Working at Wild Ridge has placed me at least two hours from anything that resembles civilization. That distance becomes much more noticeable when I start craving pizza. There is no quick drive into town and no delivery driver coming up the mountain. If I want pizza, I either have to make my own version with what I already have or spend several hours traveling for it.
Lately, the craving has pulled my thoughts much farther away—to Moku Kitchen in Kakaʻako, Hawaiʻi.
I typically visit home around this time of year. Instead, I am spending the summer working on a remote mountain property. Thinking about pizza quickly turned into thinking about Hawaiʻi, and one pizza in particular came back to me.
The kalua pork pizza I was convinced would gross me out.
Riding Through Hawaiʻi in a 1990s Toyota 4Runner
That day began with another Toyota 4Runner, although this one came from the 1990s. I rode along while we explored the island, with the ocean on one side and a much older version of the vehicle I now call home carrying us down the road.
Seeing Hawaiʻi from a 4Runner made the trip feel familiar in a way that had nothing to do with the scenery. The vehicle was older, but the combination of road, food, and whatever caught our attention along the way already resembled the life I would continue building.
Murals Around Kakaʻako
Kakaʻako is known for large murals painted across buildings throughout the neighborhood. Local artists have turned walls, storefronts, and otherwise ordinary structures into part of the experience.
You do not need to enter a gallery to find the art. It appears along the street, sometimes covering the entire side of a building.
The murals gave us another reason to slow down and look around before eating. One wall could feel playful and crowded with characters, while the next used a much larger design that changed the appearance of the entire building.
The Pizza I Had Already Decided Against
At Moku Kitchen, the kalua pork pizza did not sound good to me. I knew I liked kalua pork. Pizza had never created a problem either. Putting them together was where I became suspicious.
In my head, the flavors did not belong on the same plate. I had practically decided it would taste terrible before taking the first bite.
Still, I will try almost anything once.
The pizza arrived covered with shredded kalua pork, melted cheese, and green onions. Nothing about it looked as strange as I had imagined, but I still expected that first bite to prove my original judgment correct.
It did the opposite.
The kalua pork worked with the cheese far better than I expected. Its smoky, savory flavor gave the pizza more depth without making it feel heavy or confused. The green onions added a fresh bite across the top.
I went from expecting to dislike it to understanding exactly why someone had put kalua pork on a pizza. It was delicious.
A Long Way From Wild Ridge
Now I am sitting at Wild Ridge, hours from the nearest pizza restaurant, thinking about the one I almost refused to try. The craving is partly about the food. It is also tied to the time of year and the trip home I would normally be making.
Food can bring an entire place back faster than a photograph. One thought about pizza returned me to Kakaʻako, the murals, the ocean, and the passenger seat of a 1990s Toyota 4Runner.
Unfortunately, remembering how good the kalua pork pizza tasted has done absolutely nothing to solve my current pizza problem.
It only made the craving worse.
Continue the Road Trip Pizza Series
Follow the Road Trip Pizza Series for more memorable pizzas, unexpected combinations, and meals connected to the roads and places that brought me to them.
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