a sybarite in paradise

reviewing the food & entertainment pleasures of Honolulu

Whole Foods

[post_published]

O.K. I know, that was the shortest retirement ever. But with Brett Favre & Lance Armstrong doing it, why not me? I couldn’t resist, especially after being yelled at for taking pictures for this post. 

Whole Foods opened their first store in Hawaii yesterday at the Kahala Mall. New stores here always attract large crowds and yesterday was no exception. When I went back today with my camera in tow, it was a bit more normal, but still a good sized crowd. 

One of the biggest challenges I had to adapting to Hawaii when I moved here 6 years ago was finding the ingredients for recipes I found in Gourmet, Food & Wine and my favorite cookbooks. Over time I found R. Field inside a couple of Foodlands, Kokua Market & Down to Earth. I’ve even gone to Y. Hata the big wholesale food supplier, who also will sell to you retail. In the long run I’ve eventually found most everything I need. Sometimes it takes a trip to three different stores for everything. So, the opening of Whole Foods is wonderful. 

I was thrilled to see so much local produce! The bright orange “local” was everywhere throughout the produce section. In some places they even tell you the farm they come from and a little about that farm. I saw local bananas, baby bok choy, papaya, limes, oh the list goes on and on.

 

I was thrilled to see so much local produce! The bright orange “local” was everywhere throughout the produce section. In some places they even tell you the farm they come from and a little about that farm. I saw local bananas, baby bok choy, papaya, limes, oh the list goes on and on.

 

Next to the produce section are all the health and beauty items, including vitamins and dietary suppliments. It was the least crowded area.

 

There’s an Olive Bar and Charcuterie & Cheese(i.e. Deli) section next.