Best Poke on Maui?

[girlwonder88]

My husband could eat poke three meals a day, and loves to try different varieties when we're in Hawaii. We're in Kihei until the 1st-where's your favorite place to get poke? We have some from Costco right now, that's pretty darn good, though wasn't cheap.

[RWCFoodie]

This is a late reply but I'd like to mention that we really like the poke at Lahaina Farms in West Maui - Michael, who seems to be the main guy in the fish dept. - gladly and generously provides samples of their poke. Everything we've bought there has been excellent.

I like the poke at the Foodland market in Lahaina too - Especially their kimchee white crab! This is perhaps for the more adventuresome as it is raw crab in the shell that has been dressed with kimchee. The shells of these smallish crabs are thin enough to just bite thru and suck out the yummy crab.

[MSK]

I second the poke at Foodland. They often offer many different kinds.

How is the new Lahaina Farms? In the past we had to be happy with what Costco had to offer since the other options were dismal in terms of produce.

We arrive on Fri.!

[RWCFoodie]

As I said, we really like the poke at Foodland - you're right, they usually have quite a few types and they seem to prepare it carefully and it turns over quickly so it's always been very fresh and tasty.

Lahaina Farms is a specialty grocer - in some ways similar to Trader Joe or Whole Foods but smaller. Prices are high but the quality of their produce, fish and meat seems to be very good to us. Their produce is expensive but sometimes they have specials that are better than Safeway! They have a very nice deli and wine dept too.

But we especially like their fish dept. - as I mentioned, they have quite a few types of poke and they are more than happy to give to tastes of what ever... The quality has never disappointed. We just got back this morning so our experience is as of yesterday...

On the other hand, I will probably never shop at the Fish Market in Honokowai again after our unpleasant experience with the mislabeled "Butterfish". Plus their prices are thru the roof.

We did buy the ahi sashimi at Costco and found it to be very good. The downside is that it is quite a large amount for just 2 people. Plus you have to be selective picking a package. Some of it is light colored and you can see the tough sinewy fibers while other pkgs are a nice red without the offending sinew. I was talking with another customer who says he buys it, takes it out of the package and repackages smaller amounts into zip locks and freezes it very successfully (he cautioned though to take out the shredded daikon if you're going to freeze it). I didn't freeze any, we just ate it up in 2 days! I didn't buy Costco's poke this time.

Back on the produce question: I like to go to the big Swap Meet in Kahului at the Community College on Saturday morning (opens at 7:00 am). There are lots of locals selling all kinds of good locally grown fruits and veggies plus prepared food goodies. We like the Paradise Ice trailer too. Lots of souvenir stuff too at good prices.

Also, check out the Farmer's Market on Lower Honoapiilani Highway on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays - it's the one across from Honokowai Park. Delicious Kula corn on the cob among other things and you can't miss the Banana Walnut Bread. All of the prepared things they have are sold every day in the adjacent retail store. They make an eggless egg salad and a mock chicken salad that is terrific - plus a macadamia nut pesto that's so good. Free samples are offered of just about everything they have. On Weds. & Fridays they have a cut flower vendor too - she sells out early.

Stop in and get coffee from Mako at the Bad Ass Coffee Company that's in this same little strip. She is just the nicest and their coffee is yum - especially the frozen blended latte.

No, I'm not a plant for any of these places - we just love them and we were staying in walking distance... Great way to start the morning - plus if you're lucky you can do some whale watching right at the park!

Aloha and Mahalo!

Have a great trip - I wish we were still there! We came home to very cold rain - after 12 days in the West Maui sunshine, I'm bummed.

[manbearpig91]

as a resident of maui all my 14 years, i think safeway and the upcountry foodland are actually pretty decent. i am not sure how the prices compare to other places, but they are pretty good, but ask for a sample beforehand, because you can never really tell if they made it with good fish

[UES Mayor]

Always ask for fresh-never frozen one-makes a big texural difference!!!!!!

[alanbarnes]

Try Eskimo Candy. It's in an industrial area near the Safeway on Pi'ikea. From the shopping center, go south on Liloa until it bends around to the west; Eskimo Candy is on your left.

[girlwonder88]

Hit Eskimo Candy yesterday-thanks for the recommendation. We want to check out their fish and chips for lunch one day this week, too. The only poke left was the spicy wasabi, which was almost (but not quite) too spicy to eat. Yum!