Kauai Ohana Grill: Hawaiian comfort food served with aloha spirit

POCATELLO — As a resident of Pocatello, I’ve driven past the Kauai Ohana Grill food truck parked in front of Office Max on Yellowstone many times, always wondering what the Hawaiian-themed truck had to offer.

One day, curiosity got the best of me, and I decided to stop and meet the owner, Mark Cruse, and I’m so glad I did.

Mark was friendly and easy to talk to. Born and raised on the island of Kauai, he moved from Hawaii to Idaho several years ago and decided to bring a little taste of the islands with him. His goal? To share authentic Hawaiian cuisine made from scratch using cherished family recipes.

I was thrilled when Mark and his wife, G Cruse, who is also his business partner, agreed to do an East Idaho Eats feature with me from Kauai Ohana (pronounced Ka-wa-ee Oh-ha-na).

We filmed on a blustery East Idaho day with rain and snow mix — the kind of day that makes you wish you were actually in Hawaii.

I hadn’t realized what a true melting pot of cultures Hawaiian cuisine is. The Kauai Ohana Grill menu features Hawaiian-style Japanese, Filipino, and other traditional Hawaiian dishes with a unique twist.

I was treated to signature dishes, chili pepper chicken, Messy Moa, and Mento Mix with pineapple glaze chicken. Each dish had generous portions bursting with flavor — a blend of sweet, savory, and spicy foods that warmed me from the inside out.

I was impressed by Mark’s deep sense of ohana — family. He shared how, growing up, everything revolved around family meals and how that same spirit inspires his cooking and business today.

While Mark and G dream of opening a sit-down restaurant someday, for now, they’re happy serving the community from their food truck, which has become a local favorite in the Office Max parking lot.

With hearty portions, classic sides like Hawaiian macaroni salad, spam musubi, and white rice — all served at fair prices — Kauai Ohana Grill delivers Hawaiian comfort food and flavor in every bite.

“We put a lot of love and a lot of prep into our food to give people something different,” Mark concluded.

Kauai Ohana Grill is open Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. For more information and updates on hours or specials, follow Kauai Ohana Grill on Facebook.