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Grinding on the Hana Highway |
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Story & Photography by Geoffrey T. Moore
ON THE ROAD TO HANA
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Joe at Twin Falls Fruit Stand feeds an industrial press sugar cane to extract the juice. This makes for a sweet and tasty drink on ice. |
By the time you get to the first stop of the Hana Highway food tour, Twin Falls Fruit Stand,
many of you will already have driven an hour or so from the South or
West side and should be ready for a stop. As you are driving through
Huelo, you’ll find it just past mile marker 2, mountain side of the
highway. Hundreds of people stop here daily to take the 20-minute walk
up to the falls or to get refreshments at the fruit stand. They sell
loads of fresh fruit from the farms on the properties above and the
surrounding community, and have two great drinks from local produce I
highly recommend: sweet coconut water accessed by way of a chopping
machete, and fresh pressed sugarcane juice. Drinking from a coconut is
a must while you’re visiting Hawaii. Ask them to split the coco when
you’re done to get a taste of the meat inside.
 Just a few miles further down the road, after your first of many cork-screw turns, you’ll come upon Huelo Lookout Fruit Stand.
Much like Twin Falls, they sell fresh fruit, coconuts and smoothies,
but they also have shave ice and hot food, not to mention the killer
view. Philippe, the owner who is from France, has trained his loyal
WWOFers (Willing Workers on Organic Farms) in the ways of making
crêpes, a thin pancake wrapped around ingredients such as brie,
bananas, chocolate and almonds – "Decadent" – or melted brie and honey
– "Yum Yum." Other hot food served here includes shrimp plates and rice
bowls, cooked up with local-style ingredients and spices.
From here, it will be a little while before you reach Ke‘anae. Take the turn off the road to your left and find Ke‘anae Landing Fruit Stand.
They have general snacks and supplies, but specialize in "da best"
banana bread. Drive further down the Ke‘anae road to eat by the
wave-battered tide pools, or get back on the highway to find the Half
Way to Hana snack stand that sells your basic sundries for the second
half of the drive.
Past mile marker 28 you will come to Nahiku Marketplace.
This is a great stop to find snacks to tide yourself over, or to fill
up your belly in preparation for Hana. The café at the left of this
sprawling roadside stop has fantastic fresh fruit smoothies, local
coffee, pastries, fresh quiche and pies with a laid-back atmosphere
only Nahiku can offer. The main culinary attraction of this stop is the
barbecue smoker setup in the middle, where you can get amazing locally
caught fresh fish tacos. Chicken and beef are also taco options, but
it’s hard to beat the delicious mild Ono or Ahi fish here in Hawaii.
The second must-have here is Kalua pork, likely hunted from the
surrounding hills. It’s a popular favorite at the stand either in tacos
or as a sandwich. Also enjoy local grilled corn on the cob when they
have it available. The final treat not to be missed here is the folks
to the right of the barbecue who make the best coconut candy on the
island. Unlike most coco-candy you’ll find, this coconut is hand sliced
and slow baked for 24 hours in various ingredients to make a crispy
delight that melts in your mouth. It’s difficult to keep your fingers
out of the bag once you start. They are anxious to give away free
samples to entice you to buy their many varieties – the classic Hana
Style baked in sugar cane juice, as well as the spicier Volcano,
Ginger, Cinnamon or Teriyaki.
Most of the stops above on the road to Hana keep loose Maui hours – they open early but close before or by dusk.
HANA TOWN
You’ve made it to one of the most isolated communities in all of
Hawaii, and the town will reward you for the crazy drive if you go with
the flow and explore the many beautiful spots it has to offer. If
you’re not full already from the many stops along the way, there are
plenty of places to fuel up.
Most visitors find themselves at the Hana Ranch Restaurant on the far
end of town up by the post office. Sit down at the casual ranch-style
restaurant open for lunch daily, and Wednesday, Friday and Saturday
nights for dinner. Choices range from burgers and Pacific-rim seafood
plates, to New York strip steak. If you’re in a rush to get to the
beach or back on the road, the take out window offers faster-food for
both breakfast and lunch. For breakfast, the Macadamia Nut French Toast
is my favorite option. For more elegant dining, the Hotel Hana-Maui
also offers the Ka‘uiki and Paniolo Lounge, both with majestic views
overlooking Hana Bay. The Paniolo Lounge offers late-afternoon lunches
and pupus with your cocktails from 2:30-9pm, while Ka‘uiki features
unique Pacific island fare featuring fresh local fish and produce. This
is the only place in Hana that will ask you to dress up a little bit –
but this is Maui, a shirt with a collar and dress shorts at minimum
will get you in. Ka‘uiki is open for breakfast, 7:30-10:30am; lunch,
11:30am-2pm; and dinner, 6-9pm. Call ahead for reservations at
248-8211. Friday is a great night to dine and enjoy local music and
dancing performances.
At Hana Bay, find Tutu’s which is another good place for snacks, shave
ice and ice cream. They also serve plate lunches which come with the
local obligatory favorite of two scoops of rice with macaroni salad.
Some of the best options in Hana are residents who set up at random
times and places to serve food out of their front yard. I was there
recently and got one of the best plate lunches of grilled Mahi Mahi
under butter and vegetables, with rice and mac salad for $10. There is
also a woman who sets up and sells Thai food fairly regularly. Follow
the signs leaned against trees and on street corners around town to
taste great local food made by local people.
BEYOND HANA
Kipahulu, home to Oheo Gulch and the Pools at Oheo is a gorgeous drive
past Hana. For those making it out to the national park to swim in the
pools and hike through the forest, you can’t go wrong to go a couple
more miles past, just beyond mile marker 41, to Laulima Farm. They have
a great road-side spot to sit down and enjoy the organic produce of
their farm. This spot is frequented by local Kipahulu folks as much as
tourists, and is a great place to sit and absorb the daily happenings
of this slow-paced jungle community. Jump on the bike which powers
their blender for delicious smoothies made from whatever is fresh and
available that day. Every morning they have fresh banana bread with
chocolate chips which I can never resist with a cup of organic coffee.
Best of all, they will make incredible custom salads from a plethora of
fresh-picked greens.
Beyond Laulima, the road continues on to the tiny town of Kaupo. The road is bumpy, narrow, and often unpaved (be sure to check with your rental car company on the status of this part of the road before continuing), but if you
are looking for more beautiful countryside with little society getting
in the way, Kaupo is where it’s at. Stop at the Kaupo Store around mile
marker 35. They are open
Monday – Saturday, roughly 10am-5pm and contain basic snacks,
soda, ice cream and beer. This store is a relic from the past,
originally owned by the Soon family; the shelves are lines with antique
cameras and other oddities. It’s worth the trip to grab some snacks and
to check out the Huialoha church down the road built in 1859 situated
on one of the most beautiful peninsulas on the island.
Enjoy the journey, eat well and take the turns slowly – and with any
luck you will return with everything you consumed digesting in its
proper place.
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