Looking for the BEST birria tacos in Maui? Join @TheMauiFoodies as we visit a local food truck serving up mouthwatering, juicy, and flavorful birria tacos you can’t miss! Whether you’re a taco lover, a foodie exploring Hawaii, or just searching for where to eat in Maui, this hidden gem will have you coming back for more.
📍 Location: Linda’s Kitchen at the Tambayan Corner Food Truck Lot in Kahului
💬 Tell us in the comments – have you tried birria tacos in Hawaii?
Happy Tuesday friends. While we are all in lockdown with the Stay-at-Home order, we decided we would make a few snacks to enjoy. It’s been a little while since we’ve had our homemade Furikake Chex Mix (Hawaiian style) and Luke had to make a recipe for part of his homework. We decided that some comfort tried and true snack would be great. We’ve posted a video that you can follow along with as well as the ingredients below. We hope you enjoy it!
Furikake Chex Party Mix
Sweet & Salty Party Chex Mix
Ingredients
1 – 7.5oz bag Bugles
1 – 4.0oz bag Oneton (Wonton Chips
1 Full Box – 12oz Corn or Rice Chex
3/4 bag – 16oz bag Sniders Pretzel Sticks
1/2-3/4 of the Box – 12.5 oz box HoneyComb Cereal
Approximately 1/2 bottle Furikake Seaweed Seasoning
4 sticks of Butter
1 TBSP Worchestershire Sauce
1.5 Tsp Adobo Seasoning or Garlic Powder
Directions
Preheat Oven to 275 degrees
Heat and melt butter with sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and adobo seasoning.
Pour melted butter mixture over chex/cereal blend and mix so that each piece is coated well.
Bake for 1 hour, stirring and mixing every 15 minutes or so.
Have you heard of SkinnyFATS? SkinnyFATS’ Catchups are a line of delicious condiments featuring three bold ketchups and one zesty mustard are coming to Hawaii. SkinnyFATS will be…
If you’ve been a long time reader here, then you know that my family and I love experiencing new restaurants and eateries. Last week, we found ourselves craving…
My family and I found yourself dining in at Poi By The Pound restaurant the other day. It had been almost a year since we last ate there, having eaten at this restaurant for the first time the night of my father’s funeral services. It turns out we were back there again because we had scattered my dad’s ashes a day before and my cousin who was visiting for that event was craving some ‘ono (means delicious in Hawaiian) grinds. I’ve eaten a few select things from Poi By The Pound before, but there was little on the menu I have tried, so I was eager to taste some of their popular menu items. Most of the reviews on Yelp and Google were very positive so I decided I would order a few things I saw mentioned in those reviews and test them out for myself.
Poi By The Pound is just 5 short minutes away from the Kahului Airport so it’s perfect for stopping off when you land on Maui or on while on your way to your next destination. They are open 7 days a week and they take walk-ins which is great. If you have a party of 6 or more, I definitely suggest calling ahead to make a reservation. Whether it is dine-in, take-out or catering, they have a variety of selections for you to choose from so that’s a great option for that party you’re planning or to grab a speedy bite to eat.
Poi By The Pound started as a small little restaurant in the industrial area of Kahului and now reside in the old Denny’s Restaurant location. I haven’t eaten or dined in at their Kahului Industrial location, but I think the old Denny’s location is perfect for them. During our two visits (last year and the other day), the restaurant was packed, so you know it’s a local favorite here on Maui. Through their love of Hawaiian food, Poi By The Pound is now a popular eatery here on the island.
So, I know you’re waiting to find out about the dishes we tried out, right? Let’s dive into those, shall we?
I wanted to start off with the Deep Fried Lau Lau. Yes, I said deep fried. I didn’t see this on the menu, but since reading the reviews on Yelp, I knew about it. I was so interested in trying it out so I had to order it (even if I didn’t eat it all).
The deep friend lau lau is basically a lau lau (pork wrapped in taro leaves and lightly flavored with Hawaiian salt. It is slowly steamed to absolute perfection) that is breaded/battered with panko breadcrumbs and deep fried. Considering it was deep fried, it was not as heavy as you would have thought it would be. Honestly, lau lau is really heavy on its own and I felt that the breading didn’t make it too overwhelming. If you like lau lau, you definitely have to check it out and see for yourself.
A definite favorite for any local here is a Hawaii staple known as the Loco Moco. Poi By The Pound’s Loco Moco includes three homemade patties grilled with onions and served with rice and macaroni salad (you can choose green salad if you prefer that instead). The patties are topped with 2 eggs cooked in the style of your choosing (we always get over easy – because a runny egg mixed with all of it, is well… the best) and a generous pour of brown gravy. If you’ve never had a Loco Moco before, you must try it, it’s definitely a go-to here. The patties were filled with flavor, the gravy was great and the egg, well – as soon as you brook the yolk, it spread all over the dish which is what we liked. Served hot and delicious.
A mix on the Loco Moco is their Chicken Katsu Moco. I LOVE a great Chicken Katsu Cutlet Moco (one of my favorite food choices anywhere) and I was so excited to try this one from Poi By The Pound. I requested Pork Gravy instead of their standard brown gravy and of course got my eggs over-easy. The chicken was cooked well and I loved the flavor of everything. Of course, since I don’t eat rice anymore, I opted for green salad as my side. I definitely was happy with this meal, even if I didn’t eat all of it. Did I mention their portion sizes were huge? The Chicken Katsu Cutlet Moco is not on the menu, so be sure to ask for it personally if you want to give it a try.
I did mention that Poi By The Pound is known as the “Authentic Hawaiian Food Restaurant” and while some may think the other foods I mentioned were “authentic”, they are really just local favorites that you can get here in Hawaii. So, I just had to share the beautiful display of Hawaiian food you can get with the Hawaiian Plate combo. My gosh, it includes so much food, you will surely be full before you leave. And, if you have never tried any Hawaiian food before, this would be a great way to check it out. Included in this combo is: Kalua pork, pork lau lau, chicken long rice (which is like a soup with chicken and rice noodles), lomi salmon (which is salmon, tomatoes and onion mixed together. Lomi in Hawaiian basically means to massage. Therefore, it is the salmon and other ingredients massaged together so the flavors mesh), poi, rice and mac salad. On the bottom, you see a green baby food like consistency which is the squid luau. That is one of my favorite dishes here. It’s basically squid and taro leaf simmered in coconut milk and brown sugar.
The Poke Bowl is a popular choice here in Hawaii and many locals will grab it and go. Poi By The Pound has their own version of a Poke Bowl which includes your choice of shoyu or spicy poke (or combination of both) and served over steaming white rice with a sprinkle of furikake (seaweed and sesame seasoning). Fresh ahi poke is definitely something that you must try and this one was delish.
You didn’t think we left out dessert, did you? Well, considering the portion sizes you get from this eatery, you could easily skip dessert and be extremely full. But we packed up our leftovers and ordered some popular yummies. The boys shared the Mud Pie (it was so big all three of them ate it together). The mud pie consists of a Kona Mud pie ice cream bedded on an oreo cookie crust and topped with whipped cream, chocolate, and caramel drizzle. It was so good that the boys said they were gonna order it the next time we came to eat here.
I went with the Taro Sundae. Come on, taro, poi, and coconut in one dish… anyone that knows me knows that I would jump to that opportunity in a heartbeat. The Taro Sundae originally comes with haupia (coconut) ice cream, taro chunks, poi, drizzled with chocolate, caramel syrup and topped with whipped cream and almonds. I opted to be a purist and go the haupia ice cream with taro chunks and poi only (which is what is pictured above).
I seriously fell in love with this dish after the first bite. This dessert seriously satisfied exactly what I would expect from a Taro Sundae and I definitely suggest checking it out… seriously!
The cost of the plates and desserts at Poi By The Pound are reasonably priced and you surely get your monies worth in every possible way. You will not leave this restaurant hungry, that’s for sure. Our server was a delight and very sweet and the last time we dined here (last year) we experienced the same kind and sweet service from that server as well. Food comes to the table hot and you will definitely enjoy a great meal here. If you are looking to satisfy your hunger with some local grinds or want a Hawaiian food mix, I definitely suggest checking them out. You’ll enjoy their food and be sure to share because you’ll have enough to share with a friend.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone. I hope you’re all enjoying your day and gearing up for a great weekend. I’m super excited because my three boys have officially…
As a foodie, I do my best to sample different types of cuisines as well as different restaurants, eateries and other food loves that I can taste and share with all of you. Today on this Foodie Friday, I am excited to share with you a little place I discovered after watching the YouTube Channel Aloha Stoked. Kalani Prince, a vlogger and Travel Guide website owner visited the location I’m about to talk about today and I knew I had to head on over and take a look. This little hole-in-the wall location that is just off the beaten path in a sleepy little town in Up Country Maui, called Makawao is worth sharing with you today. This week’s Maui Eats is featuring Makawao Garden Cafe.
PC: Makawao Garden Cafe
Makawao Garden Cafe is owned and operated by Kathi and Jody Sparks and is nestled right in the heart of the paniolo and rodeo town of up country that we call Makawao. A peaceful, laid back and tranquil little bistro that offers a small menu of sandwiches and salads – perfect for a day of venturing and visiting the art galleries and site seeing among the little village.
Makawao Garden Cafe is located right on Baldwin Avenue. It’s next to the Sherri Reeve Gallery (down a small alley way) and across the street from Maui’s famed Komoda Bakery.
PC: Makawao Garden Cafe
I arrived at the location just as they had opened, about 5 minutes after 11 o’clock. They were still prepping some of their food, which I would have expected for a small bistro, but I was able to place my order and my food took about 10 minutes to complete. As I waited for my to-go order, I walked around the immediate area to kind of get an idea of what the place is like for those who decide to dine in. Majority of the seating for this bistro is located outdoors. I was told recently that they had acquired a small area with indoor seating just off to the site of the cafe area. It’s a great location for spring and summer months when it’s warm out, but it was quite chilly the day I went, which is why I opted to get my food to go – I was not dressed to sit out in the open with that cold breeze lingering in the air.
If you are looking for fast food service or quick food, this is certainly not the place you will want to find yourself. Everyone is made for you to order and there is a staff of 2-3 on hand on any given day. If you are in a rush, I suggest trying to call your order in or check to see if they’ll accommodate a take-out that day. The service I received was sweet, the owner greeted me with kindness and everyone that I talked to that day was very pleasant.
So, let’s talk about the food. Whenever I eat somewhere and have thoughts of reviewing the establishment here on the site, I try to order more than one meal to test and see how I like each. I ordered the Crab & Avocado Sandwich ($9.97 whole). Served on focaccia and mixed greens with tomato and sprouts. I also got the Curry Chicken Salad (Whole $9.00) which came highly recommended by a customer that was behind me in line, as well as the gal who took my order. She mentioned that it is the most popular on their menu. The Curry Chicken Salad came with diced chicken, carrots, zucchini and served with sweet curry dressing, on mixed greens and topped with papaya.
Let’s talk details on each dish – shall we?
I was happy to find that the Crab and Avocado came with a side of salad. I opted for ceasar and while it was tasty – it definitely was not the showstopper of this particular sandwich. If I can be absolutely blunt here… the focaccia is fricken awesome. It was fresh baked (baked by the owners) and one of the best focaccia breads I have ever tasted and trust when I say – I have had my fair share of focaccia. It was delicious. The avocado was fresh as was the rest of the vegetables in my sandwich. The crab was light and definitely tasted good. I was impressed that my sandwich included real crab for the price point and the sandwich was very filling. If you are doing hiking or anything that will require walking, etc. I think this would be a great selection – light, but hearty.
Should I get a sandwich again, I’ll be trying the Sliced Turkey Breast, but since it’s not on this delicious focaccia bread, I’m not sure I’d enjoy it as much – we shall see.
Next up I tried the Curry Chicken Salad. This salad is quite big and filled most of the take out container they put it in. I ate half of it and saved the rest for my eldest son Kevin Kaeo. When I opened this salad to eat it, I didn’t quite expect to see what I was looking at.
This portion size (I ordered the whole) was large enough to feet at least 2 people, especially if you purchased it in combination with other food. I was quite impressed with the size considering the price point. The diced chicken was chicken breast, but it was very tender considering the cut it was. I was quite impressed with how the entire salad in a whole had tasted. The dressing that they used was very tasty and I liked that the salad didn’t taste like it had taken a bath in mayonnaise (we all know how I’m not a fan of that creamy white stuff). The dressing was sweet (not hot or spicy at all) but definitely had a curry flavor. I would describe it as a curry without the heat. The salad was placed on a bed of greens – a mixture of different lettuce that was fresh and crispy and I also got two toasted pieces of crostini on top. This salad tasted really good and not soggy considering I had to drive 10 minutes to get home to eat it, but I would definitely suggest putting the bread separately because the dressing did cause it to become a tad bit soggy.
Overall – I think I really enjoyed the salad. The vegetables definitely tasted fresh and the nice crunch of the carrots definitely gave it a lot of texture. The little papaya on the top was delicious and really gave the salad an extra something. If I had to make any suggestions, I would love to see cashews in the mix for this salad – I think it would make it absolutely perfect. I make a pretty darn good chicken curry salad myself and that papaya though, it definitely made for a great addition to this dish.
The second time I went to grab some food to go, I ordered the Taro Salad ($9.75 Whole – I really wanted to eat that from the first time I had gone) and the Catch of the Day Sandwich ($8.50 Whole). Service was quick and I was on my way with my sandwiches and a Nirvana smoothie that I ordered. The smoothies are $5.50 and are not made with milk which is a plus on my tummy.
The Taro Salad was simple, but I rather enjoyed it. I got it regular (not Cajun spice which they also offer) and it was served with mixed greens, cheese (I was able to select between goat cheese and Parmesan, I went with goat cheese), carrots and zucchini. The salad also came with tomato and was dressed with a light basil vinaigrette topped with crispy taro chips. Here’s the low down on this salad… the taro chips, well, they were the ones I buy in the bag at Costco but I enjoy them and never would have thought to put them on a salad – they were great and because of the taro, they held up to the dressing and were not soggy when I got home to eat. The Taro itself is actually veggie patties diced up and the veggie patties of chunks of taro in them. When I was first told what it was, I’ll be honest, I had regret ordering it. I thought to myself, hmmm… why couldn’t I just get chunks of taro in my salad? But, I was pleasantly surprised. The veggie patty (which was diced/cubed up and tossed in the salad mix) was really good. There was a lot of taro in that patty and I enjoyed the flavor. Because of the veggie patty with taro, I think it lent for a lighter meal and with the actual taro cubed up as I suggested, it may have been too heavy for lunch. While I didn’t have high hopes for this particular salad after being told what it was, I was pleasantly surprised. If I had to make one suggestion, it would be to add some avocado in the mix… it would really bring out the sweetness of the taro and give the salad a depth of flavor.
The Catch of the Day sandwich was simplistic as was the Crab and Avocado. It was a few pieces of their Catch of the Day which was Mahimahi for me today, served on focaccia and a wasabi mayo with tomato and mixed greens and sprouts. The taste was really nice, but I would have loved to have more to the sandwich. The wasabi mayonnaise had a light wasabi flavor, with no heat and it looked like regular mayonnaise, so tasting it was the only way to really know what you were eating.
The cut of fish was nice, but I definitely would have wanted to have more to the sandwich. Of course, it was on that delicious focaccia that I’ve been swooning over which made it great. Overall, I think the sandwich is nice, but I would love to get more from it. Maybe a smear of pesto aioli or something along those lines to really bring out the flavor of the fish. Even some avocado would make a different here.
Makawao Garden Cafe is perfect to grab a meal while out exploring the area but keep in mind that due to limited seating, if they get busy – you may want to get that meal to go. My overall experience with them has been great, and I know I’ll be back again to try more food – I have my eyes set on many of the items on the menu. If you are looking for fine dining, then this place is definitely not it.
Makawao Garden Cafe is open from 11am to 3pm, Monday through Saturday (closed Sundays). They do not take reservations and parking is free. You can park directly on Baldwin Avenue if you can find a stall (it can get really congested and busy at times) or you can use the Garden parking behind Baldwin Avenue in the open parking lot (it’s a walk up stairs and there is no wheelchair access) Keep in mind that the back parking lot is gravel and the walk up the stairs is several flights.
Positives – there are quite a bit in my opinion. All of the menu items are under $10 so you and a friend could easily get a bite to eat for under $25. Considering I’m born & raised here on Maui and have seen how expensive things can get, that’s quite a steal considering the amount of food you get with your orders. The focaccia is bomb. Like seriously I can’t stress this enough, order a sandwich with it to taste how great it is. The owner and staff were very delightful and friendly. Parking is free -which is great. And, most of your options are healthy and fresh.
Now – there are a few cons to this location that I figured was worth sharing. While I didn’t experience dine-in service here, I was told by someone there that service can be slow when they are busy. I think that’s understandable considering that there are only 3 people working (sometimes one or two) at any given time and I honestly can’t attest to that myself seeing as the two times I went, they had just opened, so there really was only one or two people there. Remember, as I stated previously, if you’re in a rush – get it to go and call ahead. If it is raining or cold, even if they have a covered seated area that is indoors, you may not like the experience, so keep that in mind. The first time I picked up my food, it was chilly and very cold. I wouldn’t have been able to sit and enjoy my food comfortably. Roosters are everywhere in that area (it’s a part of Makawao town) so it can be frustrating at times, just don’t feed them because they’ll come around more while you’re eating.
If you’re on the hunt for something interesting to try – I definitely suggest checking this place out. I’m all for supporting local eats and Maui eateries that are owned by locals so I definitely enjoyed it. They offer smoothies as well and there is quite a selection which is great. This place offers a true laid back environment so it’s perfect for those that are looking for something casual. Also – take note that if you’re walking too fast, you may miss it… so this little place gives you the opportunity to “take the long way home” so to say and stop and smell the roses.
My goal is to offer more “Maui Eats” for my readers near and far so be sure to come back for more.
Have a wonderful Aloha Friday and a great weekend,
Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored. I purchased any thing mentioned in this post with my own money. Affiliate links may be posted through out.
We all love a good treat in our life. For some of us, it’s chocolate, for others, candy and so much more. Today I introduce you to a brand of treats that my family and I have been loving. GoMacro, a family owned vegan company that started by a mother-daughter team, has launched a delicious new line of plant-based bars called Thrive.
Thrive by GoMacro offers six flavors of bars that contain plant-based protein, essential fatty acids and prebiotic fiber to fuel your body and mind. Thrive is made up of a superfood ancient grain blend and each bar is less than 200 calories.
Like all GoMacro products, Thrive is USDA Certified Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, Kosher, Gluten-Free certified, 100% Vegan and Soy-Free. You can find Thrive bars online and various Whole Foods locations as of October 2016. Each Thrive bar retails for about $2.19/bar (1.4 oz / 40g) and each bar includes two unique flavors.
I had the opportunity to try the following flavors:
Ginger Lemon – this flavor stars the soothing combo of ginger and lemon. This bar is to help you feel at ease. Filled with cashews, zing of giner and the sweet, tart of lemon. I’m not a huge fan of ginger in general, but was very impressed that this product tasted good. I also love cashews so I enjoyed this a lot. Also contains: Organic cashews, organic hemp hearts, organic puffed quinoa, organic pumpkin seeds, organic sprouted brown rice protein, organic sprouted flax.
Chocolate, Nuts and Sea Salt – if you love that sweet and savory flavor blend, you’ll enjoy this one. This is a favorite among my sons and I and even my husband thought it tasted really good. It includes organic, fair trade, vegan chocolate chips made with coconut sugar, sea salt and vanilla. It’s a great tasting bar. The only think I had a challenge with is the walnuts – I’ve since grown out of a severe walnut allergy since having it as a kid, but I can’t consume walnuts often or a lot of it. There are a lot of walnuts in this bar so I would love to see one made without it. Also contains: organic almonds, organic cashews, organic fair trade chocolate chips, organic hemp hearts, organic puffed quinoa, organic sprouted brown rice protein, organic sprouted flax, organic walnuts.
Caramel Coconut – this is my favorite! Featuring vegan caramel created by GoMacro and under 200 calories with only 6 grams of sugar for a good source of fiber and protein. I love coconut flavored things, but absolutely love that it also includes that sweet dates within. Also contains: organic almonds, organic cashews, organic dates, organic hemp hearts, organic puffed quinoa, organic sesame butter, organic sprouted brown rice protein, organic sprouted flax, organic unsweetned coconut. Like I said, this is my favorite out of all the bars I tried.
Blueberry Lavender – I liked the flavor of this, but again, the walnuts in the bar were quite overwhelming for me. While I have grown out of my walnut allergy, I must be careful with how much I consume and this bar was chuck full of it that it started to cause my throat to swell. If you love walnuts – this is the bar for you. The sweet blueberry tastes great and together the walnuts, lavender and blueberries provide you with a divine, calming experience that is packed with antioxidants and omega 3s. This bar is a great source of fiber and protein while keeping the sugars to only 6 grams. It has a unique flavor, but I definitely enjoyed it. If they made this without walnuts – I think it would be one of my faves. Also contains: organic gluten-free rolled oats, organic hemp hearts, organic puffed quinoa, organic sprouted flax, organic sunflower seeds, organic walnuts.
Almond Apricot – My eldest enjoyed this bar a lot. With a combination of almonds and apricots, this makes the perfect hiking trail companion. Loaded with sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and the GoMacro ancient seed blend of hemp hearts, quinoa and sprouted flax – this bar will be the perfect one to give you energy to climb Mount Everest or in our case, hike down into the Haleakala Volcano Crater. My son seemed to enjoy it and I had a little taste of it and liked it as well. Also contains: organic almonds, organic hemp hearts, organic puffed quinoa, organic pumpkin seeds, organic sprouted flax and organic sunflower seeds.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip – even my husband liked this one, but he is a chocolate peanut butter addict. With 8 grams of plant-based protein, this bar takes the medal for GoMacro’s highest protein Thrive bar. It’s delicious and taste like a really good chocolate peanut butter bar. Also contains: organic hemp hearts, organic peanut butter, organic peanut butter chips, organic peanuts, organic puffed quinoa, organic sprouted brown rice protein, organic sprouted flax.
I’m excited that these are at my local Whole Foods because my sons (and my husband) seemed to enjoy them. They are chuck full of yummy ingredients and these are the perfect way to get healthy energy to keep you going. I’m a fan of anything coconut and I also love that these bars have Quinoa in them, since it’s one of my favorite things to eat.
If you are looking for a treat that offers a little bit of sweet (nothing cloyingly sweet or sugary), but also offer you a nice crunch and some great benefits, I think you’d enjoy these. They are kid approved – my sons have been taking them in their backpacks for after school snacks and they enjoy them. If you have a nut allergy, I would probably stay away – since these do include nuts and are processed in a facility that handles nuts. But, overall – I think you’d enjoy these if you are anything like me.
Want to check out Thrive for yourself? Head on over to: http://gomacro.com/shop/product-category/thrive/ and get 30% off your purchase of Thrive at GoMacro’s online store with code: THRIVE30.
#GoMacro
Have you heard of Thrive or GoMacro before? If so, have you tried any of the products? If not, are you thinking you’d enjoy these as much as my family and I have?
Disclaimer: The products featured in this post were sent for review consideration. All opinions are my own, 100% honest & unbiased. Affiliate links are posted through out.
Yay, I’m so proud of myself for getting my September Favorites up earlier than I normally do each month. Check out some of the products and things that…
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