The "Ordering Your 'Puka Dog'" Story

Sign outside the "Puka Dog" store in Poipu, Kauai.

It was an ordinary day.  Finishing our Puka Dogs while sitting on the porch of our condo unit in Poipu, Kauai.  Never heard of a Puka Dog?  Goes back about eight to ten years ago when I saw a story on the Travel Channel where they featured "Hot Dog Heavens."  Watched in amazement as they made these great looking dogs in a small shopping center near Poipu Beach.  Since we had a trip planned for the following year I made sure to make the "Puka Dog" store one of our stops when visiting the island of Kauai.  

Menu which stands outside the store.
It tells you the ordering process.
Click on photo to enlarge.

I wasn't disappointed with my dog when I eventually got it.  When it came time to plan one more trip this past fall to Hawaii, I made sure to add it one more time to the agenda during our stay on Kauai.  Then I found that the "Puka Dog" was featured once again on the Travel Channel when Anthony Bourdain did a "No Reservations" episode, but this time they visited the "Puka Dog" store on Oahu.  That location was finally closed when they shut down the International Market Place in Honolulu right before our visit.  Didn't matter really since I wanted my dog from the original store on Kauai.  Well, Carol and I as well as our friend Just Sue, made a visit this evening to the "Puka Dog" store to buy our evening meal.  Neat process to make one of the dogs.  

The rolls are placed over the metal
skewers to toast the inside of them.

The rolls are a rather large hot dog roll of Hawaiian sweet bread which hasn't been cut.  The roll is placed over rather unique toaster rods that punch a hole in the roll and toasts the inside.  Then you need to select either a large Polish Sausage or a large Veggie Dog.  Next you must decide on either a garlic, spicy or hot garlic lemon secret sauce which they put into the hole before the sausage.  Next comes the relish into the hole, also before the sausage.  Your choices are mango, pineapple, papaya, coconut, banana or star fruit relish.  Finally the sausage goes in on top of all that and forces the sauce and relish around it.  The result is amazing and delicious.  One "Puke Dog" is all that is needed by each of us, since they are so large .  Hopefully the photos will give you a better idea of how the "Puka Dog" is made.  If you ever head to Hawaii for vacation or happen to live on the islands, make the "Puka Dog" store a stop for a real treat. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "secret sauce" and relish is added from your many choices.

Then the sausage is pushed into the bun loaded with the choices.

The satisfied customers. We may not look happy, but we really are!