Posted on: Friday, June 26, 2009
If only malassadas were offered at the movies ...
By Wayne Harada
Who made the rules on movie snacks, anyway?
I've often wondered why we all prefer kakimochi with popcorn at the theater.
Both have always been sold separately at the snack bar, but some time back, the marriage was consummated: Mochi crunch and popcorn rule as the snacky couple.
Then along came the add-on Hurricane mix, with furikake flavoring the blissful kakimochi-popcorn blend.
Ever wonder, though, why not cheese? Commercial popcorn manufacturers have touted cheese flavoring, along with caramel, even a chocolate veneer. Options for those mail order popcorn also include sour cream flavors. Oh, but that's elsewhere.
Outside of Hawai'i, you never hear of mochi crunch as the standard partner for the popped corn.
So drool with me, please, as I ponder what works, what doesn't in movie munchies.
WHAT I'D LOVE
Malassadas. OK, these sugary numbers need to be piping hot, meaning you may want to hit the snack bar midway through a film. Ideally: Why not a Leonard's concession in the lobby?
Beef jerky. Once in a while, don't you yearn for a good chew-out?
Hot manapua. The standard would be the char siu bao, with roasted char siu pork, in a steamed or baked bun. But some folks crave chicken, black sugar, and other recent, curried variations; I'd just go with the char siu.
Spam musubi. No kidding; Spam is the unofficial meat of the populace. When lying on a mini-slab of rice and blanketed with nori, it is a meal in itself. We've made 'em at home, bought 'em at fast-food bento counters and consumer-friendly places like Longs and your neighborhood supermarkets.
Sushi mini-packs. Wouldn't it be super oishi (that's great-tasting) if Genki or Kozo concessions provided niblets?
WHAT SHOULD GO
Nachos with cheese. OK, they're yummy. But the cheese drips and smells. And have you not encountered a discarded sticky box when the lights come on? Getridofit!
Cuttlefish, a.k.a. ika. This is one of those love-it-or-loathe it item. Delish for true-blooded grinders, bothersome for those who freak out with the fishy odor.
WHAT SHOULD REMAIN
Hot dogs. Big quibble: If Costco can offer a $1.50 long dog with a drink tossed in, why does it cost so much at the movies?
Saimin. Again, this is a mini-meal, slurping variety. In cold weather (and chilly theater A/C), it's a warmer-upper. Make sure leftover broth in the container is properly discarded in lobby receptacles.
Concession sales of popcorn and the assorted candies and snacks long have been the big money-maker for the theaters, which profit from the kaukau, not the films being shown. That's why concession prices are astronomical.
So do you have a custom film snack? What would you like to see offered? Do you sneak in your own kakimochi bought from Longs to give your popcorn its crunch? Now's the time to confess.
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