Wailuku is the government and business hub of Maui. During a stroll at lunchtime, it is easy to find various office workers, medical personnel and government staff milling about and enjoying their lunch breaks. Wailuku is probably the only place where you will consistently find people wearing long pants and even suit jackets.
If you want local flavor, Wailuku is the place to be. My first stop is a Wailuku institution - The Little Giant of Happy Valley - Takamiya Market.
When I first moved to Maui, I told my friend who was living in Kihei to take me to a local place to eat. He and his wife took me to Tommy Bahama in Wailea. Hmm, that's about as local as Captain Cook.
In retrospect, I wish they would have led me to Takamiya.
If you really want to sample "local" food, this place will let you choose from a myriad of prepared cellophane wrapped dishes such as beef liver, turkey tail, booze cake, hoisin pork ribs, shrimp kimchee, ahi teriyaki, corned beef hash patties, and fried chicken gizzards, just to name a few. Most, if not all the dishes - which remind me of Spanish tapas or Japanese bentos - are priced under $5.00.
In fact, there are so many dishes that I feel like I'm in candy store. If there is an order to the mayhem, I can't tell. The apparent haphazardness, at least to my untrained eye, is part of the appeal.
Before departing Wailuku town, I make a stop at Rumbold Sausage King across from Main Street Bistro and MAPA. It was still early, so the lunch crowd hadn't arrived yet, but I couldn't resist the smell and ordered a grilled Polish sausage with onions, mustard and a guava juice. 
The operator - A.J. - declared that this is one of his several locations. Just before I arrive, a local businessman ordered the same dog as me, which he wolfed down in literally 2 minutes.
The dogs here are not puny and skinny, they are juicy, plump, and reminiscent of succulent cuts of meat bursting with savory goodness.
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