So I Arrive on Maui, Now What?
If you follow me on social media, you may have noticed or been annoyed being inundated with my pictures from Paradise. #sorrynotsorry My trip to Maui was a magical experience filled with lots of laughter, new friendships, and lots of food. Spoiler alert: I came home 5 pounds heavier! During my 5 day trip, I visited local farms to learn about food, met a ton of local Hawaiian chefs doing some exciting things in the community, and attended and served as a judge for their annual Maui Agricultural Festival.
Judging a cooking competition is a lot harder than it looks. I had to judge two within hours of each other! I can't wait to share all the details of my trip with you all so get ready for a bunch of Maui posts. I'm also working on a consolidated lists of must-eats in Maui to make things easier for you guys when you visit!
I arrived off the plane to this gorgeous sight. It totally made waking up at 4 am worth it. Plus, when I got to Hawaii, the day was still young. The best part was I literally felt so cool once I picked up my car (I know I sound like such a nerd). Everyone asked me if I was visiting from Oahu. I felt like a local. The legit Hawaiian license plate didn't hurt either. I was actually really nervous about driving in Maui. Turns out it was a piece of cake! I mean from the moment I stepped off the plane, everything just felt so relaxed. People were nicer and the whole environment was just so care-free. That's what I get for living in Los Angeles, huh?
Stop 1: Da Kitchen Café
Talk about super size. Da Kitchen Café is the answer to Hawaiian comfort food conveniently located just a few minutes from the airport. Every dish is humongous and made for sharing. Not only do they have the typical Hawaiian dishes like loco moco, spam musubi, etc, but they also take those basics and kick it up 10 notches. I love the crust of their deep-fried spam musubi, but there's something about a traditional spam musubi that just makes life worth living for. Da Kitchen Café is located at 425 Koloa St., Suite 104 Kahului, HI 96732, 808-871-7782.
Stop 2: Taska Guri Guri
Pronounced goodie goodie, Tasaka Guri Guri is a Maui institution. They only serve two flavors: Strawberry and Pineapple. Their guri guri is a cross between sherbet and ice cream. For .60 cents, why not? It's a must stop! Not only does the guri guri melt in your mouth, but it's very refreshing on a hot, sunny, beautiful day. Oh, wait. That's everyday in Maui.
Stop 3: Leoda's Kitchen and Pie Shop
Leoda's Kitchen and Pie Shop is home to some of the tastiest homemade mini pies, breakfast, and lunch on the island. While Maui is full of farm-to-table eateries, Leoda's is the best place to take advantage of that on a budget. Their bread is baked fresh each day, the bananas in their famous banana cream pie and banana pancakes are harvested from their restaurant's own farm, and the eggs and other ingredients are sourced locally. Although the pies are the namesake of the restaurant, the seared ahi benedict, coconut French toast, and Kobe roast beef sandwiches also should not be missed. Leoda's Kitchen and Pie Shop is located at 820 Olowalu Village Rd Honoapi'ilani Hwy Lahaina, Hawaii 96761, (808) 662-3600.
Stop 4: Dinner at Plantation House
My first night's dinner was at Plantation House. I'm planning on doing a separate post because clearly a restaurant with sweeping views such as this one deserves its own post. Trust me, it's worth the wait. The food was amazing as well.
I'm working on some informative travel and food posts for you guys, as well as just some behind the scenes posts of my week stay in Maui as a judge for Maui Ag Fest. Make sure to stay tuned. There's so much more to come. Hopefully, you can live vicariously through my trip pictures and bookmark these pages and upcoming posts for your next trip to Paradise.
FYI:
Car Rental: Budget Car Rental
There's an airport shuttle will pick you up from the airport to the Budget station 2 minutes away. It's very convenient. Pick up and drop off was a breeze. The address is 865 West Mokuea Place, Kahului Airport, Kahului (Maui), HI 96732, (808) 871-8811
Hotel Information: Montage Kapalua Bay
I spent 3 nights at the incredible Kapalua Bay. Post to come soon. The address is 1 Bay Dr, Lahaina, HI 96761.
I also spent an additional 2 nights at the Grand Wailea Resort. The address is 3850 Wailea Alanui Dr, Kihei, HI 96753. Post to come soon.
