Maui Revamped - Trip Report Oct/Nov 2013: Andaz Maui and Honua Kai
Nov 18th, 2013, 05:42 AM
#21
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Hi loumike - ah I see, Wailea Beach Villas. Sounds lovely! There are some activities which you will need to book in advance though and the O'o farm tour is one of them. We also did a tour of the Ocean Vodka facilities in Kula which is a nice adult activity (tasting included!). Mama's fish house during prime sunset hours would be wise to book ahead...or basically any "good" seat with a view in most waterfront restaurants will require some advance booking. Do you use Opentable.com? I make most of my restaurant reservations there. It's free and easy and they have most of Hawaii's top restaurants.
Definitely take a walk through the Andaz if you're going to Mokapu beach. It's actually kid-friendly. I did see a few families there and they were having a wonderful time.
Definitely take a walk through the Andaz if you're going to Mokapu beach. It's actually kid-friendly. I did see a few families there and they were having a wonderful time.
Nov 18th, 2013, 11:52 AM
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Day 6: Slappy Happy
We still hadn’t fully adjusted to Hawaii time so we were still getting up pretty early. I didn’t have anything planned for today since I thought we’d just enjoy the surroundings of the Honua Kai. We did however, want to have breakfast at the new Slappy Cakes eatery next door. Slappy Cakes specializes in D-I-Y concept of pancakes, where they supply you with the batter, ingredients, and you can make your pancakes on the built-in-griddle they have on all tables. Interactive dining meets breakfast!
The space is really big and industrial looking. High ceilings, lots of large tables and booths, perfect for groups. At 7am, we were one of the only ones there. We looked at the menu and I decided to make my own pancakes. You can choose between different batters including whole grain, buttermilk, sweet potato, and gluten free. Your toppings and ingredients can be traditional stuff like bananas, berries, mac nuts, almonds, chocolate chips etc, to more savory offerings like cheese and scallions. I chose a combo of whole grain batter, berries, pineapple, mac nuts, with a side of crème fraiche to top it all off. There are different syrups already on the table including coconut and traditional maple syrup.
It was fun to make your own pancakes. My order made about 4.5 medium sized pancakes, which was enough for my husband to have some too. They give you the batter in a squeeze bottle which made it easy. I topped my fruity pancake with coconut syrup and crème fraiche. I liked the tangy with the sweet. It was quite a yummy pancake if I do say so myself. I would probably get the buttermilk batter next time, but I was trying to be healthy!
My husband got a version of eggs benedict with prime rib, crab and asparagus. It sounds better than it was in execution. It was tasty but I felt there was something lacking. The crab was just flaked and I think it would have been better made into a crisp crab cake for texture. They had other items on the menu that looked intruiguing as well, like deep fried battered bacon with maple syrup…wow, carbs, sugar and fat all rolled into one!
Overall I liked Slappy Cakes. The service was pretty good, our coffee cup was refilled constantly.
After breakfast went to the Honokowai Farmer’s market next door where we bought a few fresh fruits and their freshly made salsa and guacamole to snack on. I went across the street to take a few pictures of the Hobokowai Beach Park. It was a bit rocky. Anyone ever snorkel here?
We returned to the condo and spent all morning/early afternoon at the pools. I found a good way to warm up to the freezing cold pools was to swim in the warmer pool (the one with the slide) first as it’s less of a shock to your system! I did like the winding river pool as was fun and less crowded (probably because it’s freezing!).
When it was time for lunch we hopped into the car back to Honokowai Okazuya so I could get my gourmet plate lunch. I couldn’t decide between the teriyaki steak and the mahi mahi with lemon caper butter sauce so I got both. There were a lot of takeout orders so I had to wait a bit for ours. Next time I will know to phone my order in ahead of time. My husband also went into The Fish Market Maui to get another fish taco to snack on as well as a tub of poke. We returned to the condo to dine on our lanai. It was nice but of course our view is not as fabulous as the one we had at the Andaz. We pretty much faced an empty plot of land, but we had a small peek-a-boo glimpse of the ocean. The lanai was nice and spacious though with a table and chairs for dining.
The teriyaki steak was pretty good as I remembered it but the mahi really blew me away. The sauce is delicious – so rich, buttery, lemony, and just YUM. The poke from Fish Market was ok. I really love the freshly made poke at Ono Seafoods on Oahu so I tend to judge all poke by that standard and very few compare. We definitely had leftovers for dinner later.
Our rich lunch made me want to take a nap so that’s what we did – I love vacation! We took a nap and watched TV and did other lazy things. I can’t remember exactly what we did later, but we did eventually get a work out in at the gym in the Konea building. It’s a well-stocked gym, not huge, but has everything you’d need.
Dinner was leftovers plus some Roselani Kona Mud Pie ice cream (delicious) and we watched DVDs (which I brought from home).
That’s the end of our lazy Day 6, I think we only ventured less than a half mile radius from the condo today but that’s ok…Day 7 we were going Up Country!
We still hadn’t fully adjusted to Hawaii time so we were still getting up pretty early. I didn’t have anything planned for today since I thought we’d just enjoy the surroundings of the Honua Kai. We did however, want to have breakfast at the new Slappy Cakes eatery next door. Slappy Cakes specializes in D-I-Y concept of pancakes, where they supply you with the batter, ingredients, and you can make your pancakes on the built-in-griddle they have on all tables. Interactive dining meets breakfast!
The space is really big and industrial looking. High ceilings, lots of large tables and booths, perfect for groups. At 7am, we were one of the only ones there. We looked at the menu and I decided to make my own pancakes. You can choose between different batters including whole grain, buttermilk, sweet potato, and gluten free. Your toppings and ingredients can be traditional stuff like bananas, berries, mac nuts, almonds, chocolate chips etc, to more savory offerings like cheese and scallions. I chose a combo of whole grain batter, berries, pineapple, mac nuts, with a side of crème fraiche to top it all off. There are different syrups already on the table including coconut and traditional maple syrup.
It was fun to make your own pancakes. My order made about 4.5 medium sized pancakes, which was enough for my husband to have some too. They give you the batter in a squeeze bottle which made it easy. I topped my fruity pancake with coconut syrup and crème fraiche. I liked the tangy with the sweet. It was quite a yummy pancake if I do say so myself. I would probably get the buttermilk batter next time, but I was trying to be healthy!
My husband got a version of eggs benedict with prime rib, crab and asparagus. It sounds better than it was in execution. It was tasty but I felt there was something lacking. The crab was just flaked and I think it would have been better made into a crisp crab cake for texture. They had other items on the menu that looked intruiguing as well, like deep fried battered bacon with maple syrup…wow, carbs, sugar and fat all rolled into one!
Overall I liked Slappy Cakes. The service was pretty good, our coffee cup was refilled constantly.
After breakfast went to the Honokowai Farmer’s market next door where we bought a few fresh fruits and their freshly made salsa and guacamole to snack on. I went across the street to take a few pictures of the Hobokowai Beach Park. It was a bit rocky. Anyone ever snorkel here?
We returned to the condo and spent all morning/early afternoon at the pools. I found a good way to warm up to the freezing cold pools was to swim in the warmer pool (the one with the slide) first as it’s less of a shock to your system! I did like the winding river pool as was fun and less crowded (probably because it’s freezing!).
When it was time for lunch we hopped into the car back to Honokowai Okazuya so I could get my gourmet plate lunch. I couldn’t decide between the teriyaki steak and the mahi mahi with lemon caper butter sauce so I got both. There were a lot of takeout orders so I had to wait a bit for ours. Next time I will know to phone my order in ahead of time. My husband also went into The Fish Market Maui to get another fish taco to snack on as well as a tub of poke. We returned to the condo to dine on our lanai. It was nice but of course our view is not as fabulous as the one we had at the Andaz. We pretty much faced an empty plot of land, but we had a small peek-a-boo glimpse of the ocean. The lanai was nice and spacious though with a table and chairs for dining.
The teriyaki steak was pretty good as I remembered it but the mahi really blew me away. The sauce is delicious – so rich, buttery, lemony, and just YUM. The poke from Fish Market was ok. I really love the freshly made poke at Ono Seafoods on Oahu so I tend to judge all poke by that standard and very few compare. We definitely had leftovers for dinner later.
Our rich lunch made me want to take a nap so that’s what we did – I love vacation! We took a nap and watched TV and did other lazy things. I can’t remember exactly what we did later, but we did eventually get a work out in at the gym in the Konea building. It’s a well-stocked gym, not huge, but has everything you’d need.
Dinner was leftovers plus some Roselani Kona Mud Pie ice cream (delicious) and we watched DVDs (which I brought from home).
That’s the end of our lazy Day 6, I think we only ventured less than a half mile radius from the condo today but that’s ok…Day 7 we were going Up Country!
Nov 18th, 2013, 01:10 PM
#23
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Thanks tifa - yes discovered open table by accident when booking a meal around Xmas in Kauai- at least you can work out which restaurants are open! A great system.
It is so ok to take it easy on vacation...it looks like you guys have worked out that perfect balance!
Ocean Vodka looks good as well...so many choices!
It is so ok to take it easy on vacation...it looks like you guys have worked out that perfect balance!
Ocean Vodka looks good as well...so many choices!
Nov 19th, 2013, 06:26 PM
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Day 7: Adventures Upcountry
Today we were headed Upcounty – specifically Kula because I had booked the Farm Tour and Luncheon at O’o Farm. We stopped in Wailuku to eat at Tasty Crust for breakfast. I’ve always wanted to eat there but never really found ourseves in Wailuku during breakfast so we took advantage that it was one the way. Overall I just thought it was ok. The much talked-about fried rice with egg wasn’t as good as I thought it would be. I liked The Gazebo’s version better, but at least there was no line when we went and the prices are extremely wallet-friendly. The pancakes are tasty though! I wonder if it’s the huge pat of margarine on top…
Driving to Kula took another 25 minutes but it’s an absolutely beautiful drive which takes you past suagarcane fields and up the side of Haleakala. It’s a bit cooler up here so we packed light jackets and wore sneakers because we were trekking around a farm all day.
We pulled into O’o Farm and there were a handful of cars already there. There is ample parking space but the late stragglers had to park at weird angles on a hill which I’m sure was not fun to back out of. The bathroom s are just port-a-potties so just something to remember if you’re queasy about that.
I wrote an entire post about our Farm Tour and lunch complete with pictures on my blog so I will let you read about it there: http://sulynnchen.com/travelblog/?p=531
In a nutshell, we had such a great time. It was a unique experience and I love to eat so any culinary tour involving food (or drink) is right up my alley!
After lunch we decided to stay Upcountry and so we visited one of my favorite places: Ali’I Kula Lavender. The views here are gorgeous. There is an enchanted garden feel and I love to just sip the delicious lavender lemonade on their porch. The weather was clearer here and the sun was shining brightly! You can take a paid tour or you can do a self-guided walking tour which we did on a previous visit. Their lavender scones are so yummy too! I bought a bunch of products as gifts and for myself. The lavender lillikoi jelly is scrumptious (especially with their scones). Their waterless hand cleanser is also one of my favorite products. It smells divine! Did you know you can get points on Hawaiian airlines if you make purchases here? Well I know now! Yay! (I must not be the only one who knows her Hawaiian Air miles number by heart?) LOL
We also stopped at Kula Country Farms stand to pick up some strawberries. It’s a cute little stand and it was decorated for Halloween with a bunch of pumpkins. Adorable!
A few pictures later, we made our way to Makawao – Maui’s Cowboy town – to walk around. I like the cute boutiques here, they can be pricey but very chic to window shop. Many artists showrooms and galleries here too, which was wonderful. It gave us an idea of pieces we would like for our new house, but too bad we couldn't afford anything.
On the drive back, we wanted to stop in Paia but we hit the most horrendous traffic. We were stuck for a while in so we didn’t end up parking and walking around since we had seen most of the town already at this point – from our car. We didn’t really know what to do, and we weren't hungry so we just decided to watch a movie in Kahului. We went to the Maui Mall cinemas and watched Ender’s Game. We both read the books when young but thought the movie was alright – yet entertaining.
After the movie, we decided to just eat at Zippy’s again since it was late and not many places were open. I got their signature chili over rice, and the hubs got the Korean chicken salad. The food was good while I was eating it but I am now convinced that Zippy’s uses way too much MSG so we won’t be eating there anymore. Migraine sufferers beware!
Despite the pounding headache that was forming in my head, I thought it was a wonderful day.
Day 8 up next!
Today we were headed Upcounty – specifically Kula because I had booked the Farm Tour and Luncheon at O’o Farm. We stopped in Wailuku to eat at Tasty Crust for breakfast. I’ve always wanted to eat there but never really found ourseves in Wailuku during breakfast so we took advantage that it was one the way. Overall I just thought it was ok. The much talked-about fried rice with egg wasn’t as good as I thought it would be. I liked The Gazebo’s version better, but at least there was no line when we went and the prices are extremely wallet-friendly. The pancakes are tasty though! I wonder if it’s the huge pat of margarine on top…
Driving to Kula took another 25 minutes but it’s an absolutely beautiful drive which takes you past suagarcane fields and up the side of Haleakala. It’s a bit cooler up here so we packed light jackets and wore sneakers because we were trekking around a farm all day.
We pulled into O’o Farm and there were a handful of cars already there. There is ample parking space but the late stragglers had to park at weird angles on a hill which I’m sure was not fun to back out of. The bathroom s are just port-a-potties so just something to remember if you’re queasy about that.
I wrote an entire post about our Farm Tour and lunch complete with pictures on my blog so I will let you read about it there: http://sulynnchen.com/travelblog/?p=531
In a nutshell, we had such a great time. It was a unique experience and I love to eat so any culinary tour involving food (or drink) is right up my alley!
After lunch we decided to stay Upcountry and so we visited one of my favorite places: Ali’I Kula Lavender. The views here are gorgeous. There is an enchanted garden feel and I love to just sip the delicious lavender lemonade on their porch. The weather was clearer here and the sun was shining brightly! You can take a paid tour or you can do a self-guided walking tour which we did on a previous visit. Their lavender scones are so yummy too! I bought a bunch of products as gifts and for myself. The lavender lillikoi jelly is scrumptious (especially with their scones). Their waterless hand cleanser is also one of my favorite products. It smells divine! Did you know you can get points on Hawaiian airlines if you make purchases here? Well I know now! Yay! (I must not be the only one who knows her Hawaiian Air miles number by heart?) LOL
We also stopped at Kula Country Farms stand to pick up some strawberries. It’s a cute little stand and it was decorated for Halloween with a bunch of pumpkins. Adorable!
A few pictures later, we made our way to Makawao – Maui’s Cowboy town – to walk around. I like the cute boutiques here, they can be pricey but very chic to window shop. Many artists showrooms and galleries here too, which was wonderful. It gave us an idea of pieces we would like for our new house, but too bad we couldn't afford anything.
On the drive back, we wanted to stop in Paia but we hit the most horrendous traffic. We were stuck for a while in so we didn’t end up parking and walking around since we had seen most of the town already at this point – from our car. We didn’t really know what to do, and we weren't hungry so we just decided to watch a movie in Kahului. We went to the Maui Mall cinemas and watched Ender’s Game. We both read the books when young but thought the movie was alright – yet entertaining.
After the movie, we decided to just eat at Zippy’s again since it was late and not many places were open. I got their signature chili over rice, and the hubs got the Korean chicken salad. The food was good while I was eating it but I am now convinced that Zippy’s uses way too much MSG so we won’t be eating there anymore. Migraine sufferers beware!
Despite the pounding headache that was forming in my head, I thought it was a wonderful day.
Day 8 up next!
Nov 20th, 2013, 06:44 AM
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loumike - That's the beauty of Hawaii, the number of choices, yet not so overwhelming. The ocean vodka tour is fun. If you like vodka, they make an ultra premium spirit and the tour was informative. The vodka is strong! whew!
Nov 22nd, 2013, 06:53 AM
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I have a new post with pictures about Sushi Paradise and Monkeypod Kitchen: http://sulynnchen.com/travelblog/?p=540
Working on Day 8....
Working on Day 8....
Nov 25th, 2013, 07:02 PM
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Day 8: Turtles-spotting and acai-loving
Today was another relaxing lazy day – we slept in, and made breakfast in the condo: eggs and portugese sausage with taro bread toast which we had picked up at Times Supermarket. After putzing around in the condo, we decided to go to Blackrock at Kaanapali Beach over by the Sheraton because I was on the hunt to snokel with turtles and I knew our chances of seeing them there were high.
We drove there and since we couldn’t find parking in the free stalls, we parked in Whaler’s village’s lot. I figure we’d probably buy something and get it validated so parking would be cheap. We wandered around Whaler’s village a bit and of course I get distracted by my favorite store, Cinnamon girl, which I call the Anthropologie of Hawaii. I love their clothes! An hour and two shopping bags later, we finally made it to the beach! There were quite a lot of people at Blackrock, but it’s a large beach so there was not problem finding a nice spot.
Talk about finding turtles….at first I snorkeled out towards the tip of Blackrock thinking they would be there, but didn’t see any. I snorkeled around for a while but eventually as I was swimming back, I heard some voices and realized that people were excitedly pointing and telling others to come see the turtle which was swimming close to the beach. There one some guy, not sure if he was a local or just a really environmentally-conscious dude, who was literally YELLING at people to stop touching the turtle. It was quite annoying because
a) no one was touching the turtle. They were merely pointing at it, but no one was touching. I think most people understand not to touch the wildlife already, even young kids.
b) he was doing it in an aggressive way. I think he even mentioned that he was going to “get” someone if they touched the turtle. Geez.
So to get away from the hoopla I swam a bit further north and lo and behold there was another large turtle also swimming close to shore! He/she probably wanted to get away from aggressive PETA dude too. So we kind of swam together for bit before he/she was “discovered” and more people ventured over. It’s ok, we had our moment. I swam back to shore and then my husband donned the snorkel gear and swam out to turtle watch too. I guess I should also think about getting my own snorkel gear so we can go together.
After spending some time at the beach, it got really hot, so we went back to the condo to get some shade. We decided to get a snack and of course my husband wants more fish tacos. Not really in the mood for something too heavy, I told him to get me an acai bowl from the Honokowai Market. He calls me up at the market and says there are 4 different Acai bowls and which one I want…and he sends me over a picture of the menu. I selected the Green one with the blended kale topped with kiwi, pineapple, strawberry, banana, granola, and bee pollen. I knew it’s either a love or hate when it comes to healthy things but can I say this is THE. BEST. ACAI. BOWL. EVER.
I’ve had acai bowls before and they were good (I’ve actually only had them in Hawaii) – but this one just blew everyone I’ve had away…the acai is super concentrated, and they blend it with coconut water, banana and kale…you couldn’t really taste the kale but it added a nice dimension to the acai. It was super smooth (not icy!) and super delicious. OMG imagine how healthy I’d be if I lived on Maui, dining on acai bowls every day…I am so sad thinking about that acai bowl now. When we returned from Maui I went to the nearest juice/smoothie place and got an acai bowl…and it was gray. Gross!
After an afternoon/evening just napping and being lazy, we figured we would go get dinner. I didn’t know what I was in the mood for, so we just got in the car and drove…and drove, pretty soon we’re south of Lahaina and I knew where we must go…Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop!
Never having been to Leoda’s before, I’ve heard great things about their pies (sweet and savory), sandwiches and burgers so it was on my list of must-tries. The space is really cute, kind of like a modern farmhouse feel. I didn’t know what I wanted to eat yet so I stared at the menu for a while. Then I saw the word BACON and all notions of being a healthy-acai-bowl-eating girl were out the door as I placed my order for a BLT. At least I got it on the hapa bread, which is their version of a white-whole wheat blend. My husband got a burger, and we both stared at the pie section and one of the people behind the counter mentions that all pies were 50% off (it was pretty late and the space was empty). I immediately saw the last mini coconut cream pie and knew it was mine. My husband selects a regular key lime pie.
Our food comes pretty quickly, but I realized I forgot to order avocado on my BLT so I went up to add it to my order. They gave it to me for free! They are so nice there. The hapa bread is divine, it’s so soft and thickly cut, it really made the sandwich. My BLT was awesome, especially for those of you who like thick cut bacon. My hubby’s burger was good too. Our pies were delicious. The mini is a good way to go if you want to try more than one pie. I really liked the coconut cream pie. It was on a delicious buttery graham cracker crust with coconut custard, whipped buttercream and shredded coconut.
After dinner, it was back to the condo where we watched another movie and called it a night…the next day we were doing something really exciting…zip lining!
Today was another relaxing lazy day – we slept in, and made breakfast in the condo: eggs and portugese sausage with taro bread toast which we had picked up at Times Supermarket. After putzing around in the condo, we decided to go to Blackrock at Kaanapali Beach over by the Sheraton because I was on the hunt to snokel with turtles and I knew our chances of seeing them there were high.
We drove there and since we couldn’t find parking in the free stalls, we parked in Whaler’s village’s lot. I figure we’d probably buy something and get it validated so parking would be cheap. We wandered around Whaler’s village a bit and of course I get distracted by my favorite store, Cinnamon girl, which I call the Anthropologie of Hawaii. I love their clothes! An hour and two shopping bags later, we finally made it to the beach! There were quite a lot of people at Blackrock, but it’s a large beach so there was not problem finding a nice spot.
Talk about finding turtles….at first I snorkeled out towards the tip of Blackrock thinking they would be there, but didn’t see any. I snorkeled around for a while but eventually as I was swimming back, I heard some voices and realized that people were excitedly pointing and telling others to come see the turtle which was swimming close to the beach. There one some guy, not sure if he was a local or just a really environmentally-conscious dude, who was literally YELLING at people to stop touching the turtle. It was quite annoying because
a) no one was touching the turtle. They were merely pointing at it, but no one was touching. I think most people understand not to touch the wildlife already, even young kids.
b) he was doing it in an aggressive way. I think he even mentioned that he was going to “get” someone if they touched the turtle. Geez.
So to get away from the hoopla I swam a bit further north and lo and behold there was another large turtle also swimming close to shore! He/she probably wanted to get away from aggressive PETA dude too. So we kind of swam together for bit before he/she was “discovered” and more people ventured over. It’s ok, we had our moment. I swam back to shore and then my husband donned the snorkel gear and swam out to turtle watch too. I guess I should also think about getting my own snorkel gear so we can go together.
After spending some time at the beach, it got really hot, so we went back to the condo to get some shade. We decided to get a snack and of course my husband wants more fish tacos. Not really in the mood for something too heavy, I told him to get me an acai bowl from the Honokowai Market. He calls me up at the market and says there are 4 different Acai bowls and which one I want…and he sends me over a picture of the menu. I selected the Green one with the blended kale topped with kiwi, pineapple, strawberry, banana, granola, and bee pollen. I knew it’s either a love or hate when it comes to healthy things but can I say this is THE. BEST. ACAI. BOWL. EVER.
I’ve had acai bowls before and they were good (I’ve actually only had them in Hawaii) – but this one just blew everyone I’ve had away…the acai is super concentrated, and they blend it with coconut water, banana and kale…you couldn’t really taste the kale but it added a nice dimension to the acai. It was super smooth (not icy!) and super delicious. OMG imagine how healthy I’d be if I lived on Maui, dining on acai bowls every day…I am so sad thinking about that acai bowl now. When we returned from Maui I went to the nearest juice/smoothie place and got an acai bowl…and it was gray. Gross!
After an afternoon/evening just napping and being lazy, we figured we would go get dinner. I didn’t know what I was in the mood for, so we just got in the car and drove…and drove, pretty soon we’re south of Lahaina and I knew where we must go…Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop!
Never having been to Leoda’s before, I’ve heard great things about their pies (sweet and savory), sandwiches and burgers so it was on my list of must-tries. The space is really cute, kind of like a modern farmhouse feel. I didn’t know what I wanted to eat yet so I stared at the menu for a while. Then I saw the word BACON and all notions of being a healthy-acai-bowl-eating girl were out the door as I placed my order for a BLT. At least I got it on the hapa bread, which is their version of a white-whole wheat blend. My husband got a burger, and we both stared at the pie section and one of the people behind the counter mentions that all pies were 50% off (it was pretty late and the space was empty). I immediately saw the last mini coconut cream pie and knew it was mine. My husband selects a regular key lime pie.
Our food comes pretty quickly, but I realized I forgot to order avocado on my BLT so I went up to add it to my order. They gave it to me for free! They are so nice there. The hapa bread is divine, it’s so soft and thickly cut, it really made the sandwich. My BLT was awesome, especially for those of you who like thick cut bacon. My hubby’s burger was good too. Our pies were delicious. The mini is a good way to go if you want to try more than one pie. I really liked the coconut cream pie. It was on a delicious buttery graham cracker crust with coconut custard, whipped buttercream and shredded coconut.
After dinner, it was back to the condo where we watched another movie and called it a night…the next day we were doing something really exciting…zip lining!
Nov 25th, 2013, 07:03 PM
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Day 9: Ziplining above Ka’anapali
We woke up early for our 9am ziplining with Skyline Eco Adventures. After a quick breakfast in the condo (more taro bread toast and eggs), we drove the few miles over to their storefront where we checked in and waited to board the van. This was our 2nd time zip lining. We did the Haleakala zipline with Skyline before and we had a great time so we decided to do the longer West Maui zip line. If you book a week in advance you get a 10% discount online.
At check-in they gave us complimentary water bottles which can be filled up throughout the course. You just hook it to your harness. Just a quick note, I was wearing a pair of closed toe walking shoes which I thought would be ok for ziplining but they had me change into a pair of sneakers which they had in the store. I’m glad I did in the end because you and your clothes will be so dusty and dirty that it was nice to actually have a pair of clean shoes to wear after!
We left with about 8 other people in a large van and 2 guides, who were charismatic and funny. We drove up the mountain, almost as high as where the L is on the West Maui Mountains. The L stands for the high school in Lahaina we were told. Our first stop was the hut where we all got our harnesses and a (brief) tutorial. They pretty much just throw you in headfirst, well, not really but I think they do it just so people won’t back out last minute! We went back in the van and drove to our first zipline. Let me tell you that the Haleakala zipline is like the bunny slopes compared to this course. It consisted of 8 long, and very high ziplines, each one slightly different from each other. Some were steeper, so you went faster, and some were longer. Regardless, every zipline had amazing views of the ocean. Even if you were a little scared of heights I think you’d enjoy this. I am by no means a thrill-seeker but I had a fun time. After the 4th zipline, we took a little break and they served a small snack of pineapple, cookies, and we all refilled our water bottles with ice cold water from a cooler.
Then it was the last 4 ziplines, which of course were higher and scarier than the first 4. There was some hiking involved, nothing too crazy but you do walk up and down a bit to get to the variou;s zip lines. We had a great time and I highly recommend Skyline! All the instructors are fun and cute to boot.
After we returned to their store, I changed into my own shoes, and we went to the restrooms to get cleaned up a bit. We were literally covered in a layer of red dust! It was now lunchtime and we were hungry. I thought of going back to the condo to shower and change first but we were so close to Star Noodle that we just decided to drive there. We drove and parked and checked into Star Noodle. There was a short 10 minute wait then we were seated.
I got the yuzu ice tea as a beverage and here’s what we ordered: giant tempura prawns, the Vietnamese crepe, the Lahaina fried soup and the ramen. The Vietnamese crepe was our favorite on our last visit and it didn’t disappoint. A crisp egg omelette is filled with a coconut-y concoction with pork, shrimp, and beansprouts. You cut pieces and wrap it in lettuce and dip it in a tangy nuoc cham dipping sauce…mmmmm. The giant tempura shrimp were huge!! They were like mini lobsters. They were fried nicely and drizzled with various sauces. The Lanaina fried soup were little blocks of chunky noodles stir fried with vegetables. We both thought it was unique and delicious. The ramen on the other hand was forgettable. The broth was just not that tasty and I thought it was lackluster. I would not get the ramen here but we really liked everything else we ordered. This is a fun, modern space that is best for groups so you can share everything. Luckily me and the hubs have big appetites. We had no room for dessert though although if you did I highly recommend the malasadas with the dipping sauces. Yum!
After our filling lunch we went back to the condo to get cleaned up and rest…we had big plans ahead…massages at the Westin’s Heavenly Spa and then dinner at Roy’s!
I had purchased Travelzoo vouchers for the Westin’s spa – a massage or facial with some upgrades were only 99 dollars, compared to the ~150 it usually is. We checked into the spa just as the sun was setting. There is a nice view from the spa waiting area. Overall, the spa is nice but I guess it’s because we had such an amazing time at the Andaz Spa that all other spas were just…ok. I guess we have been spoiled! Honestly if it weren't for the voucher I wouldn't return for full price. I would definitely save it for the Andaz’s Awili’s Spa. Even if you didn’t do the Omakase treatment like I described on Day 3, it is still a far superior spa in terms of facilities. Still, the massages we had were a nice way to balance a very active morning ziplining. You don’t realize it but your arms are pretty sore from gripping the harness and the line! The Westin is a very lovely hotel, but I didn’t love the way the lobby smelled. It smelled like flamingo and I just don’t love that scent.
After our massages it was just enough time to get across the green to Roy’s for our dinner reservation. We’ve always enjoyed Roy’s on the islands – even though we have been to a few on the mainland, the one in NYC closed several years ago, and they were never as good. The ones on the Island are managed separately so I think they were able to maintain a distinct level of quality.
I started with a mai tai which was delicious. I realize I am a huge fan of mai tais now! Out with the lava flows and in with the mai tais! My husband ordered the Roy’s tasting menu which included 4 courses. I ordered the Jade steamed onaga as my entrée and we were going to split the rest. Our first 2 courses were a deep fried sushi roll which was yummy, and then a shrimp and short rib dish (like a surf and turf!) which was good too. Then our main courses came, my jade steamed fish was outstanding – so delicious, steamed white fish fillets are doused with a sesame oil, soy, ginger and scallion sauce. It’s very Chinese-style but oh so delicious when combined with fresh island fish! My husband’s fish was I think a monchong…also good but I enjoyed mine a lot more. Dessert was the famed Roy’s chocolate lava soufflé, which although is an overrated and common dessert nowadays, is just so much more special because we were at Roy’s on Maui! They also gifted us with another mini dessert, a peanut butter chocolate cake that said Happy Anniversary! So thoughtful of them. Overall, a great dinner to end an active day! We had some gift cards to Roy’s as well which made it even better! I couldn’t believe we have been on Maui for close to 10 days now, even though it seems like such a long time, it really isn’t! This vacation was moving way too quickly…. Sigh…
Next up…Shopping and R & R on Day 10!
We woke up early for our 9am ziplining with Skyline Eco Adventures. After a quick breakfast in the condo (more taro bread toast and eggs), we drove the few miles over to their storefront where we checked in and waited to board the van. This was our 2nd time zip lining. We did the Haleakala zipline with Skyline before and we had a great time so we decided to do the longer West Maui zip line. If you book a week in advance you get a 10% discount online.
At check-in they gave us complimentary water bottles which can be filled up throughout the course. You just hook it to your harness. Just a quick note, I was wearing a pair of closed toe walking shoes which I thought would be ok for ziplining but they had me change into a pair of sneakers which they had in the store. I’m glad I did in the end because you and your clothes will be so dusty and dirty that it was nice to actually have a pair of clean shoes to wear after!
We left with about 8 other people in a large van and 2 guides, who were charismatic and funny. We drove up the mountain, almost as high as where the L is on the West Maui Mountains. The L stands for the high school in Lahaina we were told. Our first stop was the hut where we all got our harnesses and a (brief) tutorial. They pretty much just throw you in headfirst, well, not really but I think they do it just so people won’t back out last minute! We went back in the van and drove to our first zipline. Let me tell you that the Haleakala zipline is like the bunny slopes compared to this course. It consisted of 8 long, and very high ziplines, each one slightly different from each other. Some were steeper, so you went faster, and some were longer. Regardless, every zipline had amazing views of the ocean. Even if you were a little scared of heights I think you’d enjoy this. I am by no means a thrill-seeker but I had a fun time. After the 4th zipline, we took a little break and they served a small snack of pineapple, cookies, and we all refilled our water bottles with ice cold water from a cooler.
Then it was the last 4 ziplines, which of course were higher and scarier than the first 4. There was some hiking involved, nothing too crazy but you do walk up and down a bit to get to the variou;s zip lines. We had a great time and I highly recommend Skyline! All the instructors are fun and cute to boot.
After we returned to their store, I changed into my own shoes, and we went to the restrooms to get cleaned up a bit. We were literally covered in a layer of red dust! It was now lunchtime and we were hungry. I thought of going back to the condo to shower and change first but we were so close to Star Noodle that we just decided to drive there. We drove and parked and checked into Star Noodle. There was a short 10 minute wait then we were seated.
I got the yuzu ice tea as a beverage and here’s what we ordered: giant tempura prawns, the Vietnamese crepe, the Lahaina fried soup and the ramen. The Vietnamese crepe was our favorite on our last visit and it didn’t disappoint. A crisp egg omelette is filled with a coconut-y concoction with pork, shrimp, and beansprouts. You cut pieces and wrap it in lettuce and dip it in a tangy nuoc cham dipping sauce…mmmmm. The giant tempura shrimp were huge!! They were like mini lobsters. They were fried nicely and drizzled with various sauces. The Lanaina fried soup were little blocks of chunky noodles stir fried with vegetables. We both thought it was unique and delicious. The ramen on the other hand was forgettable. The broth was just not that tasty and I thought it was lackluster. I would not get the ramen here but we really liked everything else we ordered. This is a fun, modern space that is best for groups so you can share everything. Luckily me and the hubs have big appetites.
We had no room for dessert though although if you did I highly recommend the malasadas with the dipping sauces. Yum!After our filling lunch we went back to the condo to get cleaned up and rest…we had big plans ahead…massages at the Westin’s Heavenly Spa and then dinner at Roy’s!
I had purchased Travelzoo vouchers for the Westin’s spa – a massage or facial with some upgrades were only 99 dollars, compared to the ~150 it usually is. We checked into the spa just as the sun was setting. There is a nice view from the spa waiting area. Overall, the spa is nice but I guess it’s because we had such an amazing time at the Andaz Spa that all other spas were just…ok. I guess we have been spoiled! Honestly if it weren't for the voucher I wouldn't return for full price. I would definitely save it for the Andaz’s Awili’s Spa. Even if you didn’t do the Omakase treatment like I described on Day 3, it is still a far superior spa in terms of facilities. Still, the massages we had were a nice way to balance a very active morning ziplining. You don’t realize it but your arms are pretty sore from gripping the harness and the line! The Westin is a very lovely hotel, but I didn’t love the way the lobby smelled. It smelled like flamingo and I just don’t love that scent.
After our massages it was just enough time to get across the green to Roy’s for our dinner reservation. We’ve always enjoyed Roy’s on the islands – even though we have been to a few on the mainland, the one in NYC closed several years ago, and they were never as good. The ones on the Island are managed separately so I think they were able to maintain a distinct level of quality.
I started with a mai tai which was delicious. I realize I am a huge fan of mai tais now! Out with the lava flows and in with the mai tais! My husband ordered the Roy’s tasting menu which included 4 courses. I ordered the Jade steamed onaga as my entrée and we were going to split the rest. Our first 2 courses were a deep fried sushi roll which was yummy, and then a shrimp and short rib dish (like a surf and turf!) which was good too. Then our main courses came, my jade steamed fish was outstanding – so delicious, steamed white fish fillets are doused with a sesame oil, soy, ginger and scallion sauce. It’s very Chinese-style but oh so delicious when combined with fresh island fish! My husband’s fish was I think a monchong…also good but I enjoyed mine a lot more. Dessert was the famed Roy’s chocolate lava soufflé, which although is an overrated and common dessert nowadays, is just so much more special because we were at Roy’s on Maui! They also gifted us with another mini dessert, a peanut butter chocolate cake that said Happy Anniversary! So thoughtful of them. Overall, a great dinner to end an active day! We had some gift cards to Roy’s as well which made it even better! I couldn’t believe we have been on Maui for close to 10 days now, even though it seems like such a long time, it really isn’t! This vacation was moving way too quickly…. Sigh…
Next up…Shopping and R & R on Day 10!
Nov 27th, 2013, 07:47 PM
#29
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Just wanted to say that I've posted about our dinner at Mama's Fish House! http://sulynnchen.com/travelblog/?p=548
Happy Thanksgiving and safe travels everyone!
Happy Thanksgiving and safe travels everyone!
Dec 30th, 2013, 06:31 AM
#30
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I’m sorry for the lack of updates on this TR but the holidays and moving to a new house just 5 days before Christmas really took its toll. I’m hoping to go back to Maui one day but I don’t have anything planned right now. In the meantime, I’m keeping my Aloha dreams alive with my blog (asplashofaloha.com) and this TR!
Day 10: Shopping day! (and eating too)
This morning we woke up without much of a plan, but those are the best kind of days, right? We decided to do some shopping for our friends and family so we’d be spending time at Lahaina Front Street. Our breakfast stop was Aloha Mixed Plate. It was our first time here even though we've been to Maui twice before but we've heard so much about this place that it's been on our to-do list for a while.
It wasn't that crowded when we went, and we decided to share a loco moco and a half papaya with lime. I was actually surprised it was a strawberry papaya instead of the golden flesh kind which I was so used to in Hawaii (and which I much prefer) but still it was a nice breakfast and the prices were great. If you like eating outdoors in a casual, paper-plate style environment then this is for you. Service was also friendly too. If we were in Lahaina for dinner, we may give this place a try one day.
The next hour and a half was spent strolling down Front street. It was still a bit early when we started so not every store was opened but it was still nice to walk around and take in the views of the water and the majestic banyan tree. We spent a bit of time at the Honolulu Cookie company which are some of the most requested items I MUST bring home! I personally love their traditional mac nut shortbread with dark chocolate - so ono! I bought a few sampler packs for coworkers and friends, and I managed to fill up my frequent buyers card and got even more free gifts yay!
We stopped at a few galleries, but our favorite was Peter Lik. ince I used to be a photographer myself, I really appreciated his artistry and images which I know must not have been easy to get. Great gallery!
We walked around the Baldwin house but didn’t do a tour - we just kept on shopping. Got some stuff for my nieces and friend’s kids. At this point it was getting kind of hot so we decided to get some Shave Ice from Ululanis! It was delicious as usual, Me and the hubs made little shave ice tunnels so we could get to the good stuff the bottom (mac nut ice cream) without having to chow down on the ice first. It was some silly fun.
We also stopped by the Lahaina Cannery Mall for a quick look around and I got some nice jewelry for my friends. We were getting hungry at this point so we thought we’d grab something quick and head back to the condo to eat. I had wanted to try the Local Food stand so we found their place a short drive away and stopped to order a lau lau platter and a kalua pork platter. Remember to ask them for the chili pepper water to go! It makes everything brighter and adds a kick.
The food took 15 minutes to prepare by a nice Asian couple, then with food in tow, we drove back to the Honua Kai to eat our local loot! BUT before that I had to make a detour to get an acai bowl at the Farmers Market in Honokowai. They are amazing and I know I’m not going to find anything like it back home. So after we picked up the acai bowl, we head back to the condo to eat.
The food was really good. It didn’t feel as greasy or as salty as a lot of local dishes which was nice. They also serve a nice side salad instead of the usual fatty mac salad. We both really enjoyed this local-style local-priced meal. With a nice cold drink from the fridge, and sitting on our large lanai, there was nothing better than enjoying our afternoon in Kaanapali. Oh wait, ending it with an acai bowl…yummm. Local food and acai bowl!! That meant we had a lot of leftovers so we didn’t want to do anything too crazy for dinner.
After our delicious relaxing lunch we walked over to airport beach to go snorkeling. It is about a 5 minute walk south from the Honua Kai on their beach walk. Well, DH went to snorkel while spent a lot of time with my camera trying to get the perfect shot of a wave. Must be since I saw the Peter Lik Gallery that morning I have suddenly been inspired to get get a perfect shot of the ocean in action (I didn’t). It was overcast that day so there wasn’t much contrast in my pics. It’s ok, DH looked like he was having so much fun. Pretty soon it started to rain so we went back to the pool area of the Honua Kai and hung around the warm bubbly jacuzzis. I checked out the 'Aina market in the lobby and purchased some locally prepared hot sauces. The Adoboloco sauces are really good!
I don’t know how doing nothing makes you hungry again, but we decided we were hungery and all we wanted to eat was pizza. Pizza Paradiso came with good review’s and it was close by so we went there to get a pie to go. It’s located in a strip mall next to the Times Supermarket but the space inside is nice and inviting so eating in would have been an option too. We order a margherita pie to go and they said it would take 15-20 minutes. So we walked to Times supermarket to buy even more random gifts and snacks for friends! Pretty soon our 15 minutes us up and we picked up our pizza and were on our way home.
Let me just say I have very low expectations of pizza outside of New York – I know I know, there is a whole can of worms that I don’t want to open, but I was extremely surprised by this pizza. It was delicious. I am not sure if I just missed pizza because I'd been eating everything else for 10 days now - but the pizza we got was yummy. I loved how it’s drizzled just slightly with balsamic vinegar which gave it an interesting flavor. The crust was also quite tasty (and I am so picky about my crust). It didn't taste like NY pizza (but then nothing really does) – but this was pretty awesome nonetheless. I give Pizza Paradiso 2 thumbs up!!
My husband liked it too, but not as much as me…(that pizza snob!) LOL
We spent a quiet night in watching TV, and packing up all our gifts. Tomorrow was our last full day on Maui! Boo….
Stay tuned for Day 11
Day 10: Shopping day! (and eating too)
This morning we woke up without much of a plan, but those are the best kind of days, right? We decided to do some shopping for our friends and family so we’d be spending time at Lahaina Front Street. Our breakfast stop was Aloha Mixed Plate. It was our first time here even though we've been to Maui twice before but we've heard so much about this place that it's been on our to-do list for a while.
It wasn't that crowded when we went, and we decided to share a loco moco and a half papaya with lime. I was actually surprised it was a strawberry papaya instead of the golden flesh kind which I was so used to in Hawaii (and which I much prefer) but still it was a nice breakfast and the prices were great. If you like eating outdoors in a casual, paper-plate style environment then this is for you. Service was also friendly too. If we were in Lahaina for dinner, we may give this place a try one day.
The next hour and a half was spent strolling down Front street. It was still a bit early when we started so not every store was opened but it was still nice to walk around and take in the views of the water and the majestic banyan tree. We spent a bit of time at the Honolulu Cookie company which are some of the most requested items I MUST bring home! I personally love their traditional mac nut shortbread with dark chocolate - so ono! I bought a few sampler packs for coworkers and friends, and I managed to fill up my frequent buyers card and got even more free gifts yay!
We stopped at a few galleries, but our favorite was Peter Lik. ince I used to be a photographer myself, I really appreciated his artistry and images which I know must not have been easy to get. Great gallery!
We walked around the Baldwin house but didn’t do a tour - we just kept on shopping. Got some stuff for my nieces and friend’s kids. At this point it was getting kind of hot so we decided to get some Shave Ice from Ululanis! It was delicious as usual, Me and the hubs made little shave ice tunnels so we could get to the good stuff the bottom (mac nut ice cream) without having to chow down on the ice first. It was some silly fun.
We also stopped by the Lahaina Cannery Mall for a quick look around and I got some nice jewelry for my friends. We were getting hungry at this point so we thought we’d grab something quick and head back to the condo to eat. I had wanted to try the Local Food stand so we found their place a short drive away and stopped to order a lau lau platter and a kalua pork platter. Remember to ask them for the chili pepper water to go! It makes everything brighter and adds a kick.
The food took 15 minutes to prepare by a nice Asian couple, then with food in tow, we drove back to the Honua Kai to eat our local loot! BUT before that I had to make a detour to get an acai bowl at the Farmers Market in Honokowai. They are amazing and I know I’m not going to find anything like it back home. So after we picked up the acai bowl, we head back to the condo to eat.
The food was really good. It didn’t feel as greasy or as salty as a lot of local dishes which was nice. They also serve a nice side salad instead of the usual fatty mac salad. We both really enjoyed this local-style local-priced meal. With a nice cold drink from the fridge, and sitting on our large lanai, there was nothing better than enjoying our afternoon in Kaanapali. Oh wait, ending it with an acai bowl…yummm. Local food and acai bowl!! That meant we had a lot of leftovers so we didn’t want to do anything too crazy for dinner.
After our delicious relaxing lunch we walked over to airport beach to go snorkeling. It is about a 5 minute walk south from the Honua Kai on their beach walk. Well, DH went to snorkel while spent a lot of time with my camera trying to get the perfect shot of a wave. Must be since I saw the Peter Lik Gallery that morning I have suddenly been inspired to get get a perfect shot of the ocean in action (I didn’t). It was overcast that day so there wasn’t much contrast in my pics. It’s ok, DH looked like he was having so much fun. Pretty soon it started to rain so we went back to the pool area of the Honua Kai and hung around the warm bubbly jacuzzis. I checked out the 'Aina market in the lobby and purchased some locally prepared hot sauces. The Adoboloco sauces are really good!
I don’t know how doing nothing makes you hungry again, but we decided we were hungery and all we wanted to eat was pizza. Pizza Paradiso came with good review’s and it was close by so we went there to get a pie to go. It’s located in a strip mall next to the Times Supermarket but the space inside is nice and inviting so eating in would have been an option too. We order a margherita pie to go and they said it would take 15-20 minutes. So we walked to Times supermarket to buy even more random gifts and snacks for friends! Pretty soon our 15 minutes us up and we picked up our pizza and were on our way home.
Let me just say I have very low expectations of pizza outside of New York – I know I know, there is a whole can of worms that I don’t want to open, but I was extremely surprised by this pizza. It was delicious. I am not sure if I just missed pizza because I'd been eating everything else for 10 days now - but the pizza we got was yummy. I loved how it’s drizzled just slightly with balsamic vinegar which gave it an interesting flavor. The crust was also quite tasty (and I am so picky about my crust). It didn't taste like NY pizza (but then nothing really does) – but this was pretty awesome nonetheless. I give Pizza Paradiso 2 thumbs up!!
My husband liked it too, but not as much as me…(that pizza snob!) LOL
We spent a quiet night in watching TV, and packing up all our gifts. Tomorrow was our last full day on Maui! Boo….
Stay tuned for Day 11
Jan 19th, 2014, 07:01 AM
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Day 11 – Last full day in Maui! Bakeries and Booze.
This morning we woke up early because we wanted to go to the swap meet again before our Ocean Vodka Tour at 9. We drove over to Kahului, and had breakfast at this little place called Oyako-Tei. It’s definitely a local joint and the food is home-style Japanese. The portions were huge and the prices were great!! I was surprised to see a whole hot steam tray food setup that you can choose at 6am in the morning, I sampled some stuff because everything looked so good – and my total of 3 choices plus noodles were a mere 7 bucks. Can’t beat that. I actually enjoy eating noodles at 6am in the morning! The husband got a regular loco moco.
After breakfast we drove over to Patticakes Bakery to get some cookies to bring home. When you drive up to the storefront it doesn’t look like its open but it was. We got to sample a bunch of cookies, with our favorite being the mac nut snowballs. They are delicious! Apparently everyone at home thought so too because my family polished off all the cookies in a few days (and we bought a lot!).
We also stopped by my favorite Homemaid Bakery to get some of their Special crisp Manju to take home as well. Gosh if I lived here I would not be able to resist all these delicious baked goods! Bakeries are my weakness so I try not to go to them back home but on vacation, it’s such a treat.
At the swap meet we walked around and did a little bit of shopping. I got more sugar cane juice with a squeeze of lemon. So good! The weather was not cooperating that much…it was a little rainy on and off.I bought a lot of spices, jams and dry rubs from a vendor. Can’t wait to use them!
At 9:30 we drove up to Kula to the Ocean Vodka Distillery where I had made 10am reservations for their vodka tour and tasting. We were fortunate that they had just started offering tastings of their product right before our trip. Before, you would only get a tour of the facility but now you actually get to taste their premium vodka as well as take home a souvenir shot glass. Yay! Tours were 15 dollars per person, but here’s what we learned: At check-in mention you saw their ad in Hana Hou magazine, and you get a discount and a free tasting of locally made truffles made with their vodka and Surfing Goat Dairy Cheese; also pick up a flier when you visit Ali’I Kula Lavender farm for another discount…mention Twitter, Facebook , etc...I think we ended up paying 10 bucks for the both of us! Love the power of social media for saving money and getting extra goodies! The truffles we sampled were good. I think I got the lillikoi one. The chocolate was rich and the filling creamy with a hint of goat cheese and lillikoi (passionfruit).
We started our tour inside the gift shop (where you check-in) with a sampling of two types of fresh sugar cane. You chew the bark of the cane and suck out the juices. You then can throw away the fibrous pulp. Mmmm. We then headed outside for our tour. The weather was really crazy today, but you could still see the views were amazing at the factory. Our super tour guide took us around the different sugar cane trees and explained the history of the company and the types of cane they are growing. Then we went into the distillery itself to view how they produce and bottle the vodka. It’s interesting to see that the water they use is Hawaiian Deep Sea water which is supposed to have a lot of minerals. Our tour guide was fantastic, she was really informative and super friendly too.
Then came the part everyone was waiting for…the Tasting!
There was a cute little tasting stand set up and they poured vodka into tall shot glasses, They had us taste together different ways one just to get used to the spirit (which was strong), then we added some water, and it tasted more appealing. Overall despite the weather we had a super fun tour made only better by the tasting! I highly recommend this if you like your vodka… On the way out you can leave gratuity as well as pick up your shot glass at the gift shop. I love tours with food or drink. Right up my alley!
Now it was lunch time and what better place to go to than Da Kitchen! They had recently remodeled it seems, as its a bit more spacious. Their menu is huge and it takes me a while to figure out what I want…and that is…a cheeseburger. Sigh out of all the interesting local style food I could have eaten I chose a cheeseburger…but at least it was a Teriyaki style cheeseburger! With fries, of course. My husband gets one of their daily special bentos which looked like fried mahi, and tempura shrimp with rice and mac salad. I really liked my burger though! It hit the spot.
We drove back to Kanaapali after our day and just kind of hung around the condo packing. It was raining off and on, and we decided it wasn’t worth it to try and go to the beach. But that was fine with us, a little lazing around was perfect for us as we were headed back to work in a few days. We need to soak up as much “do nothing” time as possible!!
For dinner, well, there was only one thing I was craving…and it’s not a loco moco, or spam musubi, or shave ice. It’s PIZZA!! So back to Pizza Paradiso to get another one of those delicious pies to go.
Another quiet night in for our last day. I had thought of going to a fancy restaurant like Merrimans or Amasia but thought that staying in and enjoying our time together just the two of us would be just as nice.. We've already done so much driving this week so I’ll let my husband chill too.
Tomorrow we leave, sniff sniff.
This morning we woke up early because we wanted to go to the swap meet again before our Ocean Vodka Tour at 9. We drove over to Kahului, and had breakfast at this little place called Oyako-Tei. It’s definitely a local joint and the food is home-style Japanese. The portions were huge and the prices were great!! I was surprised to see a whole hot steam tray food setup that you can choose at 6am in the morning, I sampled some stuff because everything looked so good – and my total of 3 choices plus noodles were a mere 7 bucks. Can’t beat that. I actually enjoy eating noodles at 6am in the morning! The husband got a regular loco moco.
After breakfast we drove over to Patticakes Bakery to get some cookies to bring home. When you drive up to the storefront it doesn’t look like its open but it was. We got to sample a bunch of cookies, with our favorite being the mac nut snowballs. They are delicious! Apparently everyone at home thought so too because my family polished off all the cookies in a few days (and we bought a lot!).
We also stopped by my favorite Homemaid Bakery to get some of their Special crisp Manju to take home as well. Gosh if I lived here I would not be able to resist all these delicious baked goods! Bakeries are my weakness so I try not to go to them back home but on vacation, it’s such a treat.
At the swap meet we walked around and did a little bit of shopping. I got more sugar cane juice with a squeeze of lemon. So good! The weather was not cooperating that much…it was a little rainy on and off.I bought a lot of spices, jams and dry rubs from a vendor. Can’t wait to use them!
At 9:30 we drove up to Kula to the Ocean Vodka Distillery where I had made 10am reservations for their vodka tour and tasting. We were fortunate that they had just started offering tastings of their product right before our trip. Before, you would only get a tour of the facility but now you actually get to taste their premium vodka as well as take home a souvenir shot glass. Yay! Tours were 15 dollars per person, but here’s what we learned: At check-in mention you saw their ad in Hana Hou magazine, and you get a discount and a free tasting of locally made truffles made with their vodka and Surfing Goat Dairy Cheese; also pick up a flier when you visit Ali’I Kula Lavender farm for another discount…mention Twitter, Facebook , etc...I think we ended up paying 10 bucks for the both of us! Love the power of social media for saving money and getting extra goodies! The truffles we sampled were good. I think I got the lillikoi one. The chocolate was rich and the filling creamy with a hint of goat cheese and lillikoi (passionfruit).
We started our tour inside the gift shop (where you check-in) with a sampling of two types of fresh sugar cane. You chew the bark of the cane and suck out the juices. You then can throw away the fibrous pulp. Mmmm. We then headed outside for our tour. The weather was really crazy today, but you could still see the views were amazing at the factory. Our super tour guide took us around the different sugar cane trees and explained the history of the company and the types of cane they are growing. Then we went into the distillery itself to view how they produce and bottle the vodka. It’s interesting to see that the water they use is Hawaiian Deep Sea water which is supposed to have a lot of minerals. Our tour guide was fantastic, she was really informative and super friendly too.
Then came the part everyone was waiting for…the Tasting!
There was a cute little tasting stand set up and they poured vodka into tall shot glasses, They had us taste together different ways one just to get used to the spirit (which was strong), then we added some water, and it tasted more appealing. Overall despite the weather we had a super fun tour made only better by the tasting! I highly recommend this if you like your vodka… On the way out you can leave gratuity as well as pick up your shot glass at the gift shop. I love tours with food or drink. Right up my alley!
Now it was lunch time and what better place to go to than Da Kitchen! They had recently remodeled it seems, as its a bit more spacious. Their menu is huge and it takes me a while to figure out what I want…and that is…a cheeseburger. Sigh out of all the interesting local style food I could have eaten I chose a cheeseburger…but at least it was a Teriyaki style cheeseburger! With fries, of course. My husband gets one of their daily special bentos which looked like fried mahi, and tempura shrimp with rice and mac salad. I really liked my burger though! It hit the spot.
We drove back to Kanaapali after our day and just kind of hung around the condo packing. It was raining off and on, and we decided it wasn’t worth it to try and go to the beach. But that was fine with us, a little lazing around was perfect for us as we were headed back to work in a few days. We need to soak up as much “do nothing” time as possible!!
For dinner, well, there was only one thing I was craving…and it’s not a loco moco, or spam musubi, or shave ice. It’s PIZZA!! So back to Pizza Paradiso to get another one of those delicious pies to go.
Another quiet night in for our last day. I had thought of going to a fancy restaurant like Merrimans or Amasia but thought that staying in and enjoying our time together just the two of us would be just as nice.. We've already done so much driving this week so I’ll let my husband chill too.
Tomorrow we leave, sniff sniff.
Jan 19th, 2014, 07:07 AM
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Day 12: Our final day in Paradise
This is a short post on our last day. The weather on the last 2 days of our trip was rather iffy, and it was cloudy and windy the morning of our last day so we chose to skip the beach and just spend the morning in the condo eating breakfast and doing last minute packing. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 1pm so it gave us just enough time to return our keys at Chase'n Rainbow's office in Lahaina and grab a sandwich and scone from Leoda's to eat on the flight home. On the route to Lahaina it turned sunny and hot. We didn't know how bad traffic would be so we headed to the airport early. On the way, we stopped by the Maui Tropical Plantation for a quick look around as we had never visited before. The grounds looked very pretty and the gift store was well stocked. It's a nice all-in-one place if you're only visiting Maui for a short time and want to shop and do activities at the same time. I guess this is like the Maui version of the Dole Plantation.
We actually got to Kahului a bit earlier than expected so we thought to grab a bite to eat. However it was Sunday, and a lot of restaurants weren't open or they opened later in the day. Since we didn't have much choice we just went to Queen K mall to eat in their food court. You can get Hawaiian food there at the L & L drive-in. We shared a plate lunch of garlic ahi, mac salad, and rice. It was actually quite good; if I were to ever eat my ahi tuna well done, I would choose to have it this way! (I usually like my tuna raw, or barely seared).
After our bite, we went to Costco to refill on gas, and then to the airport! We unloaded the bags and I waited while my husband returned the car. It started to pour during that time! It was windy too. I guess it was a good day to leave Maui. We checked in for our flight and then pretty soon we boarded the plane to HNL. This time, we got a nice window seat view and I managed to get some pictures from the plane.
At HNL, it was hot and sunny. It was a nice treat that on our flight from HNL to the mainland we saw a beautiful rainbow over Diamond Head. You can see it here:
http://sulynnchen.com/travelblog/?p=562
The flight back was really quick, about 9 hours. The tailwinds were in our favor. We landed in 40 degree weather in NYC and knew our vacation was over. Sniff. Time to plan the next one! Thanks for reading my TR!
BTW, I have also updated my blog with some pictures of the Ka'ana Kitchen breakfast buffet at the Andaz Maui here:
http://sulynnchen.com/travelblog/?p=560
This is a short post on our last day. The weather on the last 2 days of our trip was rather iffy, and it was cloudy and windy the morning of our last day so we chose to skip the beach and just spend the morning in the condo eating breakfast and doing last minute packing. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 1pm so it gave us just enough time to return our keys at Chase'n Rainbow's office in Lahaina and grab a sandwich and scone from Leoda's to eat on the flight home. On the route to Lahaina it turned sunny and hot. We didn't know how bad traffic would be so we headed to the airport early. On the way, we stopped by the Maui Tropical Plantation for a quick look around as we had never visited before. The grounds looked very pretty and the gift store was well stocked. It's a nice all-in-one place if you're only visiting Maui for a short time and want to shop and do activities at the same time. I guess this is like the Maui version of the Dole Plantation.
We actually got to Kahului a bit earlier than expected so we thought to grab a bite to eat. However it was Sunday, and a lot of restaurants weren't open or they opened later in the day. Since we didn't have much choice we just went to Queen K mall to eat in their food court. You can get Hawaiian food there at the L & L drive-in. We shared a plate lunch of garlic ahi, mac salad, and rice. It was actually quite good; if I were to ever eat my ahi tuna well done, I would choose to have it this way! (I usually like my tuna raw, or barely seared).
After our bite, we went to Costco to refill on gas, and then to the airport! We unloaded the bags and I waited while my husband returned the car. It started to pour during that time! It was windy too. I guess it was a good day to leave Maui. We checked in for our flight and then pretty soon we boarded the plane to HNL. This time, we got a nice window seat view and I managed to get some pictures from the plane.
At HNL, it was hot and sunny. It was a nice treat that on our flight from HNL to the mainland we saw a beautiful rainbow over Diamond Head. You can see it here:
http://sulynnchen.com/travelblog/?p=562
The flight back was really quick, about 9 hours. The tailwinds were in our favor. We landed in 40 degree weather in NYC and knew our vacation was over. Sniff. Time to plan the next one! Thanks for reading my TR!
BTW, I have also updated my blog with some pictures of the Ka'ana Kitchen breakfast buffet at the Andaz Maui here:
http://sulynnchen.com/travelblog/?p=560
Jan 19th, 2014, 12:17 PM
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I have really enjoyed your report! We were on Maui for 6 days over Christmas holidays and your report was fun for me to read - I have gotten some ideas for our next visit too! We also ate at Mama's and had a fabulous meal there - I now know to get the ahi sashimi next time from reading your blog!
Jan 29th, 2014, 06:01 PM
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I've updated my blog with a picture review of the Awili Spa at the Andaz Maui. Enjoy! http://sulynnchen.com/travelblog/?p=571
Florida1 - I really miss Mama's! Thanks for reading my blog!
wekewoody - Lucky you! Have a few (or a box) of those mac nut sno balls for me. yum!
Florida1 - I really miss Mama's! Thanks for reading my blog!
wekewoody - Lucky you! Have a few (or a box) of those mac nut sno balls for me. yum!
Jan 29th, 2014, 06:22 PM
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I just looked at your photos of the dinner at Mama's. Everything looks delicious. We will be there for lunch to celebrate my husband's birthday.
I also made reservations for dinner at Ka'ana Kitchen on our first night! We'll be able to walk along the beach from our condo.
Can't wait.
When's the next trip?
I also made reservations for dinner at Ka'ana Kitchen on our first night! We'll be able to walk along the beach from our condo.
Can't wait.
When's the next trip?
Feb 17th, 2014, 01:56 PM
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wekewoody - not sure when the next trip to the islands will be! I was planning on a short trip this september - but we shall see. How was your dinner at Ka'ana Kitchen?
elburr - Thank you! It was a great trip! Always wonderful to be in Hawaii even when the weather is acting up (which it did a little when we were there on this past trip).
elburr - Thank you! It was a great trip! Always wonderful to be in Hawaii even when the weather is acting up (which it did a little when we were there on this past trip).
Feb 17th, 2014, 04:18 PM
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H tifa,
We skipped Ka'ana Kitchen. Instead we went to Migrant that night and were glad we did. Very good noodle dishes, and a wonderful opakpaka served whole on bok choy. We are still here and may eat there yet again...
We skipped Ka'ana Kitchen. Instead we went to Migrant that night and were glad we did. Very good noodle dishes, and a wonderful opakpaka served whole on bok choy. We are still here and may eat there yet again...
