My final week of this year was spent in a gourmet eating paradise on the island of Maui. Based upon my parents’ expertise trying various establishments over the years (they live half the year on the island), they have cultivated a list of their favorite places, primarily closer to their residence on the North West side of the island near Lahaina and Kaanapali.
The DuBoff Top 10 of Maui.
1. Pacifico: This place has amazing fresh fishes (cooked in a variety of styles to individual preference) and it is located in Lahaina, right near the water. The restaurant has its own farm so all the ingredients are organic and local. Also found out that there is a bar/club that recently opened upstairs for after dinner drinks.
2. Roy’s: A famous chef who has had multiple restaurants on Maui and the other islands, as well as around the world. Top dishes are the Ahi poke, butter fish, spicy ahi tuna roll, and chocolate souffle for desert. The interior of the place is large and can seat many people (there is open view of the kitchen), however the location is in a sort of shopping mall, which is not as nice location as some of the other restaurants.
Chocolate Souffle @ Royy's
3. Mama’s Fish House: Easily the most well known and pricey restaurant on the island, we go here every year on my last night because it’s on the other side of the island, near Paia and relatively close to the airport. Despite the $40+ dishes, the food is extraordinary and the location is stunning right on a private secluded beach. The place is like a picture postcard from the time era of the South Pacific. The menu includes the actual fisherman who caught each fish that day. Complimentary for the dinner meal is a small cup of tasty Poi (sort of like gazpacho) as well as fresh baked loaves of bread. For desert this last time we tried the Black Pearl.. very nice mixture of chocolate, crisp and a bit of creme inside.
Black Pearl Desert @ Mama's
Opah with bok choy and jasmine rice @ Mama'sBlack Pearl @ Mama's
4. Hula Grill: I just googled and found out there are actually two locations for the Hula Grill, but the one that I am familiar with is the one in Kaanapali – in Whaler’s Village near many shops. It’s a sprawling restaurant right off the water with a massive outdoor and indoor area as well as a Tikki bar. Often during peak times, there is outside entertainment, such as luau style music and dancing. There are different menus dependent upon whether you sit in the more upscale area or in the Hula Bar area. Over the years the prices have increased and now the menu is not cheap – entrees are $20+. Yet each year the food is consistently good – fresh fishes, salads, and meats – a wide variety of dishes. They also happen to have very good mango martinis.
5. Ma’la Ocean Tavern & 6. Honu Seafood & Pizza. These two restaurants are right next to one another and both owned by husband and wife Mark and Judy Ellman. Ma’la is smaller and more intimate, as well as the original establishment, serving an ecclectic array of dishes – from Balinese Stir Fry with fresh island fish, to Ahi burgers, and great salads (gado gado). They also have a great list of drinks and deserts. If you are lucky you can sit at one of the few tables close to the water as the waves crash against the beach.
Honu, which opened this year next to Ma’la is also right on the seafront. The newer establishment is much larger and has a bigger size bar area and more outdoor and indoor seats. The food here is also very good, particularly the special pizzas - such as lobster or shrimp pizza, as well as the kale salad and Ahi Bruschetta (also served at Ma’la). Also unique is that instead of serving bread they offer lightly fried chick peas with meals.
7. Sansei Restaurant & Sushi Bar: One of the most popular places on Maui for Sushi and Sashimi. Sansei is located in a bit of remote area (in comparison to the restaurants in Lahaina or Whalers Village), but the ambiance inside the restaurant is nice. Favorite dishes include the Miso Butterfish, mangro crab roll, panko crusted tuna roll, as well as their other special roles. It’s best to mix it up and order a bunch of different items. Supposedly the place gets really crowded for their happy hour specials on Sundays and Mondays for 25 % off food ordered before 6pm, and after 10PM Thursday-Saturday the full menu is 1/2 price and there is kareoke.
8. Pinneaple Grill: Overlooking a golf and tennis courts, this is a large spacious restaurant and bar on the Kapalua hill side. The menu includes some wonderful dishes such as the cucumber gazpacho, pistachio & Wasabi Pea Crusted Rare Ahi Steak, and pineapple upside down cake for desert. On wednesdays wine is half price, and $39 three course prix fixe if you get there before 6 pm.
Upside down Pineapple Cake
9) Plantation House: Also located on a golf course and overlooking the Kapalua bay, near the Ritz Carlton, the Plantation house has a somewhat similar vibe to the Pineapple Grill, but a bit more fancy. There are great views at Sunset.
10) Hali’imaile (General Store) Located a bit off in the upcountry area, it’s a great restaurant to go to for lunch on the way down the mountain from Haleakala, for dinner on the way back from the road to Hana, or simply as a destination for excellent food. The building is an old general store dating the late 1920′s with quaint decor. Good food choices are the ahi salad, pineapple cake desert and other notables from Foursquare are Sashimi Napolean, hazelnut-crusted Opa and Bev’s “Famous” Crab Pizza.
Other Notable Mentions – Merrimans, David Paul’s
