If there’s one culture we can thank for keeping the excitement over SPAM going, it’s the Hawaiians. SPAM, that famous spiced meat in a tin that’s been gracing grocery shelves and bomb shelters since 1937, has a long history on the Big Island, namely as SPAM Musubi. And now, the dish has its own day for celebration.
Today, Thursday, August 8, is officially the fourth annual National SPAM Musubi Day thanks to a proclamation by Hawaii’s former governor, David Ige. Now, the “holiday” is recognized in the National Day Archives, cementing the legacy of SPAM musubi.
One of the largest makers of the dish is L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, who sells over 6.2 million SPAM musubis annually, or approximately 17,000 daily, across all locations, including the six in Colorado.
The popularity of the dish took off in the 1980s, when various restaurants served musubi to go. Despite different people taking credit for the snack, there’s not a lot of variation when it comes to the recipe. Typically SPAM musubi features the tinned meat, rice, a pinch of salt, nori sheets, and shoyu, a Japanese soy sauce. It’s a take on the traditional Japanese onigiri, but instead of finding a tasty treasure in the rice, it’s on top.
In honor of the day, L&L Hawaiian Barbecue has launched some exciting promotions. For starters, head to one of the Colorado restaurants and claim a free SPAM musubi after downloading the L&L mobile app and clicking on a coupon. Also enter for a chance to win round-trip tickets to Hawaii, entries available through the app, website, and social media.
But L&L doesmnt dominate the SPAM musubi game in town. Check out these other restaurants too, today, or any day you want to nibble on a savory slice of island life.
Osaka Ramen
Chef Jeff Osaka’s basement ramen den in RiNo is known for steaming bowls of spicy miso and tonkotsu ramen, but there’s also a hefty appetizer menu. On that is SPAM Musubi ($3.50), which comes with furikake rice and toasted nori in addition to the salty, savory tinned ham. 2611 Walnut St., Denver, osakaramendenver.com
Ohana Island Kitchen
Add a simple SPAM Musubi ($3.99) to an order of Kalua Pork Bento Box ($13.95) or Japanese Curry Rice ($13.95). It’s the perfect appetizer or to-go item when you want a snake later. Owned by Regan and Louie Colburn, Ohana Island Kitchen has been going strong since 2016. It’s one of the only independent Hawaiian restaurants in the whole state. 2563 15th St., Denver, ohanadenver.com
Kona Hawaiian BBQ
Launched in 2022, the mini Hawaiian BBQ chain has grown to five locations in Colorado. It’s fast casual, dealing mostly in take out. Each musubi dish comes with two pieces for $5.79. Order the classic SPAM version, or try something new like barbecue chicken or beef. Various locations, konahawaiianbbq.com
Pokeworks
To make the classic Hawiian snack, the team seasons and sears a slice of SPAM before placing it on top a compact bed of white rice. The flavor gets enhanced further with sweet shoyu sauce and garlic crisps. Finally, the musubi gets wrapped in nori for a tasty hand-held bite. 8000 E. Belleview Ave., Greenwood Village, pokeworks.com
Sammy’s
This version of SPAM musubi is dubbed Teri ($4) thanks to the slick of teriyaki sauce found under the hood. The addition adds a bit of sweetness to the dish, but still lets the spice dominate. The Lincoln Park eatery is run by the family, and pays homage to its patriarch. 810 Vallejo St., Denver, sammysdenver.square.site
