Reviewing Pono Burger: Hawaiian cuisine meets the classic American burger in Los Angeles.
I did not have to do much research to find Pono Burger in Santa Monica. I was strongly recommended to go here by several friends of mine. This single-location restaurant is known for its simple philosophy of using organic, local, and farmer’s market ingredients. Upon walking in, we were given the option of outdoor dining on the back patio or indoors. We chose indoor dining because it was a bit chilly out and we wanted to sit in the cute outhouse-looking setup.
The inside was quite busy, with several small parties and one large party. There was a cute “stay pono” LED sign, which we researched to later discover the meaning of the term “pono.” “Pono” is one of the values of the Aloha spirit meaning “a state of existence characterized by integrity and a feeling of contentment when everything is good and right.” This perfectly aligns with the restaurant’s “do things right” motto. Pono Burger is the brainchild of Makani Carzino, head chef and owner, who grew up on the Big Island of Hawai’i. The Aloha spirit integrated into Pono Burger speaks to the atmosphere Carzino is trying to cultivate.
First up, we ordered our drinks. I got the Numi iced organic green tea, and my
friend got the hot fudge and cacao nibs organic milkshake. The milkshake was blended with organic cacao nibs and organic vanilla soft serve, and then topped with house-made hot fudge. It looked delicious, and was truly picture-perfect!
We then ordered our mains. I got the Palahu turkey burger. I know what you are probably thinking: “why would she get a turkey burger at a burger place?” However, I find that if a restaurant can master a turkey burger, they will have no problem preparing regular burgers. It is hard to find a good turkey burger. It was an organic free-range antibiotic-free turkey patty with house-made Asian coleslaw, seasonal avocado, organic pea shoots, house-made sesame ponzu dressing, house-made almond ginger sauce, and house-made wonton chips. I was in heaven after just the first bite! Everything paired so nicely together, and the wonton chips added such a pleasant crunch and texture to the burger. I do wish there was a bit more of each sauce because they both added such great flavor. I absolutely recommend trying this dish when dining at Pono Burger.
My friend got the Piku burger, which comprised of an organic beef patty, house-made drunken caramelized fig jam, imported Brie Couronne cheese, Beeler’s bacon, toasted hazelnuts, organic baby kale, and house-made balsamic vinaigrette. She said her burger had extremely unique flavoring and that everything went really well together. The fig jam and brie pairing were an excellent touch as those flavors always taste exceptional together. We got both the regular hand-cut daily pomme frites and the sweet potato fries. Both came with the house-made chipotle aioli, which was so scrumptious. I think I prefer the sweet potato fries over the regular ones. We also got the fried curry cauliflower which came with a pomegranate tahini dipping sauce. This dish was immensely flavorful and a must-order!
The staff was super friendly; however, I don’t think there were enough people working for the number of customers there. This one guy seemed to be the only one running the show. The ambiance inside the “outhouse” dining room is very homey. You almost do not even feel like you are at a restaurant because of the more laid-back atmosphere. I definitely plan on going back to explore more of the items on the menu, and I want to bring some of my fellow burger lovers so that we can try each other’s orders too!