Tour uncovers top Maui sites to gas up, grind

There was a time when people went to gas stations to, well, buy gas. These days, their car’s tank might be full, but they’re pulling up near the pumps anyway to pick up everything from glue to games to great local food at on-site convenience stores.

Great local food at gas stations? Bonnie Friedman, owner of Tour da Food Maui, confirms that with a resounding "yes!"

Friedman knows what she’s talking about: She grew up in Brooklyn in a family of excellent cooks, bakers and confectioners and remembers helping her mom and grandmother in the kitchen from the time she could hold a spatula.

When Friedman moved to Maui 32 years ago, she immersed herself in the island’s food scene and went on to earn recognition as a food writer, cookbook author, restaurant publicist, certified pastry cook and owner of chocolate manufacturing and gourmet catering companies. In 2008 she launched Tour da Food Maui, which takes food enthusiasts on themed excursions featuring tastings at some of the island’s best markets, restaurants, farm stands and food manufacturers.

The inspiration for the GAS-tronomy tour came while Friedman was researching a magazine story on gas station food two years ago. She visited at least 10 stations all over Maui and was pleasantly surprised at the quality and variety of food that she sampled at their minimarts.

"I thought I knew everything about food on Maui, but that assignment showed me I still had a lot to learn," Friedman said. "I had that proverbial ‘aha moment’ and thought it’d be fun to do a tour that revolved around gas station food. I started planning the tour as I was writing the story."

Launched in June 2012, GAS-tronomy begins with a stroll through Heritage Gardens Kepani­wai Park near Wai­luku, which honors the Hawaiians and people from afar who played key roles in island history. Highlights of this pretty, peaceful oasis, which opened in 1952, include authentic reproductions of a thatched Hawaiian hale (hut), a Fili­pino house, a New England saltbox, a Japa­nese teahouse, Chinese and Korean pavilions and a Portuguese "forno" (outdoor oven) set amid stone lanterns, arched bridges, koi-filled ponds and an abundance of greenery.

"We talk about all the different ethnic groups that came to the islands, the foods they brought with them and how those dishes and ingredients have been incorporated into what we now call ‘local food,’" Friedman said. "We get acquainted with each other as we enjoy a sweet morning snack and ‘talk story’ about Maui’s history and culinary diversity."

A leisurely road trip stops at four gas stations in Kihei, Kahu­lui and Wai­luku that offer popular local fare such as mahimahi bentos, sweet chili fried chicken and cas­ca­ron, the Fili­pino version of butter mochi.

At one station the kitchen is visible, so shoppers can see the staff cooking and bringing out fresh food throughout the morning and lunchtime. Available here are "broke da mouth" plate lunches, including breaded teri­yaki beef, chicken cutlet and Swiss mushroom burgers. Pastele stew, a traditional Puerto Rican dish, is among the specials on Wednesdays, kalbi with kim chee fried rice tempts customers on Thursdays and baked opaka­paka is a brisk seller on Fridays.

Friedman’s personal favorite is the char siu chicken. "If I give the kitchen manager a few days’ notice, she’ll make sure it’s available for my GAS-tronomy group," she said. "The chicken has just the right balance of sweet and pungent flavors; it’s one of the best plate lunch entrees I’ve ever had."

The tour is filled with lively conversations about participants’ food experiences all over the world. "They want to know about the ‘must’ places to eat on Maui," Friedman said. "They’re also interested in my background and travels. I’m happy to talk about pretty much everything except religion and politics."

A TripAdvisor reviewer noted, "Bonnie … was a great host, full of information about Hawaii’s history, its food and everything else we peppered her with questions about. That this tour is strictly at gas stations should be enough to let you know the meals come with styrofoam, not a sommelier. You probably know whether or not you’re the kind of person who would go for that."

People who most appreciate GAS-tronomy are adventurous types who don’t mind trying new things and often seek them out. They believe connecting with kama­aina opens the door to the "real Hawaii."

"Everything we sample has been prepared in locally owned and operated kitchens," Friedman said. "Most folks don’t think of gas stations as places to go for good food. GAS-tronomy opens their minds to possibilities, which is how memorable vacations always start."

Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based freelance writer whose travel features for the Hono­lulu Star-Adver­tiser have won several Society of American Travel Writers awards.