Mana Ai

I love Mana Ai pa’i’ai! I really like taro, and I’ve always been partial to fresher, sweeter poi over sour poi, so when I first tried pa’i’ai, which is a denser, fresher precursor to the type of poi you see in the grocery store, I was in love. Neva mind the $ 25 price tag — it’s so filling, so versatile, and so high quality that it’s worth it. I’m so excited that there is now an option to order online :) I haven’t tried the poi, but I’m sure it’s just as delicious. If you’re curious about the pricing or the product itself, the website does a great job of explaining why it’s worth it. This is a great company with a great story and product!
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Spent a day with Daniel Anthony pulling slabs from Waikalua loko pond and then purchased a slab for making our own papa ku’i’ai. This was a great day of learning about Hawaii’s cultural practices and how to change our own lives to be more intuned with nature and improve our eating and working habits. Daniel’s passion for what he does is unmatched. I never was a poi eater, after being introduced to fresh pa’i’ai I am a full convert. The rice is out and the poi is in (my belly). You won’t go wrong when you convert to fresh pa’i’ai too. Be sure you get yours from Daniel and his crew at Mana Ai.

I have been privileged to been able to taste the Pai’ ai he has pounded. I have also been lucky enough to meet him and his nephew who were instrumental in teaching myself and my family how to make our own boards for pounding (although we are in the first stage of it, as it is hard work) his knowledge, experience, and plethora of history makes every interaction a memorable one. Mahalo Daniel and Ohana for making me a better representative of my ancestors and my culture. I look forward to finishing up our boards and learning so much more from you all.

Daniel’s pa’i’ai, poi and aloha is unmatched. When I first came to the islands I tried poi at one of these mass luau’s and it was kinda nasty and thought to myself, how do they eat this stuff?. Since meeting Daniel and buying his poi I have converted, I mean this stuff is so ono, I eat it every day. I have been buying Daniel’s taro, pa’i’ai and poi for about a year now and there is no better. The pa’i’ai and poi are very smooth, no lumps and as tasty as it gets. If the kalo (taro) is not up to his standards he won’t sell it, he is very strict about what he pounds and sells and the price is right.
Because the poi was so good I took a class Daniel taught called the Haloa Challenge, during the course we were taught how to pound and the history of kalo. I will soon have a board and stone for pounding and I can’t express how grateful and blessed I am for Daniel’s efforts.
Mahalo nui Mana Ai for converting me and turning me on to the best poi EVA!