LTT: Shrimp Scampi from Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck

Of course, the first time we try doing video here at LTT, the Wind Gods have to have an ass attack and ruin our precious audio. -.-

But I digress…

We were told about Giovanni’s during our most recent trip to Hawaii by one of the locals. He gave us some ridiculous driving directions to North Shore, saying that we will, at some point, feel as though we’re lost. We headed there uneasy, thinking we just got duped by a local.

It is out in the middle of nowhere. You pass up all the primo surfing spots, a town or two, fruit stands, Turtle Bay Resort, and other general points of interest. You’ll know you’re going in the right direction, however, when you start seeing what look like little ponds in marshes. These ponds are shrimp farms and are the first key to some truly amazing food. Because it doesn’t get much more fresh than having the actual shrimp you’re cooking living in your backyard, doin’ little tumble turns in the water with his buddies.

You start seeing shrimp trucks dot the Kamehameha highway. Welcome to Kahuku, a town well known for its aquaculture, shrimp trucks, and failed Fox TV Series. Keep passing up all the trucks until you see what looks like a picnic area and a white truck that looks like Marc Ecko got a hold of for a few minutes. Don’t expect waiter service, valet parking, or a Black-Tie affair. This place is simply a truck serving good eats and some picnic tables for you to eat said food. The menu is limited and is as follows:

• Shrimp Scampi
• Hot-N-Spicy Shrimp
• Lemon-N-Butter Shrimp

Regardless of what you pick, it’s twelve bucks a plate. That includes two scoops of rice and 12 jumbo shrimp cooked up in your choice of the aforementioned sauces and whatnot. The Scampi is their claim to fame, and if you’re a big garlic fan, this is one you don’t wanna miss. The shrimp are served with skin, so you’ll have to peel-and-eat them. But, man oh man, it’s worth putting in a little work for these scrumptious shrimp. They’re massive and tasty.

The butter and garlic are a tag-team made in Heaven, and they’ll quickly go to work on your taste buds. Slapping your tongue around, asking where their “money’s at”. The rice makes for great texture when paired with the shrimp. Drinks are limited, but I suggest pairing it with local favorite Hawaiian Sun Natural Green Tea with Ginseng. It compliments the food very well. Another thing that’s worth trying is Giovanni’s Garlic Dog, a huge hot dog cooked in the same magical substance the Shrimp Scampi is cooked in. We all had one after annihilating our shrimp plates.

Hawaii has amazing food and some amazing restaurants. This, I learned very quickly while on the island. Being back on the Mainland now and thinking about my trip, it’s amazing how the restaurants we visited (while being delicious) still didn’t hold a candle to Giovanni’s Truck. For being so simple, it was simply amazing.