Foodie Friday Feature – Farmacy Health Bar, Pukalani

When it comes to food, I consider myself to have an eclectic soul.  Food not only satisfies my taste buds but absolutely feeds my soul.  Whether it is the naughty type or something home cooked and comforting or some great healthy selections, I love them all and enjoy each and every bite.  About 8 months ago, my sister Katt introduced me to a new food establishment that I had not been to before.  “They have the best Acai bowl, ever!”  As a foodie, I thought it was worth checking out and I found myself at their location in Wailuku just a few days after having this conversation with her.  Their Wailuku location is a small hole in the wall, large enough to fit a few bar stools with seating against the wall.  At any given time, you can have about 6 customers sitting in there comfortably and the lines can be out the door.  For my first experience at the Wailuku location of the Farmacy Health Bar, I tried the Waiside Bowl.  It literally was an experience I not only enjoyed, but became instantly addicted to.  

I love making things from scratch and have ventured into the health food scene many times with my own personal cooking so I absolutely loved the fact that so much care was put into a little bowl of sweet and tart goodness.  The bowls come in three different sizes and a selection of different varieties that will not only fill you up with energy and greatness, but they taste absolutely delicious.  Each ingredient used in any of their creations is organic and many if not most of what they offer are grown right here in Hawaii.  The first time I went to their Wailuku location, the owner talked about looking into expanding and I was so excited to find out that they would be expanding to the Up Country Maui area.  I awaited their opening and arrival eagerly.

After the new year 2016, Farmacy Health Bar Pukalani opened in the Pukalani Terrace Center.  This location is literally a mile away from my house and I have been dropping in several times in the last week to pick up some of my favorite goodies.

My favorite treat from Farmacy Health Bar is the Wai side Poi Bowl.  It’s made with Farmacy made organic poi at the bottom, vanilla macaroon granola (which is yum) or gluten free rustic granola, Farmacy acai mix with a bit more granola, any three fresh fruits available, toasted coconut, hemp seeds and local honey.  It’s delicious and my children absolutely love it.  A Papa bowl ($15) includes two pounds of the bowls products and is a treat for myself and all three of my sons to share.  A few of the fruits they have on selection are banana, strawberries, blueberries, papaya and pineapple.  Sometimes you can find awesome delights like dragon fruit or mango when it is in season or they have it in stock.

Besides the Waiside bowl, I also tried the Honolua Bowl which includes: Vanilla macaroon granola or gluten free rustic granola topped with Farmacy acai mix, more granola and any three fresh fruits, toasted mac nuts, goji berries and local Hawaiian honey.

The Country Cacao Acai Bowl is a new one I recently got to try.  It includes the Vanilla macaroon granola or gluten free rustic granola topped with Farmacy Acai mix and any three fresh fruits you can select (if you are at the Pukalani location).  It is topped with hemp seeds, cacao powder, cacao nibs and toasted coconut with a drizzle of local honey.  I like chocolate, but for a while I have passed on this bowl and finally decided I would try it.  the cacao nibs have a light crunch which not only add to the flavor of the bowl but work perfectly with the fruits.  It’s absolutely delicious and while it has as sweetness we would expect from chocolate, it is not too chocolate in flavor and works well with the fruits.  I chose mine with Liliko’i (passion fruit), banana and papaya and it was yummy.  If you like chocolate, I think you’ll enjoy this bowl.

If you are looking for something hearty for a great lunch, but not too heavy for those days you need to accomplish a lot – the Pono Bowl is wonderful.  The Pono bowl comes layered with quinoa, your choice of soup and kale salad with a garlic cashew dressing (which is oh so delicious) and topped with a spiced popcorn tofu.  It retails for $10 and is a hearty meal perfect for lunch.  So far I have had the Pono bowl with the Split Pea Soup and Vegetable Curry and each soup had a little spice so it made a perfect compliment to the rest of the bowl.  It is absolutely delicious and filling and one of my favorites.

The Young Prince Salad has been one of my favorites since first being introduced to Farmacy.  I love Garbanzo beans and this salad really puts some of my favorite salad mix-ins into one spot.  It’s delicious and hearty and really helps to keep me energized to complete the rest of my busy day.  It’s usually served after 10am so this would make a great brunch or lunch for anyone.  The Young Prince Salad includes kale, baby romain, mixed greens, quinoa, tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, avocado, chickpeas, croutons and french feta with the garlic cashew dressing.

I also tried the Tahitian Lime aid – which includes fresh lime-lemon juice blended with mint, organic cane juice and ice.  It’s $7 for a 20 oz. cup and $12 for a 32 oz. cup with refill.  This limeade has a great tart and sweet flavor with a refreshing mint taste.  It’s delicious and I love that it’s perfect for those warm days but can be a staple any time of the year.

The Lahaina Gold Smoothie ($8 20 oz. cup) comes with papaya, banana, strawberries and fresh aloe vera and organic alkaline sugarcane juice with fresh local citrus and coconut milk is another favorite drink of mine and absolutely delicious.  It’s perfect for breakfast and refreshing.

Supporting local business is not only great for our economy and community but it’s always awesome to see that Farmacy Health Bar uses ingredients that are locally grown.  I love that Farmacy is now open in Pukalani, just 2 minutes from my home and they are now open at 7am which allows me to get a smoothie or something delicious to eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  While they are still working on staffing their Pukalani location you can find them currently there from 7am to about 5:30pm and in February they are looking to expand to dinner which means they’ll be open to at least 8pm.  The location has a lot of room for dining in – which is an improvement in comparison to their Wailuku location which is a little hole in the wall.  There is also seating available outside the establishment and it makes for a great little area to sit down and chow down on some healthy food while enjoying the cool Up Country air.

While at the locations, be sure to check out their “Pay It Forward” or “Pono Board”.  You can purchase a meal for $3.00 to be given to someone less fortunate.  The meal is an organic mini pono bowl that includes:  guinoa, kale salad, soup and feta.  This program that Farmacy offers is a great addition to any locally owned business (or any business for that matter) and I love it.  I have purchased several bowls and have donated and I love that it goes to those that are less fortunate.  Living in Hawaii, while a paradise to many, still has it’s share of people down on their luck and they have the opportunity to get a warm meal in their opu (tummy in hawaiian).

Each item you order from Farmacy is made to order,  so please make sure you are aware of this prior to coming in to dine.  While the staff does their best to get your orders out quickly, since everything is made to order and they are popular, there could be some waiting time.  I walked into the restaurant last week and the line was out the door, but the food is definitely worth it and is definitely worth not only the wait, but the cost.  If you are looking to eat a little healthier this year or just add some great local grinds to your day, this place is a must go.  If you are visiting and looking for an establishment with great aloha spirit and delicious food, stop by and check them out.  We all know I love to cook and create dishes that are not only pretty but delicious and hearty and while I can create many of these dishes on my own, it’s so great that I have an option that I can turn to for delicious food that’s healthy and made of great ingredients.

Check out their Facebook Page here and stop on in the Pukalani Terrace Center location – let Malik and the team know that Honeygirl sent you.  Try some of these delicious selections and I promise, you will love them as much as I do.  Oh – they also started a cool frequent buyer program, so make sure to ask about that when you stop in.  Everything served here is basically vegetarian, so it’s a great choice for anyone and remember… the food is worth the wait, so be patient, grab a seat and enjoy!

Happy Aloha Friday and Good Eating to you!

Disclaimer:  All items featured were purchased by me with my own money.  All opinions are my own, 100% honest and unbiased and I was not paid to feature this business or their products.