Pu pu platter

Apu pu platteris a tray ofAmerican ChineseorHawaiian foodconsisting of an assortment of smallmeatandseafoodappetizers. TheThrillistcalled the pu-pu platter "an amalgam of Americanized Chinese food, Hawaiian tradition and bar food."
The pu pu platter was probably first introduced to restaurants on the United States mainland byDonn Beachin 1934,and has since become a standard at mostPolynesian-themedrestaurants such as Don's andTrader Vic's.However, pu pu platters are currently more closely associated with American Chinese restaurants.The earliest known print reference to a pu pu platter served at a Chinese restaurant is from 1969.
In New England, Italian restaurants have used the term "pu pu platter" to describe an appetizer combination platter since the 1970s.
A typical pu pu platter, as found in American Chinese cuisine, includes appetizers such asegg rolls,spare ribs,chicken wings,chicken fingers, beefteriyaki, skeweredbeef, friedwontons, friedshrimp, orcrab rangoons.
In theHawaiian language,pū-pūdenotes a relish, appetizer,canapé, orhors d'oeuvre; it originally meant "shell fish',  but also referred to small bits of fish, chicken, or bananarelishserved withkava.
Since the introduction of commercial dining and drinking establishments in Hawaii, pūpū were, and remain, standard fare in island establishments.An establishment that serves "heavy pupus" will often have a buffet table with warming trays or warming tables full of chicken,tempuravegetables, shrimp,poke(cubed and seasoned raw fish), small skewers ofteriyakimeat or chicken,sushi, and other similar finger foods. An establishment that serves "light pupus" usually will offer only the cold foods such aspoke,sushi, and vegetables. Some establishments will serve pūpū to the table.
At Hawaiian bars, restaurants, catered events such as political rallies, and private parties, establishments and hosts are known in "local" circles by the quality of their pupus. Event invitations often will state that "light pupus" or "heavy pupus" will be served so that attendees will know whether they should plan to have a full meal before the event or not.
At the height of thetiki barcraze during the late 1950s and early 1960s, theNew York Herald Tribunepublished several articles concerning the opening and the ambiance of one of the first Hawaiian-themed restaurants in New York City, Luau 400, on East 57th Street.  At the time of the restaurant's opening in 1957, pu pu platters were considered a part of theluaufeast.A typical platter at this establishment would have included baked clams,rumaki, Shrimp Vela (battered fried shrimp with coconut), chicken wings, egg rolls, spare ribs, or Javanese sate (satay) on skewers.The appetizers were served on "aLazy Susanmade ofmonkey podwood and equipped with a little stove fired with charcoal briquettes."Recipes for some of the pu pu items were later published in theHerald Tribunein 1960.
Always the showman, Trader Vic included a hibachi grill when presenting a pu pu platter at the table.Others say that the idea could have come from Donn Beach.No one can agree, but everyone else appeared to have copied the idea.
By the twenty-first century, the tiki bars and the flaming pu pu platter had become a dying art. Some tiki bar aficionados have created lists of tiki bars in the United States in which a flaming pu pu can still be found.
At one 21st-century tiki bar, the pu pu platter includes "Samoan deviled eggs, Chinese sausage and stick[y] ricearancini, coconut shrimp and chilies stuffed with pork sausage."As bar food, a pu pu platter at a 21st-century New York Citybrasseriecould include Frenchescargot, grilled cubed tropical fruits (such as pineapple), friedpierogior American-style barbecued ribs and wings.
Italian restaurants in New England may offer "Italian pu pu platters". Depending on the establishment, the platters may contain only appetizers, such as mozzarella sticks, meatballs, sausages, lasagna sticks, and calamari;or they may contain small portions of different pasta dishes, such as spaghetti, lasagna, manicotti, and ravioli.