Where to shop for vegetarian foods

Here are some places locally to shop for vegetarian foods:

Kokua market on South King Street specializes in natural foods and suppliments for people with special dietary needs, such as vegitarians.

C&C Vege Health Food, 1123 Kapahulu Ave.

Steak, fish, scallops, shrimp, squid, chicken drumsticks and nuggets, smoked duck, salmon, bacon and ham are not foods usually included in a vegetarian eating plan. Except if they’re made of soy or wheat gluten.

All of these products, seasoned and made to look like their namesake, are available in frozen form at C&C Vege Health Food store (off Kapahulu Avenue under the freeway on your right as you’re heading toward Wai‘alae Avenue.)

"These items are from Taiwan where they are very popular," said Ann Ko, manager of the 5-year-old store.

A tasting of smoked duck amazed several Advertiser staffers: We couldn’t believe the duck’s meat-like texture, as well as the flavorful seasonings, straight from the package without reheating. The smoked chicken was good, too; no doubt both of these would be excellent in stir-fries.

A few products might contain egg but they are labeled, and there is no animal-based gelatin in anything they carry. Frozen plain gluten is stocked here, too.

The store also stocks other frozen items, such as taro, cedar shoot and vegetable "manapua"; and vegetarian joong (steamed rice cakes) filled with mushroom, peanuts, vegetarian ham and taro encased in sticky rice. Texturized vegetable protein "chips" in various shapes are available; they are soaked in water, squeezed out and cooked with seasonings in stir-fries or stews. Vegetarian barbecue sauce, mushroom soy sauce, soy paste and other sauces are also part of the inventory.

Kokua Market, 2643 S. King St., 8:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m. daily

Down to Earth, 2525 S. King St., 7:30 a.m.-10 p.m. daily; 201 Hamakua Drive, Kailua, 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m. daily; 98-131 Kaonohi St., ‘Aiea, 8 a.m.-10 p.m. daily.

Huckleberry Farms, 1613 Nu‘uanu Ave. 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sun.

Perusing the aisles of Kokua Market in Mo‘ili‘ili is a fascinating experience. You can get many foods that may not even see the light of a supermarket.

Cashew date mochi, veggie Canadian bacon, organic vegetable and chicken broths, kasha, kamut and spelt cereals, and a wide array of snack foods.

While some of these products are starting to appear in sections at supermarkets, Kokua Market (a member-owned cooperative that is open to the public), Down to Earth and Huckleberry Farms specialize in natural foods for those with unique dietary needs and many vegetarian and vegan products.

In some areas, these stores offer a wider assortment of products than supermarkets. For example, there were more varieties of rice here than I’ve ever seen in one display. There was short-grain brown rice (that’s sticky brown rice), sweet brown rice (brown mochi rice), long-grain brown rice, white rices in various grain sizes and basmati rice. In the flour bins there were soy, brown rice, spelt, rye, whole wheat pastry and semolina flours.

Besides grocery items, these stores stock frozen and fresh items; most of the fruits and vegetables sold are organically grown. Down to Earth does not stock any animal protein items; Kokua and Huckleberry have frozen free range, hormone and antibiotic-free meats and poultry. Each store also has a deli that offers prepared vegetarian foods.

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