As a travel photographer and journalist who has lived in Maui for over 20 years, I have to say that besides the ocean the thing I miss most about Maui and thus enjoy the most when I return every year is the food.
There is no doubt that Maui has some of the best eating establishments in Hawaii. It’s easy to become a bit of a foodie when visiting. All you have to do is have a fat wallet or, like most people on vacation, max that credit card! However if you live on the island or are visiting for an extended stay (snowbirds & winter surfers) you learn rather quickly that the locals enjoy a level of yummyness that most visitors don’t know about. “Maui Local food” is often quite different from what you may see in a resort. Not to say that many excellent Maui chefs love to put their spin on a favorite plate lunch dish – one of my favorites was Chef Merriman’s Spam Musubi!
Plate Lunch
[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″]Many mainland cities now have Hawaiian food restaurants and food trucks serving this style of food. That’s how popular it is! Nobody is exactly sure how the plate lunch became such a popular staple for modern day Hawaii but it has been speculated that it came about during the plantation days. The Japanese bento may have morphed into today’s 2 scoop rice and mac salad with a piled high main item. All I can tell you is these styrofoam containers of goodness are one of the first things I track down as soon as I get off the plane! Some of my favorites in Kahului (near the airport) are: Da Kitchen and KoKo Ichiban Ya.
The plate lunch evolved from many cultural influences and the entrees and sides definitely reflect that mix… guess that’s why it’s often referred to as a “mixed plate”!
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A standard plate lunch has 2 sides plus a main entree and could include:
Entrees:
Teriyaki – also known as a Teri plate (Beef or Chicken), Chicken Katsu, Mochiko Chicken, Lomi Lomi Salmon, Chicken Long Rice, LauLau (pork, butter fish) Kalua Pork, Poke (raw fish), Loco Moco (Hamburger Steak), Chicken Adobo, Kalbi Short Ribs.
Sides:
Fried Rice, Fried Noodles (chow mein) 1-2 scoops of white rice, Mac Salad, Lomi salmon.
I also like to grab some local food and head to the beach
Poke & Lau lau – These 2 items are a must for me. Poke in Hawaiian means raw fish and is definitely one of the most popular food items with the locals.
Tako Kimchi (octopus & kimchi cabbage) poke, Shoyu Ahi poke, seaweed salad from Costco or Foodland always gets me feeling like I’m back in the islands!
Healthy Eating
[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″]Plate lunches are known for their high cholesterol and absence of greens so good thing Maui has some fantastic health food stores and locally grown food markets!
Down to Earth is a natural and organic grocery store in Kahului that has an amazing salad bar (it’s huge with both hot and cold choices) and is famous for it’s tofu chicken! (it really tastes like chicken).
Alive & Well is another great health food store just down the street from Down to Dirt (as the locals call it) and has a delicious array of lunch items including fresh made to order sandwiches at their Deli counter.
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Another worthy mention is the deli at Mana Foods in Maui’s north shore town of Paia. This uber health food store is loaded with amazing things and a great place to grab something for a picnic at one of the nearby beaches![/vc_column][/vc_row]
Fresh from the yard
[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″]If you live in Maui chances are you or your neighbor has fruit trees in their yard. Bananas and avocados are often given away rather than letting them rot so they are often put on a table or box at the end of the driveway with a honor system money box or a “for free” sign. Just a bit of a warning though – don’t ever take fruit out of someones yard without asking. Big no no in Hawaii and you could get scoldings from one angry grandma![/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″]
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Fruit Stands
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There is nothing quite like the taste of the tropical fruits that grow everywhere in Maui. Fruit stands are peppered throughout the island but the locals know the best versions and varieties grow along the road to Hana! Again there are dozens of stands to choose from along this crazily narrow and winding road so it’s best to ask around about which ones to spend time at. This road is one of the top 5 scenic drives in the world but it can be a 10 to 12 hour day trying to stop and see all the sights. I often recommend a Hana tour to people because these guides are on the road every day year around and they know what’s in season and where the best tasting fruits are.[/vc_column][/vc_row]
So there you have a quick rundown on the amazing food to be found on our beautiful island. It’s just another reason the locals say “Lucky we live in Hawaii”!
Aloha Nui Loa
