When it comes to fostering a thriving ethnic community, the local Polynesian population stands as one of the more prominent examples in town. While they are not the most populous group, signs of their cultural impact on Alaska can be seen all over, from the various lei vendors cropping up every Spring or just seeing spam musubi sold at gas stations. As a member of this proud, close-knit community, perhaps it’s no surprise that Gene Grey, co-owner and chef of Tatilani Restaurant was recently awarded the 2022 Neighborhood Business of the Year award by the Anchorage Community Land Trust.
Such a milestone deserves to be recognized, and I could think of no better way to do so in my capacity than by going to Tatilani for the first time to see what they’re all about. Polynesian and Japanese cuisines are what’s on offer at this restaurant which is now in its second year of operation after opening at the height of the pandemic. While Anchorage is home to a plethora of Japanese restaurants, I reckon the number of restaurants serving up Polynesian food can be counted on just a single hand. With that in mind and having very little knowledge on this broad cuisine, I was hoping to educate myself as much as I wanted to gorge on this fusion of influences spanning the Pacific.
My experience began with taking a familiar route toward the old DMV building and the adjacent auto shop where Kay’s Family Restaurant once stood. It’s apparent this space used to have some connection with the neighboring auto business as visible through a massive garage door looming over half of their dining space, allowing plenty of natural lighting to pour in. Things were rather quiet upon walking in, though I was shortly attended to by a lone server whose hospitality helped lift my spirits from the drearily overcast weather outside.
While looking through the menu, my eyes gravitated towards the unfamiliar before eventually settling for their mamoe or “lamb flaps”—sold a la carte and by the pound. As a clueless mainlander, I wasn’t quite sure what to make out of these flaps of lamb, but I remained cautiously excited to delve into this foreign entrée. To round things out, I also ordered their Fireball Bombers—a plate of jazzed-up jalapeno poppers filled with spicy tuna, crabmeat, and cream cheese. Last on my list was a serving of their grilled chicken teriyaki. I felt pretty confident in selecting these items based on the server’s assurance that these were all great choices. Several Hawaiian reggae tracks and some mindless scrolling later, my food started to arrive, starting with the Fireball Bombers.
These stuffed jalapenos were presented in a neat row and doused in a combination of an eel-lava sauce and spicy mayo. The filling had a smooth, mild savoriness to it, though I personally would’ve preferred a little more cream cheese for more of its signature tang. It wasn’t until I noticed a dab of an orange-hued mixture tucked into my final piece, that I remembered spicy tuna was one of the ingredients, which shows how much of an impact it had overall. But still, the tempura coating had crisped up nicely, and the jalapeno had a fresh, vegetal crunch.
Soon after, the enigmatic lamb flaps standing in a thin sauce were delivered to my table. The chances of this dish winning any sort of beauty pageant are likely slim to none, but this saucy plate of unctuousness managed to slay with its intoxicating aroma—encouraging me to dig right in. What looked to be tough, chewy layers of fat were mostly rendered down with plenty of shredded meat attached. The sauce—in all its sweet, sticky goodness—was the absolute star of the show and completely saturated the whole dish to de-funkify the lamb. Make no mistake: this was a salt bomb in the truest sense, and I occasionally had to stop and drink a copious amount of water—something my mother always scolded me for needing to do more of anyway.
Another thing that came to my aid from the intensity of the mamoe was a serving of roasted taro that was graciously offered to me by the server. I was confused upon receiving what looked to be a small loaf of bread, when in fact, it was the starchy root vegetable in about as natural of a state as it could’ve been prepared. I pierced a section with my fork and took a bite to enjoy its stodgy texture with a faint hint of sweetness. In addition to this being a good foil to the meat, the pure, homey flavor of taro reminded me of Korean sweet potatoes and served as a reminder that food is often at its best when minimally prepared. Really, the only downside to this Samoan staple was that it just about filled every last void in my stomach, leaving very little room for me to move onto the largest plate of chicken teriyaki I’ve ever seen.
It wasn’t just the portion size that managed to impress with this dish of Japanese origin—between the lingering traces of smoke and edges laced with char, these grilled cutlets were probably the best chicken teriyaki I’ve had in years. There was no hint of stringiness to the meat—no, this was as juicy and succulent as I could’ve wanted. And for what it’s worth, the teriyaki leftovers kept me occupied for days with no decline in quality.
I returned to Tatilani a few days later for a takeout order of oka, a specialty vaguely familiar to me in that it very much resembles Hawaiian poke (which also happens to be served here). The restaurant was slammed on a Sunday afternoon with parties rushing in every other minute, suggesting Tatilani may have already established itself as a go-to spot for the after-church crowd.
The difference with this Samoan take on raw fish lies in the use of coconut milk as the principal ingredient in the curing liquid. This enabled me to savor the natural flavor of ahi tuna in contrast with typically sodium-rich poke—a preparation often seen employed as a crutch for subpar fish. A bit of green onion and diced cucumber helped lift this refreshing, silky discovery, which I will likely find myself craving again soon.
For all its merits as a restaurant, Tatilani prevails as a testament to the resiliency and efforts of a family determined to pursue their dreams and bring their passion for Polynesian food and culture to the masses. Their success is driven by their love for one another, as seen in the very name of this undertaking (an amalgamation derived from the names of the family’s three sisters). Their hard work has produced some killer chicken teriyaki and other Polynesian and Japanese specialties the people of Anchorage are fortunate to have available. So the next time you find yourself in the mood for either sushi or short ribs, you can count on the wonderful folks at Tatilani to help escort you to your next island getaway.
Tatilani Restaurant is located at 3002 Spenard Road, Suite 101. They are open Monday - Friday from 10am - 9pm, and Saturday - Sunday from 11am - Midnight. View their menu at TatilaniRestaurant.com.
