If you're looking at our Hawaiian food menu and wondering what comes with the Kanaka Nui plate, the answer is a combination of several traditional Hawaiian dishes served together. At Waiāhole Poi Factory, we call it “The Works!” because it brings Laulau, Kalua Pig, Chicken Long Rice, and your choice of Beef Luau or Squid Luau into one meal.
The plate also includes your choice of rice or poi, along with Lomi Salmon and Haupia. Unlike our Single Plate or Combo Plate, which let you select one or two entrées, Kanaka Nui has a set combination of dishes with a few choices to make before ordering.
Here's what comes with the plate, how its dishes complement one another, and what to know before ordering it for pickup.
What's Included in the Kanaka Nui Plate?
Our Kanaka Nui plate combines multiple Hawaiian foods into one order. Three entrées are included automatically, while the fourth is selected when ordering.
According to our official Hawaiian food menu, the plate includes:
The published menu price is $29.95 as of November 7, 2026, subject to change. You can check the price and current selections on the ordering page for your preferred location.
What makes Kanaka Nui different from simply ordering a single entrée is the combination. Instead of choosing between Laulau and Kalua Pig, you get both, along with Chicken Long Rice and another traditional Hawaiian dish.
The Three Entrées Included With Every Kanaka Nui
Each of the three set entrées contributes something different to the meal. Understanding their ingredients can help you know what to expect, particularly if you're trying Hawaiian food for the first time.
Laulau
Our Laulau is made with pork and a touch of butterfish wrapped and steamed in taro leaves. The leaves become tender through cooking and are served as part of the dish, surrounding the meat and fish.
Laulau has a rich, savory character that contrasts with the other entrées on the plate. If you've never eaten it before, Kanaka Nui gives you an opportunity to try it without making it your entire meal.
Kalua Pig
Our Kalua Pig is prepared by slow-cooking and smoking pork for twelve hours, then shredding it and seasoning it with Hawaiian sea salt. The finished dish has a savory, smoky flavor and a texture that pairs naturally with rice or poi.
While Laulau is a steamed, leaf-wrapped preparation, Kalua Pig provides a different way to enjoy pork on the same plate.
Chicken Long Rice
Chicken Long Rice consists of chicken and rice noodles served in a ginger and chicken broth. Despite the name, the dish uses noodles rather than grains of rice.
Its broth and noodle texture distinguish it from the pork entrées. Together, these three dishes provide a range of traditional Hawaiian food preparations without requiring you to build a combination from separate orders.
Choosing Between Beef Luau and Squid Luau
One of the main decisions when ordering Kanaka Nui is selecting your fourth entrée. We offer two choices: Beef Luau or Squid Luau.
Both contain cooked taro leaves, but their main ingredients and seasonings differ.
Beef Luau is a savory stew made with braised beef chuck, onions, ginger, and taro leaves cooked until tender. It offers a beef-based alternative to the pork and chicken already included on the plate.
Squid Luau, as described on our menu, contains thinly sliced octopus combined with coconut milk, slowly cooked taro leaves, and Hawaiian sea salt. Its coconut-based preparation distinguishes it from Beef Luau.
If you prefer beef and ginger, Beef Luau is the more relevant choice. If you want to try a seafood dish featuring coconut milk and taro leaves, consider Squid Luau.
Neither choice changes the other included components of Kanaka Nui, so you can select the one that appeals to you without sacrificing Laulau, Kalua Pig, or Chicken Long Rice.
Should You Choose Rice or Poi?
Kanaka Nui also comes with a choice between rice and poi. Both accompany the savory entrées, but they offer different textures and eating experiences.
Our rice is medium-grain white rice, which provides a familiar starch alongside the pork, chicken, and luau dishes.
Poi is made from cooked kalo, or taro, that is milled or pounded and mixed with water into a smooth consistency. It has a different texture from rice and is an important part of traditional Hawaiian food.
If you already enjoy poi, choosing it with Kanaka Nui brings that familiar accompaniment to several dishes in one meal. If you're new to poi, you can try a little alongside Kalua Pig or Laulau to experience how the flavors work together.
It's important to distinguish the poi available as a regular plate option from our specialty hand-pounded poi. We prepare hand-pounded poi and paʻiʻai at our original Waiāhole Valley location on Wednesdays and Sundays, subject to harvest conditions and availability. Those specialty products are not sold at Windward Mall.
Why Does Kanaka Nui Include Lomi Salmon and Haupia?
In addition to the main entrées and starch, Kanaka Nui includes Lomi Salmon and Haupia. These accompaniments contribute different flavors and textures to the meal.
Our Lomi Salmon is made with salt-cured salmon, diced tomatoes, onion, and green onion. Its combination of fish and vegetables provides a refreshing contrast to the richer entrées.
Haupia is a coconut dessert with a consistency similar to custard. Rather than having to order a separate dessert, you receive a portion of Haupia as part of the plate.
The inclusion of these items means Kanaka Nui offers more than several entrées together. It brings savory dishes, a starch, a refreshing accompaniment, and a coconut dessert into one order.
Kanaka Nui vs. Combo Plate: Which Should You Order?
If you're deciding between Kanaka Nui and our Combo Plate, the main difference is how much control you want over the entrée selection.
Our Combo Plate lets you choose two entrées from Beef Luau, Chicken Long Rice, Kalua Pig, Laulau, and Squid Luau. It also includes rice or poi, Lomi Salmon, and Haupia.
Combo Plate
Kanaka Nui includes Laulau, Kalua Pig, and Chicken Long Rice automatically, with Beef Luau or Squid Luau as the fourth entrée. It comes with the same starch choice and accompaniments.
Choose the Combo Plate when two specific dishes are what you want. Consider Kanaka Nui when you'd like several traditional dishes together and are interested in experiencing the combination described on our menu.
Both choices are available to review through our official menu. For the current location-specific selection and price, use the corresponding online ordering page.
Where Can You Order Kanaka Nui on Oʻahu?
We operate two restaurant locations on Windward Oʻahu, and each has a separate online ordering page for pickup.
At our original Waiāhole Valley restaurant, you'll find us at 48-140 Kamehameha Highway, Kāneʻohe, HI 96744. This location is open Wednesday through Monday, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and is closed on Tuesdays.
Our Windward Mall counter is located at 46-056 Kamehameha Highway, Kāneʻohe, HI 96744. The mall location is open seven days a week, with later hours on several evenings.
The Kanaka Nui plate is listed on the Windward Mall online ordering menu and on our published restaurant menu. Because menus and availability can vary, check the ordering page for your selected location before making plans.
Order Hawaiian Food Online From Our Two Locations
Ready to try Kanaka Nui? You can review our available Hawaiian plates and place an online pickup order through the appropriate restaurant location.
Waiāhole Valley Location
48-140 Kamehameha Highway, Kāneʻohe, HI 96744
Order Online – Waiāhole Valley
Windward Mall Location
46-056 Kamehameha Highway, Kāneʻohe, HI 96744
Before checking out, confirm that you've selected the intended location and review the available pickup times. If Kanaka Nui is not listed on your chosen location's ordering page, contact that restaurant to check its availability.
Enjoy Several Hawaiian Favorites With Kanaka Nui
Kanaka Nui brings together Laulau, Kalua Pig, Chicken Long Rice, and your choice of Beef Luau or Squid Luau, with rice or poi, Lomi Salmon, and Haupia. It's a way to enjoy several traditional Hawaiian dishes without having to choose just one or two entrées.
Whether you're already familiar with these foods or want to discover how they complement each other, our menu provides the details you need to decide.
Visit our Hawaiian food menu, choose your pickup location, and order online when you're ready. Mahalo for your support.
