Aloha Andagi

Adagi is fresh and sooo good! The ladies there are so sweet and patient.The special flavors of the month aren't a strong flavor but you can taste the hint of it. Worth the wait!!

Thank you to Donna O. for letting me know about this pop up at Marukai. Going by their schedule it seems that they'll be here one weekend a month. I'll post a pic of their schedule. They sell andagi as well as andadog. I really wanted to try the andadog. You can get six pieces of andagi for $5 or an andadog for $4. I bought one of each. The andadog was ok. It tasted more like a corn dog and wasn't crispy. The andagis were better. They fry a large batch at a time, so they had bags of andagis just sitting there. When I bought it, it was already cold. It was still crispy on the outside and the inside was spongelike. It was on the bigger side than what I'm used to, so too much dough for me. The ladies working were really friendly. They told me to help myself to the condiments for the andadog. I put some ketchup on it and passed on the mayo and mustard.

You had me at donut...the smell of fried donut to be exact lol!Driving up to an unplanned stop to Marukai turned out to be a real blessing is disguise. Tucked away in the covered garage entrance is Aloha Andagi pop up and the smell of their fried Andagi a favorite Okinawan fried donut treat instantly got my attention!These cute round treats look simple but are not easily achieved as I've grown up watching them being made I a true work of art. It is fried and the outside is crunchy and inside is cake-y with a touch of sweetness. Currently they are sold in a pack of 6 for $4 and 3 bags for $10 for their original flavor only.They do have rotating flavor of the month and currently 4/22 is strawberry and it's sold at a $1 a piece. They do have information of storage and reheating instructions but it never reaches that stage as it gets gobbled up in no time.They do have an Instagram @alohaandai_llc which will post their schedule and special flavor of the month but I did take a shot of their upcoming dates for 2022 from 8am-4pm or until sold out:May 13, 14, 15June 17, 18, 19July 15,16,17August 19, 20, 21Sept 16, 17, 18Oct 14, 15,16 Donut judge me as it made my taste buds do a happy dance!! Thank you!!

Pop Up at MarukaiToday my wife and I tried the Aloha Andagi Hot Dog. We both thought they were ok. The andagi crust was a dark brown. At first I thought it was burnt. They were not. Seeing them pulling them out of the hot oil all the hotdogswere the same color.

We loved going to the annual Okinawan Festival, and always looked forward to the delicious and addictive andagi! A staple at this festival and usually as a pop-up one weekend per month at Marukai Wholesale Mart on Dillingham Blvd., Aloha Andagi offers their delicious Okinawan donuts for sale.Since 2013, Aloha Andagi is family owned and operated by June Junko Bise and family, and June is well known for her contributions to her Okinawan heritage in the community. You usually see these three ladies, with their colorful aprons and headbands or caps, cooking these delicious andagi over two huge woks of hot oil. In Okinawan culture, andagi is usually made for happy occasions and is reflective of good luck.Also known as "sata andagi," "sata" means sugar, and "andagi" means deep-fried. These are actually native to Southern China and then introduced to Okinawa. They're slightly different from the Hawaii version, as the andagi in Okinawa does not normally have a crispy exterior and its interior is denser.Andagi donuts are made with flour, eggs, milk, and sugar; and its batter is hand-dropped in evenly rounded scoops of batter and deep-fried in hot oil. The andagi are good-sized round balls (the size of golf balls) without any holes like regular donuts, and are crisp on the outside and soft and tender on the inside. The taste is similar to a cake donut, and it is not greasy or overly sweet. As the andagi are frying, cracks and an uneven texture forms on the exterior, which makes the jagged edges crunchy.Prices for the andagi are 6 pieces for $4, and sometimes they run a special of 18 pieces for $10. They also have one special flavor in its rotation, such as ginger-cinnamon, orange, furikake, bittermelon, strawberry, peach, apricot, cookies and cream, lilikoi, pineapple, pumpkin spice or Okinawan sweet potato; these are usually $1 per piece. The andagi can be frozen for future use and reheated in a toaster oven to get crispy again. Specific instructions are provided at the pop-up.Weekend dates vary as to Aloha Andagi's pop-ups at Marukai, so check their Instagram page for specific dates. They are usually in a covered spot at the entrance of Marukai's covered parking lot. Hours are normally Fri. to Sun. from 8a to 4p or until they sell out, which they do. Cash only.We just had our fix of andagi this past weekend, and they were so good! We missed Aloha Andagi over the past year due to their periodic absence due to COVID, and are now glad that they're back to their normal monthly pop-ups. We can't wait to get our fix again next month! So delicious!

Everyone pretty much said it all in their reviews, it's a must try. I love andagi so special treat for me. I was passing marukai market one morning and just had to stop. The batch I got wasn't hot which I think makes a big difference but still it was a good andagi. Don't forget cash only.

Aloha Andagi pops up outside of the entrance of Marukai Wholesale Mart in Dillingham one weekend a month. You need to check their instagram (@alohaandagi_llc) to find out when they will pop up. They open from 8 am to 4 pm (or until they sell out). The extra effort of finding out when the Ladies of Aloha Andagi will be frying up Okinawan donuts is WORTH IT! Oh, let's back up a step. Andagi (or Sata Andagi if you from the motherland) are magical spheres of fried dough that makes Okinawans ridiculously happy. Aloha Andagi is led by Junko Bise who has a special recipe which makes her andagi crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. I would say her andagi is among my favorite andagi that can be found on island. Junko-san offers regular andagi and a special flavor that changes each month. Special flavors include: Strawberry, Okinawan Sweet Potato, Pumpkin Spice, Chocolate, and Chocolate Strawberry. Tip: Here's what I do. When I place my order, I find out when a fresh batch will come out of the wok. They can usually estimate how long. I'll shop (or play Pokemon) til the fresh fried andagi is ready cos hot and crisp andagi is the best andagi! Other tip: Go early if you can cos voracious Okinawans eat a lot of andagi and Aloha Andagi usually sells out.

Caught their popup in the Marukai parking lot this Saturday morning around 9 a.m. They were selling a bag of six andagi for $4, or three bags (18 pc.) for $10. I've been avoiding sugar as much as I can, but I was hungry and my will broke. So much for staying away from temptation. I got a bag of six to share, plus one of their special strawberry flavor ($1) to try. Good thing I bought when I did, because when I walked away and looked back, there was a substantial line formed of at least five people waiting! The original flavor andagi were hot, with a just-right sugary crunch on the outside, and a dense cake-y interior. So easy to eat! The strawberry flavor was absolutely exceptional, though. It had the same sugary crunch on the outside as the original, but when you bit into it, it had a moist, light cake-y interior, and a robust strawberry aroma. Highly recommend!

Just an FYI that andagi in Hawaii is different from the ones found in Okinawa. In Hawaii our version is much softer and on the sweeter side. That being said between Aloha Andagi and Kailua Hongwanji's Bon Dance are the only two places that I will go out of my way to buy from. Trust me it's that good, and I've been to almost every single bon dance on this island. [ANDAGI] Love the texture!! There is a nice crunch to the outside while still being fluffy on the inside. Also enjoy the slight sweetness. [NOTE] Check out their Instagram page, @alohaandagi_llc to see their schedule.

The "Best" Andagi ever. Priced right and their special flavors always hits the spot. Located in the Marukai parking lot, the smell of the Andagi cooking makes you crave it. Never fails. The ladies are quick and accurate with your wants. Sometimes they are so busy you need to wait for it to finish cooking but the wait is worth it. If there is a waitlist see if you can place your order andCome back after you finish your shopping.