sound better than what the original packaging listed: “Maltodextrin, Sugar, Salt, Natural Flavoring, Yeast Extract, Cornstarch, Sunflower Oil, Silicon Dioxide, FD&C Red #40 Lake, Onion Powder. Contains Sulfite”.

And if you wanted to get more technical, that Red#40 is 6-hydroxy-5-[(2-methoxy-5-methyl-4-sulfophenyl)azo]-2-naphthalenesulfonic acid.  The “Lake” at the end of the word just describes that the dye has been changed into a solid, non water soluble form by mixing it with aluminum hydroxide.

And who said you couldn’t learn anything by reading this blog?  In any case, the macadamia nuts tasted more salty than anything else.

The store is open from 6am to midnight so you can get your favourite mochi ice cream or origiri before or after you hit the beach.

2365 Kalakaua Avenue
Honolulu, Hawaii

hawaiilawson.com