Maui restaurants?

[jschyun]

We're staying in one of the Kahana Vacation Club Condos, near Lahaina, next week. We're there for my boyfriend's b-day, and I wanted to surprise him with a nice dinner out.

Budget (feh, who needs a budget) is however much it takes to have a lovely dinner with great food, decent portions (he's a big eater), and comfortable surroundings with few if any kids.

I heard Nicolina's is good for this. Any comments?

Also, for non b-day meals, what are the best, inexpensive places to go for lunch/dinner? I heard Manana Garage is good. Also, Honokowai Okazuya & Deli for inexpensive take-out. Kahana Grill?

We like all sorts of food, but it would be nice to find some little shack that serves the food you can only find on the islands.

[Kimo]

We lived on Maui for 2 1/2 years (very close to Kahana). For a small island, there is a great food/restaurant scene.

Chez Paul (Olowalu, about five minutes from Lahaina) is approximately 20 minutes from Kahana. Chef/owner Patrick Callerec was the executive chef at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua for nine years prior to opening his own place. Classic French cuisine with a Hawaiian twist (nothing like it on Maui). I believe the restaurant is closed on Mondays.

Nicolina (Kahana) is right next to Roy's (Kahana). My husband and I perfer that place (similar menu to Roy's) because it is not as busy nor as crowded. Menus may be viewed at www.roysrestaurants.com.

In the same shopping complex (not very romantic) is Fish and Game (Kahana). Excellent seafood, reasonable prices, great lunches. This is the place to watch Sunday morning/afternoon football.

Honokowai Deli & Okazuya (Honokowai) is the best "gourmet" plate lunch place on the island. Closes very early (6 p.m. I believe), not open on Sundays. Order the mahimahi in capers, butter, wine, mushrooms with rice and stir fried veggies (instead of the mac-mayo salad). The chef/owner was the executive chef of Mama's Fish House in Paia. I have friends in Seattle who ate at Honokowai Deli & Okazuya 10 times during their eight day trip in late 2002.

Sansei Sushi (Kapalua) offers 25% (50% for local residents...if they're still doing it) on Sundays from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Get there at 5 p.m. and wait in line. We would order $100 in sushi for $50 on Sundays.

Plantation House (Kapalua) offers stunning views, especially during whale-watching season (November to April, which I believe you are missing). One of the best places on Maui to watch the sunset. The food is okay-good, the views are spectacular. We would breakfast there every other Sunday (still stunning views, decent omelettes).

Manana Garage is in Wailuku, approximately one hour from Kahana. It's close to the airport and may make a great stop on your way back to Kahului Airport (to return your car, catch your flight).

Hope this helps. Report back...Kimo

[ScorchedPalate]

I second Kimo's descriptions of Nicolina and Kahana Grill. Disclaimer: they're not the same genericized asian/island fusion that you find at so-called Roy's around the country. On our last trip in June, we had a great meal at Kahana Grill; the food was great, the service was outstanding, and the wine service was beyond competent (which really suprised me). The prices were even reasonable considering that it's Maui. The only drawback I can think of is the lack of view.

Cheap eats-wise: Up north a bit, on the road that leads to the Ritz, there's a little country store that sells "local-style" breakfast that was, for me, a great treat: Rice, portugese sausage, scrambled eggs, packets of soy sauce. [You could have Spam instead of sausage if you want to go really local. ] You walk through the store and order at the kitchen counter in the back, and you can eat your brekkie on on the picnic tables on the patio (er, lanai...). It tasted even better when I realized that it cost about 1/5th the price of the Ritz's cheapest breakfast (around $4).

Do seek out at least one of the locations of Maui Tacos (the one in Kihei being our favorite). SoCal style taqueria; a fantastic find when you're starving after a two-tank dive. :)

Enjoy Maui; I am very jealous.

~Anita

[torakris]

here are a couple older threads you might want to check out:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST...t=25020&hl=maui

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST...t=23093&hl=maui

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST...&t=5415&hl=maui

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST...&t=5617&hl=maui

[jschyun]

Thanks for the links and the suggestions.

I had actually done the searches for the earlier threads but none of them mentioned Nicolina's, which was recommended by this one guy, whose site I read on the internet. From his description the food there sounds delicious.

I actually commented on one of the threads with suggestions culled from a bunch of reviews on the internet. However, I recently found some more and thought it might be nice to get comments on them from people who know.

I will report back with my experiences. Thanks again. This is a very useful site.

Edited September 3, 2003 by jschyun (log)

[Kimo]

A few additions:

A Saigon Cafe (Wailuku) is one of the best Vietnamese restaurants I have ever dined at. I am still trying to find something like it in Seattle/Tacoma. No sign on the restaurant. No sign on the door. I suggest lunch vs. dinner since it can be very, very busy at night.

Lemongrass Cafe (Lahaina) - another excellent Vietnamese restaurant.

Honolua Store (mentioned in an earlier thread) - offer "hobo" breakfasts and plate lunches (also offers mini-hobos with one scoop of rice rather than two). I know this sounds gross--I love Honolua Store's spam musubi (fried Spam wrapped with white rice and nori).

Pacific'O (Lahaina) - Hawaiian Regional Cuisine, sister restaurant of I'o (same chef also creates the menu for Feast at Lele, a high-end Polynesian revue I highly recommend)

Old Lahiana Luau (Lahaina) - this the best luau in the state of Hawaii (and the closest to being authentic from hula to cuisine).

[richw]

I loved Sansei. I ate at the newer Kihei location 4 times during my visit. Even had the seared foie gras sushi there. Everything seemed fresh. The sushi "flowers" appetizer was great, and the locally grown upcountry greens salad was so very incredible too.

It was all very very good. Only thing I noticed that was "off" about the place was that one evening when I arrived early for the 25% deal, I noticed that the rice in my Toro nigiri sushi was still warm. It was still way better than anything I get in South Florida sushi bars.

Pacific'O was good (not great) for a more formal restuarant. It certainly wasn't an unforgettable dining experience, especially if you haved dined in top places on the mainland.

Definitely go to a supermarket and buy different types of Poke salad if you're in to raw tuna. I absolutely loved the stuff!

[jschyun]

A Saigon Cafe (Wailuku) is one of the best Vietnamese restaurants I have ever dined at. I am still trying to find something like it in Seattle/Tacoma. No sign on the restaurant. No sign on the door. I suggest lunch vs. dinner since it can be very, very busy at night.

If there's no sign how did you find it?

[Jaymes]

Mama's Fish House.

[Kimo]

I guess you could MapQwest it

From a website:

A Saigon Cafe

1792 Main Street

Old Naoke's Steak House

Daily 10 AM - 10 PM

Sunday 10 PM - 9 PM

(808) 243-9560

Vietnamese Cuisine

Voted the Best Ethnic Eatery on Maui for the fourth year in a row in the 1999 Maui News poll of readers. Last year they tied for the Best Business Lunch in the poll. Try the summer rolls dipped in hot peanut sauce and their special crisped opakapaka. There is no sign out front, but obviously, they don't need one!

[Kimo]

I could not believe I forgot Komoda Bakery (sometimes the first stop for many after flying into Kahului Airport) for the cream puffs and Long Johns. The perfect reward for watching the sunrise from Haleakala Crater:

T. Komoda Store and Bakery

3674 Baldwin Ave

Makawao, Maui, HI 96768 (upcountry Maui)

808-572-7261

Closed Wednesday and Sunday

"This unassuming bakery is a local legend in the area and has been serving the Upcountry for decades. Their baked goods are much-coveted, and people frequently line up in the morning for a chance to buy the tasty treats. The cream puffs (thick custard spilling out of light pastry) are the star attraction, although you'll also be seduced by the Long Johns (filled doughnuts) and the butter rolls. Cakes and cookies are also available. Whatever you do, make sure to go early. Almost everything sells quickly, and there's nothing worse than craving something you can't obtain."