At the turn of the 20th century, Honolulu was a crossroads: imported American goods (cans, flour, salt), rice and techniques brought by Asian plantation workers, and ingredients from Hawaiian soil (taro, fish, pineapple, banana). The meal revolves around a starch base — white rice or taro poi — accompanied by fish or meat and a tropical fruit. No French-style starter/main/dessert: a single, generous, composed bowl where sweet and savory coexist on the same plate.

Fresh tuna (aku) and salted salmon from the Northwest meet Hawaiian pineapple and banana: Alice Ball's cuisine is that of a young woman who left Seattle for the islands, where mainland America and the Pacific meet in a single bowl.