On My Plate

Breakfast at La Provence

Homestyle country greets you at the slopes of Haleakala

I've always been envious of folks who live in Kula, Maui. Not only is it a beautiful place with pastoral sloping green hills, cool weather, colorful jacaranda blooms and even why-are-those-here cacti, the gorgeous views alone make it worth the drive from where I live. Then again, I never need any excuse to take a long drive anywhere. But now that I've discovered La Provence, at least I'll have a compelling reason to bring reluctant folks with me.

Morning pastries and quiche to start your day

La Provence is an authentic French bakery run by chef Thierry Michelier. If you don't know Kula that well, the place may seem hidden away--in fact, you may drive right by it. But once you find the little green house, you'll know that you're there. Just breathe in--something good will be baking. On this particular morning, we smelled roast turkey and bread. The baker said she was prepping food for lunch sandwiches. Yes, food is that fresh, made on-site, that day. A refreshing change from the usual ready-made refrigerated stuff you pick up from your usual espresso bar.

Come for breakfast and they'll be prepping for lunch.

We ordered two different quiches--spinach and goat cheese, and ham and cheese. And for sweets, a chocolate croissant. And of course, hot coffee. We sat outdoors in the morning sun, the chill in the air still there but the view just so gorgeous that we had to be outside. From here, we could see all of Central Maui, the crowded environs of Kahului and Wailuku, even the beachside town of Kihei. Up here, we felt miles away from the world.

The delicious food encourages you to stay for awhile...

And the food? Top-notch. The quiche was excellent, hot and toasty, the crust perfectly flaky and the fillings nicely flavored. The chocolate croissant was huge and heavenly. The pastry very tender, with the dark bittersweet chocolate a perfect counterpart to the buttery dough. We sat there watching the view, savoring our meal and enjoying our coffee. Gosh, if I lived up here, I would be here every morning, just watching and waiting, writing and thinking, taking a leisurely break from the day to come.

La Provence, 5355 Lower Kula Rd., Kula, Maui. T: 808-878-1313

Up in Smoke BBQ

Superb smoked fish and kalua pig tacos in Nahiku

Driving along the long and windy road to Hana, you will probably get hungry. And unless you've planned ahead and brought a picnic lunch or snacks, the road can seem much longer. But by the time you reach Keanae, don't despair. You're getting close to some deliciousness.

Chatting with Linda, the owner

Up in Smoke BBQ is a little taco stand in Nahiku, a lush town near the outskirts of Hana, Maui. By the time you get here, you'll probably be about 2-3 hours into your drive, depending how many times you've stopped. And by the time you get here, you're probably famished. At least, we were.

There are only four items on the menu. Two types of soft tacos ($6 each): your choice of the fish-of-the-day or kalua pig (shredded pork). Kids will like the jumbo beef hotdogs ($3). For an unusual, yet must-try side, get the  baked breadfruit ($3). Everything is cooked on-site in the smoker using kiawe wood, a type of mesquite.

The stand is open every day except Thursday from 10am-5pm

The tacos are quite grande, and are topped with cabbage, shredded cheese, and salsa. There is also a selection of different hot sauces including sweet chili sauce to the usual bottled favorites. Today's fish was mahimahi, and in the taco, was delectable and subtly flavored by the kiawe. The kalua pig was also nicely done, very tender, filling, and thankfully, not salty at all.

Linda, the owner, has been running the stand for the past ten years. They get a lot of traffic, of course, from visitors on the road to Hana. Also, their busy days tend to be early in the week like Mondays or Tuesdays. But in such a laid-back town like Nahiku, is there really such a thing as busy? Folks we met there waited patiently for their grub, and ate leisurely. A rooster ran free around the stand and kept crowing. Linda said they used to sell chicken tacos until Mr. Rooster started hanging around. So they took chicken off the menu so as not to upset any visitors.

Breadfruit is baked in banana leaves and oh so tender

The best surprise was the baked breadfruit. If you've never had breadfruit before, think of it like sweet potato, only not too sweet and not too starchy. Linda suggested we put sweet chili sauce on top, and although it sounds weird, the combination is quite delicious. The breadfruit comes from a nearby Hana farm that grows over 100 varieties. Linda said it's hard to find breadfruit in the market because it can go bad really fast--you need to cook it right away. From tree to plate... we like that!

After enjoying our meal, we walked around the other stands: a gift shop/gallery, a stand selling noni, coconut candy and macadamia nuts still in their shell, and a cafe offering coffee and sweets.

By the time we left, satiated and rested, Mr. Rooster was still there. Crowing, pecking, running around.

Up in Smoke BBQ, Hana Highway near the 29th mile marker, Nahiku, Maui.

Main Street Bistro

Downtown Wailuku has come a long way from ten, fifteen years ago, when shuttered storefronts and shoddy pawn shops gave the district more of an avoid-at-night reputation. But Maui has finally cleaned up this historical town, with numerous businesses thriving and drawing back the people to enjoy Wailuku's refreshed vibe. One of these businesses is Main Street Bistro, a casual spot offering excellent food at affordable prices. Open from Monday-Friday, 7am-7pm, the restaurant caters to neighborhood locals and the business lunch crowd from the nearby county and medical offices. So yes, if you're stuck in jury duty or got hungry waiting in line at the social security office, it's nice to know you can simply walk down the block and get tasty fare without having to go to the nearby McDonald's.

Owned by Chef Tom Selman, formerly the chef du cuisine at David Paul's Lahaina Grill, and also a former corporate chef for the Sansei restaurants, Main Street Bistro offers "refined comfort food," which translates into updated favorites made with fresh, local ingredients. For breakfast, indulge in Eggs Benedict ($10.50), Smoked Beef Brisket Hash with poached eggs ($10.50), or Buttermilk Biscuit & Gravy ($5.75). The island-style Loco Moco ($13) comes not with the typical hamburger patty and brown gravy, but instead, features blackened ahi topped with a sunny side up egg and a sweet chili hollandaise.

For lunch, sample small plates like Crispy Shrimp & Crab Ravioli ($7.95), a 2.5 oz Durham Ranch Burger with Coca-Cola onion relish ($3), or sweet Rock Shrimp Fritters ($8.95). Big plates include delicious salads such as Ahi Tataki Salad with toasted nori vinaigrette ($12.95), Roasted Chinese Chicken Salad over local greens ($9.95) or Eggplant Terrine with goat cheese and tomato balsamic vinaigrette ($8.95). Or if you can't decide, do like I did and get the Salad Sampler ($12.95), which features all three on the same plate. I enjoyed the perfectly-seared ahi, which was super fresh and went well with the spicy wasabi-like dressing. The chicken salad came with chunks of juicy roast chicken and the surprising, yet delicious addition of peas and pancetta. The eggplant terrine was also a surprise--the menu did not reveal that it was stuffed with goat cheese, and being not-a-fan-of-chevre, had me eating around the star stuffing.

For indecisives like me, get the scrumptious Salad Sampler

Other offerings include a tasty looking Fried Chicken Breast Sandwich ($8.95), a turkey Rueben ($9.95), and also, the ultimate comfort food: Grilled Cheese (starting at $4.95, depending on desired toppings). And I haven't even gotten started with the entrees, which include Flat Iron Steak ($12.95), Orecchiette Pasta with Bolognese sauce ($8.95) and Miso Chicken served with fried rice ($7.95). So many dishes to try--you can bet I'll be returning over and over.

While this little area of Wailuku town may not be as hustling and bustling as other parts of Maui, it's nice to know that I don't have to travel too far from the 'hood (and I mean, the 'hood) to get a memorable meal. Perhaps you too, like me, will leave revitalized, knowing that a small humble town like this can always bring itself back to life.

Main Street Bistro, 2051 Main Street, Wailuku, Maui. T: 808.244.6816.

Meet Me at Izakaya Matsu

Even though I love sushi bars, I'm also a huge fan of izakaya-style restaurants, typically, Japanese drinking establishments offering small plates of traditional fare. So when I found out my favorite Restaurant Matsu--which, if you recall, makes the most amazing plate of chicken katsu curry--opened an izakaya in Kihei, I knew I was in for a treat. Located in the Azeka Makai marketplace, near a quilting store and a Radio Shack, the restaurant has the feel of a intimate hole-in-the-wall. And despite the large, bright yellow sign, you really have to know that the place is there in order to find it. Because nothing else in the marketplace, ahem, strip mall, is open when the restaurant is open. Then again, I kind of like it that way. Izakaya Matsu is like that off-the-beaten-path, speakeasy kind of place that you want only you and your friends to know so you can have it all to yourselves. Not because we're selfish. The place is really, just, small.

Piping hot takoyaki topped with bonito flakes

The bar area, with about eight seats, takes up half of the restaurant, and several two-top tables fill out the rest of the space. Open only for dinner, the restaurant attracts a local clientele, the after work crowd, and the occasional tourists in the know. It's also the sort of place that's perfect for solo diners--simply pull up a chair at the counter, order some sake and slurp down a hearty bowl of ramen or nibble on okonomiyaki. Here, you won't feel weird about dining alone. I dine alone all the time, and there are many places on Maui that make you feel, well, odd if you're indulging solo. But here, no worries. Many of your other fellow diners are probably solo too, or coupled. No huge crowds here demanding teppanyaki, or deep fried California rolls, thank God.