Maui...I want to try a very local place.

[bohemiana]

We'll be traveling to Maui in a couple of weeks. We'd like to find a local hole-in-the-wall joint.

[curiousgeo]

Oh yeah, Tasty Crust for saimin and pancakes. I know it sounds like a strange combo, but I swear I've seen people order it. The char siu ribs look good but I haven't had a chance to try them yet.

Kitada's in Makawao for saimin and plate lunches in you are upcountry.

[Aleka]

If you want to try 'local kine grinz' I would go seek Da Kitchen in Kihei. It's located in a small strip mall (Rainbow Mall, I think it's called) and there's some random gift shops and a seedy discount liquor store next door. Apparently there's another location on Maui, but I've only been to the Kihei spot.

And the food? SO good. I live in Oahu and have had my share of the 'local' food and I have to say that Da Kitchen is the best I've had so far. Recommendations: any plate lunch that features kalua pork and pork laulau. I think the best one we tried was something called "Hawaiian plate". The chicken long rice (which comes as a side dish for some plates) was also excellent.

You order at the counter and then take your food to one of the tables in the side room. I liked the low-key ambience, with homey-sort of Hawaiian style decorations on the wall and table tops. Here's some more info:

http://hawaiianairlines.wcities.com/o...

[Foodrat]

I did not care for Da Kitchen. Perhaps it was an off day since it was the day after the earthquake and they didn't have locomoco... We had breakfast there; DH ordered the french toast and I had the breakfast special of Portuguese sausage, eggs (sunnyside up - which actually came fried on both sides, yolk COMPLETELY cooked. I don't even know what style that's called!) and rice. It was a relative bargain for that area but still not that good.

We prefered Home Made Cafe. They had my locomoco and also make fresh malasadas that are (almost?) as good as Leonard's.

[ben54]

Where is Home Made Cafe? Sounds promising.

[Foodrat]

I don't have the address, but it's off Kihei Road in the same strip mall area as Vietnamese Restaurant. It's across the street from the Longs Drugs (I think...), north of McDonald's... and as I'm surfing to find out the address, I keep stumbling across the name "Home Maid Bakery" so maybe I'm "remembering" the name incorrectly...

[ben54]

You also mentioned loco moco. I know it is not the healthiest item to order, but where is the best loco moco on Maui. Someone I know mentioned the "best" loco moco was served at one of the golf courses near Kaanapali. Any idea on a name of the reataurant? Thanks.

[Aleka]

Unfortunately we did not get a chance to try out the breakfast items at Da Kitchen, so I can't really comment. However, please don't write off DK unless you try their chicken long rice and the kalua pork! Perhaps breakfast is not their forte. AND, things were in a bit of a disarray in Maui after the earthquake, so I'm sure that people weren't quite in their regular mode.

[OCAnn]

I'd 2nd DA KITCHEN.

[ML8000]

Hole in the wall? Tasty Crust in Wailuku. Or while in the area (light industry) look for some food trucks.

[DriverPhil]

We like Sam Sato's in Wailuku, 1750 Wili Pa Loop. Open Monday to Saturday for breakfast and lunch. Very much a locals kind of place. A bit tricky to find.

Skip the Aloha Plate in Lahaina.