LANA‘I - Maui: Including Molokai and Lanai - page 552

WHERE IS ALL THE PINEAPPLE?
More than 20 years have passed since the last pineapple was picked on Lana'i, but
some visitors still think of it as “Pineapple Island.” Although Lana'i once boasted a
16,000-acre pineapple plantation (which, as the world's largest, supplied nearly 75
percent of the world's pineapple), rising production costs caused Dole to close its
Lana'i operation and focus on the Philippines and Thailand. The only remnants still
visible of the Dole plantation days are the ubiquitous scraps of black plastic found
sprouting from the red dirt and fluttering in the breeze, pieces of which are believed
to go down as far as six feet into the dry and dusty ground. So even though the men's
high school basketball team is still known as “The Pine Lads,” Lana'i has shifted
from an agricultural economy to a tourism-based one. For an in-depth look at the
history of the pineapple on Lana'i, and to see some of the island's lone remaining
pineapple plants, visit the Lana'i Culture and Heritage Center in sleepy Lana'i City.
When you've had your fill of plate lunches, infuse your diet with some fresh fish at
the M Lana'i Ohana Poke Market (834 Gay St., 808/559-6265, 10am-3pm Mon.-Fri.,
$7-17, cash only), which in classic Lana'i fashion is either open until 3 o'clock or until
they run out of fish. Local people feel the same way about poke that Bubba in Forrest
Gump felt about shrimp: There's shoyu poke, limu poke, poke Hawaiian style, kimchee
poke, furikake poke ... the list goes on. While the poke alone can be expensive, your best
bet for a cheap and filling lunch is a poke bowl: one-third pound of fish served with two
scoops of either white or brown rice. Simple outdoor picnic tables provide the seating for
this hole-in-the-wall takeout stand.
AMERICAN
Just down the road from Richard's Supermarket, Café 565 (408 8th St., 808/565-6622,
10am-3pm and 5pm-8pm Mon.-Sat., all day Tues.-Wed., $6-22) is a great option for a
group that can't decide on a single taste. This hole-in-the-wall offers a culinary combo of
Italian, American, and standard local fare where calzones, pizza, and sub sandwiches com-
prise the Italian portions, while burgers and plate lunch options round out the rest of the
menu. The interior atmosphere can be a little drab, so the picnic tables on the front lawn
are the place to be. Plus, you can still pick up the free wireless signal from out here, or if
you want to go the old-fashioned route, people-watch as locals go about their daily routine.