MAIN INGREDIENTS
Poke is a traditional Hawaiian dish that is made with small pieces of fresh and raw fish or seafood, which are combined with finely chopped vegetables, herbs, condiments, and seasonings. Although traditional poke uses either ahi tuna (yellowfin tuna) or octopus, the variations on this dish are endless these days, including poke with salmon, mussels, crabmeat, or oysters, as well as vegetarian versions with diced avocados.
Typical ingredients apart from the raw fish or seafood include sweet onions, garlic, shallots, scallions, sesame seeds, seaweeds, candlenuts, limu (brown algae), soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and Hawaiian sea salt. The creation of poke has been attributed to local fishermen who used to combine freshly-caught small reef fish with few seasonings such as sea salt, candlenuts, limu, and seaweed for a filling snack.
MOST ICONIC Poke
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Originating from San Diego, California, this American-Mexican fusion dish consists of shoestring fries topped with carne asada, cheese (often Cotija cheese), guacamole, and sour cream. The sour cream and guacamole should be on separate sides of the container so that they don't mix.
Hot sauce is sometimes served on the side, depending on personal preferences. Carne asada fries are usually consumed after a few beers or late at night, and just by looking at the messy, caloric, and comforting combination of potatoes, cheese, meat, and dips, the connection between the two is pretty clear.
MOST ICONIC Carne Asada Fries
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Uramaki, California roll, or upside-down sushi is a unique sushi variety which has its origins disputed between Los Angeles and Vancouver, although most people claim that it was invented in California in the 1960s by a Japanese chef named Ichiro Mashita.
This sushi roll is prepared with sushi rice, nori, fish (mostly tuna or salmon), avocado, and cucumber. It differs from other sushi types because the rice is on the exterior, wrapped around nori seaweed that is in the inner part and surrounds the filling.
OTHER VARIATIONS OF Sushi
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Tuna tartare is an elegant starter originating from Los Angeles. The dish is made with a combination of raw tuna, avocado, egg yolks, green peppercorns, capers, chives, tarragon, mustard, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. It was invented in 1984 by chef Shigefumi Tachibe at the Chaya Brasserie when a few customers came in wanting beef tartare, but one of them didn't eat beef, so the chef tried tuna, and it was an instant success.
Nowadays, it's usually served as a visually attractive appetizer with crackers or toast.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Carne asada burrito is a type of burrito that originates from San Diego. The dish consists of a large flour tortilla topped with carne asada meat, pico de gallo, and guacamole. The carne asada parts is made with a combination of beef (skirt or flank steak), lemon juice, lime juice, salt, pepper, and onions.
The pico de gallo consists of tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, cilantro, lemon juice, lime juice, garlic powder, oregano, chili powder, and cumin, while the guacamole is made with avocados, pico de gallo, lemon juice, lime juice, and a dash of hot sauce.
OTHER VARIATIONS OF Burrito
MOST ICONIC Carne Asada Burrito
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Jo Jo potatoes is a traditional dish that's a staple in roadside eateries across the Pacific Northwest. Although there are many variatons, the dish is usually made with a combination of potatoes, breadcrumbs, salt, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, thyme, mustard, paprika, and oil.
The potatoes are cut into wedges, gently heated, drizzled with oil and stirred. The breadcrumbs are mixed with paprika, mustard, salt, garlic powder, cayenne, and thyme. The potatoes are dredged in the mixture and baked or pressure-fried until golden brown and crisp.
Malasadas are traditional Portuguese yeast-leavened doughnuts made from eggs, flour, sugar, and milk. They are sometimes coated with cinnamon or granulated sugar. The original Portuguese malasadas don't have any holes or fillings, but the variations prepared in Hawaii do.
The popularity of malasadas in Hawaii is not accidental – Portuguese laborers from the Azores came to Hawaii in the 19th century to work in the plantations. They brought their traditional foods with them, including the malasadas, which were originally prepared in order to use all the sugar and lard in one's home before Lent.
MOST ICONIC Malasadas
View moreEver since California's days of gold mining around 1849, sourdough has been an iconic bread and a staple of the Western cuisine. It is the oldest and the most original form of leavened bread, with the oldest recorded use of sourdough dating back to the ancient Egyptians.
During the gold rush period, the Boudin family (well-known bakers from France) came to San Francisco and became famous for their unique sourdough bread. It was a hugely popular food, especially for the hungry miners who flocked into the bakery every morning, appreciating the bread for its taste and durability.
MOST ICONIC California Sourdough Bread
View moreKalua pig is a traditional Hawaiian dish where a whole pig, seasoned only with Hawaiian sea salt, is placed inside a large pit that has been dug in the ground. Heated lava rocks are placed in the pit, with the insulation cover made from banana or ti leaves.
The pig is then covered with more insulation and soil and is left to slowly roast through the day. The word kalua from the name of the dish refers to cooking in an underground pit, called imu in Hawaiian. The pig is usually served at special events, parties, and family gatherings, accompanied by steamed rice and taro root paste.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Dungeness crab cake is a specialty from Washington that features the succulent meat of the Dungeness crab, a crustacean inhabiting the waters of the Pacific Ocean on the West Coast of North America. This dish is typically made by combining Dungeness crabmeat with mayonnaise, red bell peppers, celery, onions, herbs, panko breadcrumbs, seasonings, and eggs, and then shaping the resulting mixture into round cakes.
The crab cakes are rolled in additional panko breadcrumbs and fried or baked until crispy. The meat of the Dungeness crab is renowned for its sweet flavor and its delicate texture. The dish is typically served as an appetizer, a snack, or a main meal for lunch or dinner.
OTHER VARIATIONS OF Crab Cake
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 100 Western American Foods” list until February 16, 2025, 7,453 ratings were recorded, of which 6,628 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.