Not just any shoyu will do, some say

By Lee Cataluna
Advertiser Staff Writer

I had no idea that shoyu was such a THING with people.

To hear some people talk about it, it's almost a political affiliation, a way of defining who you are and what you value.

Everett Vierra is one of those people. A frequent customer of local diners and lunch counters around Honolulu, Vierra pays close attention to which restaurants offer Aloha Shoyu and which have only Kikkoman on the tables next to the salt, pepper and chili pepper water.

Vierra is an Aloha man himself.

"It's what I grew up with," he explains. "It's more than a tradition. It's like a religion. If someplace doesn't have my Aloha Shoyu, it's like I'm offended."

He nods very seriously for emphasis.

"For real!" he says.

I started asking around. Turns out, there are lots of people who feel the same way. It goes beyond preference. It goes beyond brand loyalty. It's more like fierce devotion.

I had no idea.

Some say Kikkoman is simply a superior shoyu, since it is naturally brewed. Others say Aloha is best for cooking because it doesn't overpower the food. (Aloha Shoyu's marketing department says the same thing.) A few mention Yamasa, though it doesn't seem to have the same number of loyalists as the other two top brands.

Some people get all serious and detailed and start talking about vintages and stuff.

Get Advertiser food editor Joan Namkoong going on the subject and her knowledge will not only astound you, it'll make you really hungry:

"Chinese soy sauces are a whole other genre; the thinner, the saltier. Chinese soys are generally used in cooking; Japanese soys more as dipping sauces. There's a whole array of Japanese soy sauces that range from light to dark, even a 'white' soy sauce."

Me, I'm of the "just so long as it's brown and salty" type. A little bit in saimin, little more in fried rice, plenty over cold tofu with grated ginger.

I never paid much attention to brands, though I must confess I have both Kikkoman and Aloha shoyu at home. Of course, the Kikkoman is in its Kikkoman table-ready serving bottle, and the Aloha shoyu is in its own plastic container, and though it doesn't make much difference to me, I have always respected the command printed in yellow letters on the glass: "Refill only with Kikkoman."

It's as though you're breaking a rule if you do otherwise. I'm not about to break a shoyu rule.

As for the loyalists, I posed the question to Vierra: "Why don't you just carry around little packets of your favorite brand with you so that you can always have what you want?"

He paused a moment, mulling it over.

"I guess I could do that," he said, "But that's not the point."

Lee Cataluna's e-mail address is lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com