Maui | Memorable Dishes

Hawaiian Food Trip: Food-venirs and Other Foods

April 11, 2016 7:51 am , Leave a Comment , Winnie N

In every country I’ve visited, I’ve been fascinated by the food. Even before I started writing this food blog, I’ve visited countries and brought food home (items that are allowed 🙂 .) as souvenirs.

I believe Hawaii is the land of Spam. I’ve never seen so many flavours and varieties anywhere I’ve been to. In my Hawaiian Food Trip: Aloha!, I posted a photo of the “Spam Wall” from the grocery store. I wanted to buy every single flavour to taste them but alas, I couldn’t. It would’ve cost more for the overweight baggage fees to bring cans of Spam back to Canada. So I only got one Turkey and one Hickory to try out. It was a hard decision to make. Now looking at the photo, I should’ve gotten the Teriyaki one too! Darn it! I guess I’ll have to go back to Hawaii again soon 😉

Cans of Spam (front)

Cans of Spam (back) – Love the recipe ideas!

It was so cool to see the different flavours of syrup being sold at the grocery store. Out of all the tropical flavoured syrups that were sold, I decided to buy the guava syrup. I love guava! Again, I was tempted to buy all the other flavours as well—coconut and lilikoi (passion fruit) syrup but didn’t due to the luggage weight restriction.

Guava Syrup

Furikake—bought one bottle, ate it there and brought the rest home. I know we can get it from Asian grocery stores here but I never thought of buying it until eating it in Hawaii. (I actually bought two extra bottles when I got back home to test out other flavours 😛 .) Now, I’m obsessed with these rice seasonings! My plain white rice now yearns for a sprinkle of furikake to make it more exciting! Plain rice will never be the same again!

Furikake

McDonald’s

Every time we visit different countries, we have to visit a McDonald’s. It’s funny that when I’m at home, I don’t even crave for McDonald’s. But when I’m abroad I think about it more. Maybe it’s because we’re out all the time and McDonald’s is everywhere. I love discovering specialty items that are available only at the local McDonald’s at a particular place or country.

Local Deluxe Breakfast – Eggs, Portuguese Sausage, Spam, of course, and Rice. Even when I had McDonald’s in Hong Kong and China, they didn’t serve rice for breakfast!

McDonald’s Local Hawaiian Deluxe Breakfast

Taro Pie – Your typical McDonald’s pie but with taro inside. Very interesting and delicious!

McDonald’s Taro Pie

My oldest son was the one who saw the Hawaiian Food Dictionary at the ABC store. He is so sweet and knows how much I love food and cooking. So he insisted that I buy the book for myself 🙂 . These ABC stores are everywhere. Don’t forget to save the receipts! You can claim prizes if you spend over $100 at any island on Hawaii.

Hawaii’s Food Dictionary

I would have bought more food items from Hawaii. But our luggage was full and it went over our 50 pound limit (I had to transfer some of my loot to my daughter’s portable crib bag 😛 )! Alas, this is the last post from my Hawaiian Food Trip. Our family had a really fun time exploring the islands and tasting all the Memorable Dishes. To quote the lady from the luau when the show was about to end, “Aloha is not a real goodbye because I know you will return…” Yes! I will return! Aloha for now!

Posted in: Places Visited, Special Meals , Tagged: food dictionary, foodvenirs, furikake, guava syrup, Hawaii, Maui, McDonald’s, Spam

Hawaiian Food Trip: Maui: Part 3

April 4, 2016 8:10 am , Leave a Comment , Winnie N

On our last day in Maui, we had to check out of our condo at 11:00 AM. However, our flight didn’t leave until 11:00 PM. So we had to hang out ALL day, hence we called the last day of our trip, “Hobo Day”. After eating all the leftovers as breakfast in the condo, we headed out for some fun.

Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary

I found Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary really close to where we stayed to kill some time. It’s free and the kids got to learn about humpback whales. The volunteers at the sanctuary were very helpful in answering any questions we had. There’s also a small play area for the kids and they spent at least a good half hour playing there.

Nalu’s South Shore Grill

Nalu’s South Shore Grill was also very close to where we stayed. Read good reviews about the place and decided to check it out. It was packed during lunch time because the food was so good! We almost didn’t get a table sitting our family of five together if it weren’t for a nice couple who gave us their table and moved to the high stools instead. We ordered at the counter and they brought us the food to our table. This casual joint is decorated nicely and has a lively vibe. Another thing I love about this place is that they have two huge self serve water dispensers full of flavoured water—cucumber mint and pineapple lemon. How refreshing!

Flavoured Water: Cucumber Mint & Pineapple Lemon

CBLT – Crab cake sandwich with bacon, lettuce and tomatoes with a side order of chips. So flavourful!

Crab BLT

Fried Chicken Waffle – Large pieces of seasoned chicken strips on top of a big fluffy waffle, top with bacon with the right amount of syrup.

Fried Chicken Waffle

Straight Up Burger – Comes with greens and chips. Straight to the tummies of the boys.

Straight Up Burger

Next stop, Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice! When we got there, there was a huge line up. My husband almost didn’t want to line up. I said to him, “We have ALL day! We don’t get on the plane until 11:00 PM tonight so I think we can wait for 15-20 minutes!” It was well worth the wait. As their motto says, “All shave ice is not created equal.” Tis too true! We had some shaved ice at one of the tourist attractions in Honolulu and it wasn’t as good as Ululani’s. The ice texture is perfect and the syrup tastes like real fruits! The other place’s syrup was too sweet and tasted artificial. The kids got a large one to share and the adults did the same.

Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice

We could only eat so much food for the day. So we snuck back into our condo pool and swam for a bit before driving to Paia to walk around and have dinner. There are lots of cool shops at Paia but with our stroller, it was sometimes a bit tough since the shops are quite small. I heard that parking was tough but we lucked out and got a spot on the street because we got there around 4ish-5pm.

Café Mambo

As always, I found a few restaurants in the area to check out and we decided on Café Mambo. I’m so glad we did. I really loved the atmosphere there. We got to sit by the window bench and it was nice to absorb the ambiance. The staff at the restaurant was friendly and accommodating. Please note there is only one bathroom for men, and one for women and no change tables.

Pinchos Tapas Platter – Organic Maui Cattle Co. Steak, Grilled Chicken Breasts and Jumbo Shrimp. Served with Tortilla Chips, Curry Dip, Chipotle Salsa and Mixed Green Salad. The whole family went crazy over this platter—great for sharing. I have to say, the steak was so tender and delicious that I had to fight over it with my oldest son.

Pinchos Tapas Platter

Island Fish of the Day Burger – I know. Another fish burger. I can’t get over it because they are so fresh and delicious in Hawaii. But this time, my husband ordered it.

Island Fish of the Day Burger

Fish and Chips – Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Comes with tons of fries.

Fish and Chips

Jumbo Shrimp in Garlic Butter – So garlicky and delicious.

Jumbo Shrimp in Garlic Butter

Paia Gelato

When you see a gelato place, you have to go to it even if you are super full from your main meal. So when we saw Paia Gelato, we were like zombies drawn to human flesh—must eat gelato. The place was busy which is a good sign because you know it’s always fresh. I’ve been to less busy gelato places and their gelatos weren’t really good. Even in Italy, home of gelato, I’ve had not so good gelatos because the locale didn’t have enough traffic.

Big Island Macadamia Nut Coffee Crunch – Of course I had to try the local flavour! Unless you’re eating gelato everyday comparing from place to place (like when we were in Italy), there’s really no bad gelato if you’re having a one-off. Plus if there’s a lot of people eating there, it’s a good sign because it means the gelato is always made fresh.

Big Island Macadamia Nut Coffee Crunch Gelato

It’s not goodbye yet! I still have one more post to share from our Hawaiian adventures—Hawaii Food Trip: Food-venirs and Other Foods!

Posted in: Places Visited, Special Meals , Tagged: Café Mambo, chicken and waffles, crab cakes, fish and chips, garlic shrimp, gelato, hamburger, Hawaii, Humpback Whale Sanctuary, Maui, Nalu’s, shave ice, Ululani's

Hawaiian Food Trip: Maui: Part 1

March 21, 2016 7:38 am , Leave a Comment , Winnie N

We landed at Kahului Airport, Maui in the afternoon flying in from Honolulu. Our first day consisted of grocery shopping and getting ourselves organized for the next few days of adventure. My friends who had been here told me to pack lunches during our outings because the places we visited often didn’t have any restaurants or food nearby. The condo we rented had all the amenities including a cooler, beach towels, beach chairs, and boogie board. I still packed myself a foldable cooler bag just in case.

Haleakala National Park

In researching Haleakala National Park, I found many people recommend to come either for sunrise or sunset. But as we were traveling with small children we just headed out at a time which was convenient for us; after breakfast. We set our GPS to the Haleakala National Park Visitor Centre. I suggest researching as much as you can if you plan on doing some hiking.

It was a rainy and foggy day. My husband and I didn’t think it was scary driving up the narrow winding road but that’s because we couldn’t see down. When we paid for parking, the lady at the gate said, “Don’t worry, it’s sunny up there.” I thought to myself, “How did she know?” Duh, if you’re above the clouds, of course it’s sunny. It was a beautiful sight once we got up there. I kicked myself for not dressing a little warmer. Even with our spring jackets, it wasn’t enough. I saw people with winter jackets! I couldn’t have stayed long anyways because I got altitude sickness. On the drive down, I felt so tired that I fell asleep. Luckily, my husband didn’t get sick and drove on. Our tire pressure indicator lit up as we were driving down. I did a quick search on my phone and realized that it was normal for the tire pressure to go down when driving up high altitudes.

Haleakala National Park

Glass Bottom Boat Tour

We originally wanted to do a submarine tour with the kids but you have to be at least 36 inches tall and our toddler girl was 2 inches too short. I found another tour in one of the guidebooks I picked up at the airport. Also, if you stroll on the main streets in Lahaina, you can find different tours there too. We found a glass bottom boat company called Reef Dancer and it was even better. I know it would be cool to be in a submarine but the prices are so much cheaper taking the glass bottom boat. The service was friendly and helpful and we even got snacks and drinks while on the boat!

Glass Bottom Boat Tour

Lahaina Luna Cafe

Since we were in Lahaina for the glass bottom boat tour, I researched a few places to eat beforehand. We decided to come to Lahaina Luna Cafe because it was a perfect day to sit at this outdoor cafe. Around this stationary food truck there was also a shaved ice place and a few vendors selling trinkets and souvenirs. There were a few tables near the food area and also more seating at the back. The clean bathroom at the back was a bonus. The food was fresh and delicious and it was great sitting outside at this casual outdoor cafe.

Korean BBQ Beef Plate – Beef was tender and delicious. Of course it comes with macaroni and rice because that’s how the Hawaiians do their plate lunch.

Korean BBQ Beef Plate

Chicken Katsu Plate – Crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. You can never go wrong with katsu.

Chicken Katsu Plate

Chicken Bites with Sweet Chilli Sauce – Crunchy chicken nuggets—who wouldn’t love it? I asked them to put the sweet chili sauce on the side in case the kids found it too spicy. Surprisingly, the kids liked them with the sauce too.

Chicken Bites with Sweet Chilli Sauce

Crazy Fries – Topped with spicy kochu aioli (have no idea what kochu is but very delicious) sprinkled with furikake. The kids went crazy over the crazy fries.

Crazy Fries

Taco Combo (1 mahi mahi and 1 Korean beef) – I love the mango salsa with the mahi mahi and the Korean beef was the same as the Korean BBQ Beef Plate.

Taco Combo (Mahi Mahi & Korean Beef)

Kale & Brussel Sprouts Salad – OMG! The salad was the best! The dressing was amazing and I can’t believe I’m saying that about kale and brussel sprouts 😛 .

Kale & Brussel Sprouts Salad

Stay tuned for Hawaiian Food Trip: Maui: Part 2 in my next post!

Posted in: Places Visited, Special Meals , Tagged: chicken katsu, fries, Haleakala National Park, Hawaii, Korean beef, Lahaina, Maui, salad, taco

Hawaiian Food Trip: Aloha!

February 22, 2016 7:47 am , Leave a Comment , Winnie N

Travelling with three kids is no easy feat. And feeding them is a whole other ordeal. Luckily my kids love to eat and they usually eat everything my husband and I do. We recently travelled to Hawaii (Oahu and Maui islands) and decided to rent condos because we found it more economical and easier with young kids. We prepared meals at the condo and the kids had more room to run around. As much as my kids love eating out, I know they would get sick of eating out everyday, three meals a day.

Coming from a food-obsessed family, I researched what and where to eat in Hawaii before I left. (When our family visits from the States, we discuss what to eat for dinner immediately after our bellies are full from eating lunch. Yes, our family loves to eat!) I even mapped out the closest restaurants in the area we stayed at and all the areas we were visiting. Not only did I read restaurant reviews, I also read reviews on which grocery stores were better in terms of size, variety of foods sold and prices. Perhaps, I did more research on food-related places than the places we visited? 😛

During our trip to Oahu and Maui, we hit Costcos on both islands plus a couple of grocery stores to feed our family. You might be thinking I’m getting paid by Costco to write this post – I’m not! Food is expensive in Hawaii and I found if you have to get some things in bulk, Costco is the way to go. Even if you’re Canadian, you can use your membership in the US.

One of the most Memorable Dishes I had was poke. I was so excited when I read about it and couldn’t wait to try it. Poke is basically a raw fish salad that’s mixed with seasonings. The traditional poke is made with tuna, soy sauce, sea salt, maui onions and a few other ingredients. I bought poke from different grocery stores and had some at restaurants too. I am the only one that went crazy over poke. My husband had a bit and only enjoyed the spicy version of it and the kids didn’t like it at all (not a surprise).

Variety of Poke

There were so many interesting food products in Hawaii. One of the things we found at the grocery store was taro buns. I should’ve taken a photo of the inside of the bun because it’s purple! I couldn’t really taste the taro in the bun but it was really cool to find food items you normally wouldn’t find in your own area. I also bought pineapple wine from the grocery store to try. It was a bit on the sweeter side and the taste was OK. I guess liking certain wine is subjective. But it was interesting to try something local from the area.

Taro Buns and Pineapple Wine

How could I forget about Spam? Hawaii is Spam haven! I couldn’t believe how many different variety and flavours of Spam they had at the grocery store. I was tempted to buy every flavour from the Spam wall and bring them home!

Spam Wall

One thing I didn’t get to try in Hawaii was Spam Musubi. It’s basically Spam on top of rice wrapped in seaweed. Every place that sold Spam Musubi had it heated under a food lamp in a glass food display case. I was weary of buying something that was sitting there for hours looking like no one was buying them. I could easily create this Memorable Dish at home.

Hope this post piqued your interest in Hawaiian foods. For now, this concludes the introduction of our Hawaiian Food Trip. In the next few posts, I will write about some of our travel and food adventures in Hawaii. Take a journey with me, as I highlight some of the memorable places we visited and the Memorable Dishes we tasted.