I hand over a $5 bill at the airport shop and the woman behind the counter smiles at me broadly, hands me the change and my bottle of water and with much enthusiasm, tells me “Well may god bless you today!” before serving the next customer.
I had forgotten how interesting America can be and Mr NQN and I are visiting the tropical U.S. state of Hawaii for the first time. Starting in Maui, there were the signs: the chickens underneath the rental cars, the cars with their enormous wheels that jut out from the sides, a sign for Mr Pineapple and a Guns and Ammo shop that we were in part topical paradise, part U.S. of A.
I had already researched where to go for dinner for the evening of our arrival. Scouring my friend Carolyn’s blog for Maui’s best places to eat, I had made a classic rookie mistake-forgetting how generous the serves are in America. We’re at Leoda’s, a local’s favourite on Oloewalu Village Road. Leoda is a woman who used to bake pies and open up her house to everyone.
Leoda
Pictures of a Leoda, (not the original one but one of the owner’s mothers) and Mrs Fuji, their 100 year old landlady, line the walls. The food is comfort food, Hawaiian style. Think hoagies, enormous burgers sandwiches with fabulously fresh, wholesome, house baked bread (even their hot dog buns are baked there) and the sweetest high piled pies your fantasies could ever conjure up. The team including Top Chef contestant Sheldon Simeon, learned how to make bread at Zingerman’s in Ann Arbour, Michigan.
Mrs Fuji
I had also forgotten how good service is in America. So much so that I think Mr NQN is a bit taken aback at how helpful they are here. The poor dear, he isn’t quite used to the enthusiasm. At Leoda’s, you choose from the blackboard menu and pay and then take a seat in the home style beachhouse dining room.
Home brewed tea $8USD
Choosing is hard, there are some covetable options and in the end we go for a sandwich each, a side to share and a last minute addition, a salad. They’ve sold out tonight of the sweet pies except for some sweet hand pies so we make a mental note to come back another day at 10am when the display case is full. We start with a home brewed tea, unsweetened and medium strength. We both expected this to be sweet but it’s probably a good thing that it isn’t, especially if you order a sweet pie at the same time.
Veggie burger $10.50USD
Leoda’s uses local, fresh produce and there’s a chalkboard with details of their local suppliers on the right. We’re sold on the veggie burger made with their garden’s own taro. They have sold out of hamburger buns so they ask us what sort of bread we’d like. As with all things American, there are so many choices that we just end up picking the one that they recommend, a soft white wheat bread. The veggie patty is softer and they warn us of that but having made veggie patties at home, I know that some of the tastiest and softest vegetable burger patties are this way. The bread is wonderfully soft but still sturdy and spread with basil pesto. The taro veggie burger sits on top and then it is finished with garlic aioli, Maui sweet onions, tomato and lettuce. It’s devilishly good and I’m glad that we ordered it.
Roast pork hapa hoagie $11.75USD
The hapa hoagie roll is soft and squishy and holds a generous amount of soft, seasoned roasted pork, spread with ham drippings (mmm, yes!), a layer of sauteed broccoli rabe and a slice of melted provolone. The real gangbuster ingredient is the garlic, so much so that it’s like garlic bread mated with a sub sandwich and produced a most beauteous offspring.
Fried mac and cheese $5.75USD
This was a side dish and I figured that for that price, it would come out as a small portion. But it was as big as an entree in Australia with seven or eight pieces of macaroni and cheese, crumbed and deep fried until golden, served with a house made marinara sauce. Crunchy on the outside and creamy and soft on the inside, this is what you turn to when the world has done its worst and you need a hug. Or a coronary 
Fried salad $6.75USD
I thought about this salad for a while before deciding to order it and figured we could take it away if need be. It’s a butter leaf salad with celery leaves, radish and mint and topped with paper thin, delicate crisps of deep fried brussel sprout leaves. And how do the fried brussel sprout leaves taste? They remind me of those moreish kale chips. The killer accompaniment is the burnt orange dressing which is a bit sweet and sour.
Plans are made to come back another day for pies. And to share just one pie, the banana cream pie. A few days later, we stop by and put some pies on hold. I’m pleased to see that the much raved about banana cream pie is there and for good measure, I also take a chocolate mac nut pie on their recommendation but in a smaller size. Just because…
Banana Cream Pie $8.50
The banana cream pie has a bottom layer of cookie crumbs topped with sliced banana, vanilla custard and a topping of something like Cool Whip, which I’ve only tried on a few occasions but it’s a dairy free cream substitute. I must admit that I’m not a huge fan of Cool Whip at all as I prefer the taste of fresh cream so I burrow underneath the thick, white cloud-like layer and eat the treasure underneath.
Mini Mac Nut Chocolate $4.75
The mac nut is popular as a flavour not just because macadamias are grown so much on Hawaii. This pie has a crumbly chocolate base with a layer of caramel, chocolate pudding, cool whip, macadamia nut pieces and chocolate shavings. It’s just the right size too as it is so rich that I don’t know if I could eat a whole thing. But of course, I’m willing to try
Marilyn’s Maui Country Farm Tour
Three years ago, I first met Marilyn Jansen Lopes on this little site called Twitter. It’s funny how oceans and miles can be lessened by the evolution of technology. Marilyn, who first arrived on Maui in 1973, is a blogger and a tour guide in Maui, who would start her tweets to me with an “Aloha!” which seemed entirely fitting. Little did I know that three years later, I’d be sitting in her vintage Mercedes being shown a farm tour of Maui. Maui is a large island and driving distances between areas are long so seeing it by car is definitely the recommended way.
Farming on Maui? “Don’t they ship everything in?” I hear you ask. Once upon a time, the native Hawaiians made use of the land but more recently, they have become so reliant on produce that comes via the ships that they can only last a few days without it. So Marilyn’s aim is to highlight some of the 800 farms on Maui and bring a pride and awareness of the local producers.
The Hawaiian flag on the right with the Union Jack-the only U.S. state to feature the Union Jack (from when it was under the influence of the British Empire)
Did you know that Maui has two distinct vegetation sides to it? A dry side where the ground is brown and dry with dead trees and then the opposite with expanses of lush, green areas? It’s this duality, split down the sides of the mountains that contributes to the frequency of the ever present rainbows.
Yellow Caturra coffee bean
Hawaii is known for the Kona coffee but on Maui, there are four types of coffee beans that are grown: Maui Mokka (which is only grown here and in Yemen), Typica, Red Catuai-said to be the cabernet of coffee and Yellow Caturra, a spicy flavoured bean. And at MauiGrown’s 500 acre estate on the West Maui Mountains, they grow all four.
Coffee bean sorting trays
Tastings of the coffee are available at their store on Lahainaluna Road. We try each of the four blends and they taste vastly different from each other. There are also interesting added value items like coffee jam and coffee jelly-the former is a mix of espresso coffee, sugar and pectin.
“It takes 22 hands and 28 beans to make one cup of coffee” Greg Stille, Piliani Kope farm
There are 32 coffee farms on Maui and 8 coffee businesses. We head towards the mountains to reach Piliani Kope farm where Northern Californian grocery chain owner Greg and his wife Susy changed their lives to be able to live in Maui. He is a cancer survivor that took stock of his life and found a way to produce coffee and live on Maui using wild coffee trees.
In 2004, they bought a piece of land and were hiking in nearby Launiupoko Gulch when they came across some wild coffee trees. Coffee was considered an invasive crop so they were given permission to remove as much of the heirloom Kanaka Kope trees as they wanted so they planted them in their coffee orchard.
Organic defence: ladybirds
The coffee trees are stumped at knee height so that they grow more side branches instead of their natural vertical inclination. The ground is planted with a clover crop which provides nitrogen to the soil and they also plant companion or complementary trees like papaya, Hawaiian chilli pepper (which is quite spicy), ice cream fruit and most intriguingly cacao trees. I’ve never seen a fresh cacao pod from a tree and Gary splits one open and we try the cacao pods which have the distinct smell of well… chocolate of course!
Cacao pods
Cacao pods starting to grow from the branch
Greg is also experimenting with a sought after and highly regarded coffee called the Panama Geisha which I tried at Joe Black in Sydney a few weeks ago as a siphon coffee. Picking of their coffee beans is all done by hand and they employ permaculture practices to look after the land. On a tour with Marilyn, we’d normally break for lunch around now but we decide to take a trip to Mama’s Fish House instead (look for that in an upcoming story ).
If you’d ever think to farm a crop, lavender would have to be up there. Hardly needing irrigation, with perennial varieties, it was the perfect crop for the high elevation at Kula, where AKL (Ali’i Kula Lavender) farms are located. And the views at 4,200 feet on the slopes of Haleakala crater? Astounding. They have picnic tables on which you can sit and a cafe and gift shop with every thing you could possible think of made with lavender.
Here, they grow three types of lavender: French (mostly used for culinary purposes), English (for cosmetic) and Spanish (for decorative purposes). The plant lasts commercially for 7-8 years although a plant can live up to 15 years, and it is a natural pest repellent (it even repels deer). Simply rub your fingers on the flower to release the perfume.
The farm is also the first to grow olives and they grow a range of items including these Australian wildflowers-look familiar?
Schwartzkopf succulent
There are five house guided tours daily at $12USD per person and each tour takes about 45 minutes and you can gather up flowers from the cuttings that the guides give you or you can visit with Marilyn where she will conduct her own tour. After we finish looking around the grounds, we stop in for a scone and a cup of lavender tea and coffee. On certain days, they also have scavenger hunts for kids which allows parents to relax in the cafe.
The scones are all baked daily by Jeanne the Bread Lady who lives nearby. To make lavender scones of your own, you can also use the stalks of the lavender as well as the head and here in America, they are shaped into triangular shapes, as opposed to the round scones we have in Australia and England.
Scones $3USD and lavender tea $2.50USD
The scones are beautifully fresh and they offer toaster ovens outside in which to heat them up. We spread them with the butter and their lavender and liliko’i or passionfruit jam and sit back and admire the view. A spot of shopping later and I have some of the strawberry and chilli pepper jam which tastes like strawberry jam at first before a zing of chilli hits you.
Our final stop in our Up Country tour with Marilyn was at a winery which seems like a fitting end. We pass by the area where Maui’s most famous resident Oprah Winfrey lives before we reach Maui Winery in Kula. Set on the grounds of Rose Ranch, it is Maui’s only winery. Before the tasting room is a fascinating room that documents the history of King David Kalākaua (or the Merrie Monarch) and his relationship with the Makee family who planted sugarcane and had six very socially sought after daughters. King Kalākaua and his Queen Kapi‘olani loved the estate so much that they were frequent visitors.
Their specialty is pineapple wine with three varieties being sold. It sounds obvious to say that it smells like pineapple but that it does. Their Maui Splash is their best selling wine made from pineapple and passion fruit and is very sweet but not quite a dessert wine. A little drier is the Maui Blanc. Grape varieties like a syrah are used in the estate blend and they also grow chenin blanc, chardonnay, malbec and viognier in the high altitude rich, volcanic soil. Samples of pineapple snow, a white chocolate confection with pieces of macadamia nut and Maui Blanc Pineapple Wine is sweet and unusual and makes a good gift.
Our tour ends with a last farewell from Marilyn. Taking out her ukelele, she sings “Stand By Me” followed by a Hawaiian song “Little Grass Shack” to two broadly smiling Australian visitors and gives us copies of her three lovely books and a logo top. It’s a warm welcome to Maui indeed.
So tell me Dear Reader, have you ever been to Hawaii and if so, what did you think of it? And which country do you think has the best service?
NQN travelled to Hawaii as a guest of Hawaii Tourism and Hawaiian Airlines. For the Country Farm Tour, she was a guest of Marilyn’s Maui Country Farm Tours. The meal at Leoda’s was independently paid for.
Leoda’s
820 Olowalu Village Rd, Lahaina, HI 96761
Tel: +1 (808) 662-3600
http://www.leodas.com
Maui Country Farm Tours
Tel: +1 808 283-9131
P. O. Box 278 Makawao, Hawaii 96768
http://mauicountryfarmtours.com/
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45 Comments | Add your own
And yet another great travel post. I have never been to Hawaii but it’s sure to be on the list now. The food looks great, but I have to ask, ‘fried salad’? if that’s not over the top, I really don’t know what is. I’m sure the pie was deeelicious.
Hawaii is like my sweet escape. The tropical scenery, great food, nice and friendly people make Hawaii a perfect spot for getaway. I heard raves about Leodas, glad you made it there!
I have never been to Hawaii but I would love to get there one day. Espresso Jam?? I would love to try some espresso jam. It all looks very lovely.
OK, I have to ask………do you ever stay home ??
Actually i am glad you don’t
That was a fun and informative post. I had no idea they grew lavender on Maui, the other crops, yes, but lavender? Surprise! As annoying as American enthusiasm can be at time, I do generally find service to be good there.
I have not been to Hawaii, but I would love to go. You can get great service in Italy…or terrible.
I’ve never been to Hawaii but I want to now!
We went to Maui earlier this year and loved it. We went to a little town called Paia and had heaps of fun trying the different foods!
Fried salad? Thats a first.
You didn’t eat the national dish – spam:)
Some of the Pacific Is have excellent service – tourist/service oriented plus friendly people. Your country is pretty good too.
Oh, I LOVED Leoda’s!
We stopped in there because I just LOVE pie shops… although I had to confess I had the Australian idea of a pie shop in my mind. And just as we pulled into the carpark I turned to mumsie and said, “You know we’re not going to find a meat pie in here, right?” We both stared at each other in a brief moment of realisation before laughing and going in.
I had the chicken pot-pie, and mum had something that looked like an apple turnover but was actually a mushroom savoury pastry. I found the pastry to be a bit strange, but the filling on my pot-pie was glorious and the servings weren’t too massive either.
This looks like a lovely day indeed! Lavender is so yummy and makes a great ingredient if used carefully. I’d love to try the pineapple wine too!
I think Australia has a lot to learn about customer service, but also customer etiquette- it works both ways after all!
Gee you get around girl!!
Love the pork Hoagie, I have never been to Hawaii but now it will be on my list of places to visit. It has always been high on MrGG ‘s list
Wow. Thanks. A side of Hawaii I have not heard or seen. Never been there, but refreshing to know there is more than the beaches and tourist spots that everyone seems to go for. That pork roll – so big!!! How do you do it?
I love Maui but haven’t been in far too many years – clearly it’s time for another trip!
I have been to Maui and loved it, but Kauai is my favourite island (and I live on an island!)The food, shopping and just the ‘Aloha’ is great. Can’t wait to see your other Hawaii posts.
Everyone seems so lovely! Now I see why you mentioned you went a bit crazy with the shopping there in Hawaii – it’d be hard not to
That banana cream pie looks positively huge!
You lucky thing, you. Always travelling! (:
Honestly, I really don’t know how you stay slim Lorraine!
I’d love to try the pork hoagie.
As for customer service, I think most Aussies would agree, it’s not here! Sorry to the good ones – my daughter works in a cafe also.
Ahhh so so so jealous Lorraine
I have always wanted to visit Hawaii! And i agree service in America is very good and attentive, we were shocked when we went to New York that service was so good hehe
Everything looks so delicious especially the banana cream pie! YUM
I think Japan as really good service too ~
ah, i’ve never been, but seriously, your post is making me want to go!!
thanks lorraine
When I lived in the US, in Los Angeles, I would very often have deep fried mozzarella sticks with marinara sauce in the same way an Aussie would have a kebab..yes on my way home from a club somewhere on Santa Monica Blvd. The deep fried mac & cheese looks even better!
Hi Lorraine,
I just want to say you are the most consistent blogger I have ever come across. Thank you so much for reviewing all places lovely. I am your biggest fan
That roast pork hoagie. My god .. was it every bit as delicious as it looks?
Have been smiling all the way down ’cause the Hawaiian islands have been my truly spiritual home since before you were born
! Long ran out of fingers and toes to count the times I have gotten off the plane and known I was ‘home’! Funny for a European-Aussie gal!! Actually all the eight islands have a windward [wet] and leeward [dry] side and it surely can pour there!! Why such love: can’t say – and I am not talking of the tourist areas: in the islands one has to get well away from those to find the mysticism and be part with the land: and if I had my druthers I would like my ashes to be thrown along the side of the mountain range from Nuuanu Pali in Oahu . . .well, one can dream . . .
Americans sure know how to do comfort food. Fried mac and cheese? Come on!
We visited Maui for my son’s wedding three years ago. I remember it Lorraine just as you described it. The Lavender farm was amazing and I still have and use the bath oil my daughter-in-law bought there for me. It’s funny reading how you describe the food (as you mention – the portions are huge!!) We found the area of Maui reminded us of the ‘old’ Gold Coast from say 30-40 years ago. I think the night life is mostly set up for the younger teenage folk – I wasn’t overly fond of some of the night spots my son took us to, as far as the types of food, but looking around ourselves we did find some nicer restaurants (wished I had made note of them!). As far as service Lorraine, I found everyone there quite friendly, especially upon hearing our ‘Aussie’ accent, but here in Australia I feel it varies depending on the person and places we visit. Sometimes amazing, other times not so good (we tend not to venture back when the service is below standard).
Cannot wait to read your story on Oahu!!
ARe you coming to Texas? Please come to Texas!
Fried salad? Hm.. only in America! They do have great service over there but it annoys me that they all expect a tip. I only tip if someone goes above and beyond. Otherwise they’re just doing their job like everyone else.
I have been to Hawaii and thought it was beautiful but I’d love to go back and do some adventuring now my taste buds have matured.
What an ALOHA visit, TRUE!
Glad you experienced good food, good service, friendly locals too!
Oldest brother used to be Assistant DA of Honolulu, lots of “Book em Danno” jokes over the years,
SOMETHING about the magic of Hawaii (and the memories made) always brings on joyful tears!
Re best service, honestly think it has to do with how much waiters/waitresses are paid, TRUE!
Here in Australia, there is no incentive to HAVE to provide good service, as people get paid whether they provide service or not too!
In the States, service people are paid a minimum wage, most do not know too!
http://www.dol.gov/whd/state/tipped.htm#Hawaii
That minimum wage plus any tips earned they have to pay taxes on, so the incentive to providing good customer service is a LOT different, TRUE!
I saw fried Mac and cheese and died my friend so much indulgence!
Thank you for an awesome tour!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Hope I am allowed back AND on gardening!! You have a delightful photo of the Schwarzkopf [black head] succulent half-way down the scroll! This is NOT just a tropical plant: in Australia it is known as Swartkop usually [came from S Africa to the best of my recollection], and in the very variable temps of the Southern Highlands they grow like a dream: I have a number up to a couple of metres high. And you can grow the smaller in pots and even indoors: quite a show [even flower!!]!
You sure had a lovely trip dear Lorraine. And I enjoyed it with you…
How fun to see all those familiar sites through your eyes and lovely photos. Glad you had such a grand time on Maui — AND that you finally got your pies. Leoda’s is such fun and I’m a total fan of their fish sandwich. Can’t get any fresher!
Oh Lorraine, you sure are always traveling and visiting nice places…we were in Maui almost two years ago…and next time there I have to make sure to visit all this nice places
Fascinating! Thank you.
That’s so funny, I picked up your reminder email while sitting in the foyer of the Makena resort in Maui, checking my email while on holidays from Canberra where I usually live and so many of the things you mentioned (like the winery and Oprah’s home) I heard on my tour only yesterday. I am loving it here atm and only wish I could stay longer to go and visit the shop you mention (but I have to leave to go shopping in Oahu tomorrow!!)
what a breath taking view! and omg lol at the fried salad. Talk about real healthy haha
I have been to Hawaii and Oahu and love it. I would have lived there if I could (either island)
As for best service U.S.A is very good but the best would be Singapore.
Oh what a wonderful trip Lorraine and so nice that Mr.NQN travelled with you. Hawaii is definitely a place you want to visit and share with someone special.
I’m getting carried away but that’s how I fondly remember my time there.
Have been but once , would dearly love to go again. Honolulu I found too commercial but loved Maui and still rant & rave to anyone that will listen lol, even though I didn’t do half the sightseeing that you did.
To me, Hawaii seems to cast a spell over you but in a good way. You just seem to feel more together and one with Nature.
Did you visit the old whaling town of Lahaina? Lots of history, quirky shops and the best hamburger I’ve tasted for a long time. It was HUGE and cost $28 but worth every bite, didn’t need nor went looking for any dinner that night! The next day my husband and a group of other tourists went on a mountain rally drive which I avoided as I tend to get carsick if the road snakes up a mountain-side.He returned that afternoon bubbling with enthusiasm about the volcanic crater Haleakala and surrounding national park.Then he proceeded to tell me about lunch and the massive Ribeye steaks ( sometimes referred to as Tomahawks), I was kicking myself for missing out on such a great day. Next time!
How lovely to be in Hawaii. I just love it there and my husband lived there for a year while he was in high school and he has such wonderful memories. I love the greeting/blessing from the lady and isn’t the service wonderful! You must have had the best time xx
Lorraine, I’m so confused by them making so much themselves yet topping pies with Cool Whip!
Something called fried salad is practically made for you since you can’t seem to resist the oddly named items. :p
The name is funny, but fried brussels sprouts have actually been fairly common for some time, so I don’t see them as an American novelty.
Re: tipping, servers in the US get paid below minimum wage. They only make $2.13 pee hour.
I’d also add that people are more than willing to pay far more than what is usually tipped to people “just doing their job”.
Oh man, that veggie burger looks delicious, as does the macadamia nut chocolate. Hawaii, how I wish to visit you! Ah!
“Fried Salad” – lol
Do you know where I can buy kale chips?
My husband and I spent our honeymoon in Maui in august this year. Ever since we’ve been brainstorming reasons and ways to move there…. The service in Hawaii was amazing. I often feel like I’m inconveniencing the waitstaff when eating out in Sydney
We’ve been to Hawaii 4 times – I guess we more than like it. It is US lite, with a nice bit of Japan thrown in. The fish is to die for. The shopping is excellent. There’s so much to see and do, and the people are so friendly.
I think the US wins hands down for service. Where else would a waiter offer to cut up your 7 year old daughter’s chicken at dinner on New Year’s Eve? Where else would the lovely shoe salesman at Nordstrom give you his card and offer to ship any shoes you wanted back to Australia! Ditto Ralph Lauren’s staff in Hawaii for clothes for kids. They are amazing – and I always tip! LOVE American service, and always feel disappointed that service here in Oz is so poor.
Gorgeous photos Lorraine! We love Maui. Have you ever gone to ‘Warren and Annabelle’s Magic Show’ in Lahaina? Unforgettable!
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