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Favorite Maui Restaurants
Maui Restaurant Update - Meet the
chefs who are making it happen!
NEW MAUI MENU
Maui Restaurant Update
from Bon Appetit magazine
Island-hopping just keeps getting more delicious
Meet the chefs who are making it happen!
FEAR NOT, travelers to Hawaii who weary of macadamia-crusted fish and passion fruit reductions - the dining scene is getting a makeover. On Maui, (Oahu and the Big Island), chefs are using the exceptional local ingredients in bright new ways and opening a collection of bright new restaurants. (The trend has skipped sleepy Kauai for the most part - but that's why we love it, right? Mainstays like A Pacific Cafe in Kapaa and Koloa Fish Market are keeping foodie visitors happy there. Elsewhere, trailblazing chefs are sidelining their seared ahi to experiment with island-style bistros, Mediterranean cafes and even Italian. Take D.K. Kodama (of Sansei sushi fame) on Maui. Sure, the man named his children after cheeses - Brie for the girl, Chev for the boy - but a sushi chef doing Italian?
Vino
Village Course
Clubhouse
200 Village Rd.
Kapalua, Maui
808 661-8466
D.K.
Kodama and Chuck Furuya's Italian restaurant in Kapalua, Maui, called Vino, is
the only Hawai'i restaurant on Condé Nast Traveler
magazine's annual list of Hot Tables — new restaurants whose
design, service, sense of place and food transcend industry standards.
(That's Vino's shrimp and scallop Alfredo pictured and Kodama in his Sansei Sushi
Restaurant.)
At Kodama's VINO, a wine bar in Kapalua, there's grilled asparagus topped with a creamy egg and salty breadcrumbs, sausage-stuffed pasta, or an earthy dollop of foie gras on focaccia sprinkled with warm goose fat and salt (don't think about it, just eat it). The brainy wine staff will match your raft of antipasti with selections from the 220-label cellar assembled by Master sommelier Chuck Furuya. And for anyone who doubts that a raw-fish guy can do marinara, Kodama has one response: "They should just look at my belly."
A.K.'s
Cafe
1237 Lower Main St.
Wailuku, Maui
808 244-8774
The staff T-shirts at A.K.'S CAFE in Maui's county seat, Wailuku, say "Eat Better", and that's as much a command as it is a slogan. Chef-owner Elaine Rothermel named the cheerful, diner-style restaurant after a Hawaiian friend whose diet she revamped. Butter- and salt-free dishes (don't worry, they're delicious) like garlic-crusted ono with a gingery cucumber salsa and healthy sides - artichoke-textured breadfruit; sweet steamed taro; real Hawaiian poi, not that gloppy luau stuff - prove that eating right can be very enjoyable. More proof comes in the form of Rothermel's crisp low-sugar sugar cookies.
Favorite Maui Restaurants
The Bay Club Mama's Fish House Merriman's Bamboo Bistro
Roy's Nicolina Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar
The Bay Club
For dreaming and dining, ask for a table on the
deck facing the ocean.
At THE BAY CLUB at the Kapalua Bay Hotel, ask for a table on the deck facing the ocean when making your reservations. Make sure to arrive 45 minutes before the sun sets for the full effect. The beach-beautiful atmosphere, waiters clad in dinner jackets, a view of a deserted pool and sailboats on the ocean beyond almost distract you from the food. For sunset-watching during pre-dinner, order a glass of white wine to sip with crisp lavosh served with salmon mousse. Table-side salad service and fresh island seafood, such as Caribbean-spiced ahi, pesto-baked mahi mahi or pumpkin seed-crusted snapper add up to a leisurely dining experience.
Mama's Fish House
799 Poho Place, Kuau, 579-8488
The food, the service, and the view will bring you back to Mama's!
MAMA'S FISH HOUSE is probably everyone's favorite restaurant on Maui! Located in a coconut grove on the beach where you're likely to see windsurfers in the distance during lunch. Great, imaginative fresh fish dishes. Try the fish chowder, have a fresh ahi (tuna) sandwich served on cheddar cheese rosemary focacio bread accompanied by fresh fruit salsa and Molokai purple sweet potato chips (as I did recently) or other delectable dishes. Always great service, in a very Hawaiian setting. Also romantic for tropical drinks and dinner at sunset.
Merriman's Bamboo Bistro
300 Maalaea Road, Suite 300, Maalaea, 243-7374
In Chef/owner Peter Merriman's third restaurant, MERRIMAN'S BAMBOO BISTRO, you can order dishes sized to suit your appetite, from "taster" portions called tropas ("tropical" plus "tapas") to solo entrees to large family-style platters. Prices range from $8.95 for a tropa sample of shrimp, macadamia nut and corn fritters with cilantro sour cream (which we enjoyed for lunch preceded by the Fresh Fish and Shellfish Chowder and side of Hirabara Farms Green Salad with olives, capers and vine-ripened tomatoes with red wine vinegar and olive oil.) to $21.95 for whole-roasted kalbi moi island fish). Signature dishes of sesame-crusted island fish with spicy lilikoi (passion fruit) sauce and wok-charred ahi highlight a menu with south-of-the-border accents by Chef Scott Feltz, as well as freshly baked pastries and desserts such as coconut crem brule and mango cobbler by Julie Smith. An extensive wine list includes carafes of wine and white sangria.
Roy's Nicolina
34405 Honopapi'ilani Highway, Kahana, 669-5000
ROY'S NICOLINA has an exhibition kitchen where the a portion of the menu changes four times a year, while a sheet of 15 to 30 specials changes nightly. Roy's is famous for its island-style roasted banana pork loin with a Chinese black bean hoisin sauce and signature items such as blackened ahi (seared fresh tuna) and babyback ribs done in a sweet and spicy Chinese style with hoisin sauce are featured.
Sansei Seafood Restaurant and
Sushi Bar
The Shops at Kapalua, 115 Bay Drive, Kapalua, 669-6286
Sushi, seafood, and sake, oh boy!
In a few short years, this small, out-of-the-way restaurant has received accolades usually reserved for those which have risen to national and international acclaim. The most prestigious honor came in the 1998 Zagat Hawaii Restaurant Survey, considered by many to be the "Foodie Bible", in which Sansei received the highest rating for food in the State of Hawaii. And, it held onto its first place status in the 1999 Survey as well. The restaurant has also won Hawaii's most distinguished culinary honor, the Honolulu magazine "Hale Aina" award, as one of Maui's best restaurants for two consecutive years. And it's won numerous "Best of Maui" honors in annual Maui News readers' polls and "A Taste of Lahaina" prizes for such innovative signature dishes as Asian Rock Shrimp Cake and Crab & Mango Mamenori Handroll. The force behind the food is Executive Chef/Owner Dave "D.K." Kodama. This Oahu native with many years of international culinary experience has combined his own Japanese heritage with Hawaii's incredible ethnic mix and the flavors he experienced in his travels to create a style very much his own. The fabulous Sansei dining adventure begins upon opening the menus. The sushi menu is creative, big and tantalizing. The 'anything-but-regular' dinner menu features items like Sansei's Asian Style Braised Short Ribs (Tender Boneliss Braised Beef Short Ribs in a Rich Lobster Thai Curry Sauce & Topped with Fresh Mint, Basil & Cilantro). There's a whole slew of specials offered every evening and for those who think unkindly on desert at sushi restaurants, minds are changed here by either the Crème Brûléer or Granny Smith Apple tart. (Click HERE for a recipe from Ruth's Recipes.) We found SANSEI SEAFOOD RESTAURANT AND SUSHI BAR an absolutely incredible dining experience - and well priced at $21.95 for the entree mentioned above, a mixed assortment of sushi, and Crème Brûlée (each of which, we split!)
Several changes are on tap for Maui's dining scene. Among them is the recent opening of TROPICA, a beachfront restaurant at the Westin Maui located in renovated space formerly occupied by Sound of the Falls. RUTH'S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE has joined several other eateries at the Shops at Wailea. And, set to open soon, is SARENTO'S ON THE BEACH in renovated space formerly filled by Carelli's.
RUBY'S DINER - Be-Bop-A-Lula! It's a great place to visit before or after a movie at the Queen Kaahumanu Center. Cherry Coke, chili fries, shakes - this is the '50s' all over again. Waitresses in candy-striped uniforms bring entrees such as avocado hamburgers or chicken tacos to your table. The food is good, as are the prices and portions. (275 Kaahumanu Ave., Kahului. 808-24-7829)
MANANA GARAGE - The Latin theme and slick uptown garage decor (note the gas pump door handles on the front door) make this Kahului's new hotspot. The food is delicious - veggie enchiladas, Cuban sandwiches, fresh spinach, salmon salads and chimichangas - available for lunch and dinner. (33 Lono Ave., Kahului. 808-873-0220)
DUNES RESTAURANT - Chef Dan Saito is at the helm, providing a style of flavors that merge Maui's fresh-grown ingredients with a traditional home-style approach that provides an Asian-American twist. (133 Maui Lani Parkway, Kahului. 808-877-7461)
CAFE DES AMIS - Savory and sweet crepes served in the French tradition or hot Indian curries served in wraps or with flatbread make choosing dinner at this tiny restaurant difficult. (42 Baldwin Ave., Paia. 808-579-6323)
WILLIE'S PLACE - Slated to open in July 2002, legendary country-western performer Willie Nelson, a local resident and pub owner, Jim Fuller, have teamed up to create this down-home, Southern-style nightclub and restaurant. Expect impromptu visits from Willie Nelson or Willie K and performances by an eclectic mix of others visiting the island. The menu features hush puppies, ribs, fried oysters, red beans and rice - even fried catfish. A great 'find' with a comfortable atmosphere and moderate prices. (117 Hana Highway and Baldwin Avenue, Paia)
RUTH'S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE - The new Ruth's Chris Steak House in Wailea is expected to live up to the reputation of the established Lahaina restaurant, whose steaks have been voted 'best on Maui' for three years by The Maui News. Live Maine lobsters, hot spinach salads, blackened ahi appetizers, gumbo and "sizzling blues" (a crab cake concoction) are served in this New Orleans-style atmosphere. Save room for bread pudding or fine Crème Brûlée (two locations: 900 Front St., Lahaina. 808-661-8815; or 3750 Wailea Alanui, Wailea. 808-874-8880)
PENNE PASTA CAFE - Check out Chef Mark Ellman's latest. This noted Mauian has a knack for providing great food at low prices in low-key settings. At Penne Pasta, which opened early in 2001, there is nothing on the menu more than $13. Serves thin, gourmet pizzas, super Caesar salads and some lip-smacking pasta dishes. Wedged between galleries, this is a great place to visit on Art Night after the gallery stroll. (180 Dickerson St., Suite 113, Lahaina. 808-661-6633)
CAFE SAUVAGE - Chef Dean Louie punches up a California/French island menu with the spices and flavors of Micronesia, where he lived for years. Try Shrimp Aeleguen, a steamed prawn appetizer with lime juice, yellow ginger and toasted coconut. Seared ahi, braised veal shanks, scampi and filets also are menu highlights. This restaurant opened in January 2002, so as the 'new kid on the block', it's worth a try. Save room for a Sauvage sundae dessert. (844 Front St., Lahaina. 808-661-7600)
SPAGO - Chef Jason Seibert heads the newest restaurant at The Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea. Many Hawaiian fish entrees are featured including walu (butterfish) in a broiled miso glaze as well as whole steamed moi served Hong Kong-style. Signature dishes include poke in a sesame-miso cone and fresh hearts of palm wrapped in Parma ham. (3900 Wailea Alanui. 808-879-2999)
CHEESEBURGER IN PARADISE - This chain now includes a spot at The Shops at Wailea. The cheeseburgers are great, while the Mandarin shrimp and Chinese chicken salad are extraordinary, as are the desserts. "The mud pie is so large that we serve it with four forks," says Manager Robert Larragote. Decorated in Hawaiian memorabilia, Cheeseburger in Paradise offers nightly entertainment and a retail shop. (3750 Wailea Alanui. 808-870-8400)
OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE - The Aussie theme, and large portions of steak and fresh-catch seafood make this chain unique, but only in Hawaii can you order the silverton sirloin, marinated in teriyaki sauce. Sticky rice garnished with Guamanian finedine sauce is an island specialty worth ordering. (Safeway Plaza, 281 Piikea Ave., Kihei. 808-879-8400)
ROY'S (Also see separate listing below) - Roy's is legendary in the Hawaiian Islands and for good reason. In a style of cuisine coined "Hawaiian-Fushion," menus are changed daily and the freshest local ingredients and produce are utilized. "Ohana (family) and aloha are more than just words. These words are what inspire our food and service from the heart, and are the hallmarks of the dining experience," says Roy Yamaguchi. The restaurant chain began in Hawaii in 1988 and is now world- renowned. Check out Roy's newest in Kihei. (Piilani Village Shopping Center, 303 Piikea Ave., Kihei. 808-891-1120)
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