Vol. 31 No. 4– Fall 2015
Editor: Christie Stilson
LAHAINA– It looks like the Outlets of Maui will be adding an additional 50,000 square feet of retail shops. They will be housed in a one-story building in the parking lot.
Sushi Ko has opened on Front Street in Lahaina. If you have been on Maui or visited for many years you may remember this as the former Avalon (which is below the former Moose McGillicuddy’s). Early reviews are promising and if they get it together it will save a drive to Kapalua or Kihei to go to Sansei. They have late hours which is great as few restaurants are open past 9:30pm in Lahaina! While awaiting their liquor license it is BYOB but call to check to see if that is still in effect. 844 Front Street. (808) 661-555. Hours are 11am -1am.
Dirty Monkey will reportedly open late 2015 in the former Moose McGillycuddy’s upstairs location on Front Street.
An old cane road may help further ease the congestion on Honoapiilani Highway. The Kuhua Street extension is located on county land and property that is owned by Pioneer Mill Co. Ltd. The plan is for a two mile road that would be parallel to the lower Honoapiilani Highway and stretch from Keawe Street to Front Street, however, the project is delayed due to approvals and funding.
Is your sweet tooth calling? Check out Sweet Aloha Baking Company for freshly baked cinnamon rolls and other baked goods. Also available is Hawaiian Village coffee 7am – 10am Mon-Fri. They add their own twist on cinnamon rolls – peanut butter or raisin and assorted muffins and Aloha bars. 1203 Keawe Street. (808) 283-6052 www.sweetalohabaking.com
KAANAPALI -- Maui Fish and Pasta has closed. No surprise to me. I’ve previously written about the poor food and inept service. Even though DK does run great sushi restaurants this one never got off the ground. Upon opening they had a menu that was too big. Even a name change and chef change were too late to save it. Congratulations to DK on the announcement of a Sansei opening soon in Seattle!
KAHANA – It’s almost an annual event that the restaurant at the Kahana Resort changes hands. The new Beach House Bar & Grill opened July 1st. It is convenient for folks staying in the Kahana area. YELP doesn’t have many good reviews on it so I hope they can overcome these opening months.
MA`ALAEA – This August the small boat harbor initiated paid parking. Fifty cents per hour or $12 for 24 hours.
And plenty of other news in sleepy little Ma`alaea with the closure of Saltimboco in July and Porto Pizza (which was operated by the Pacific Whale Foundation) has also closed. The Aquarium’s “Seascape” restaurant has a lovely view of the harbor and no aquarium admission required to eat there. Another small restaurant remains at the lower level of this mall but change is in the wind. Just down along the waterfront is the Ma`alaea General Store we mentioned in a previous newsletter. The menu is on a board on the back wall and you order at the counter. In 2007 this mall in Ma`alaea was purchased for $12.9 million and the shops just kept closing with nothing to attract visitors. This last July it was purchased by Paul Cheng of Maui Harbor Shops & Restaurants for $13.4 million. He promises a world class re-design of the property (which is already underway) with an upgrade of the shops and the center. He is focused on more ‘island flavored’ tenants which will attract tourists. At last report the parking is still free.
KIHEI –There are some places on Maui that seem to open and close quickly. But there are times when just the right matchup works. One of these places may be the new Nalus South Shore Grill. This location has seen a handful of restaurants that all closed in a few short months. Located at Azeka’s Mauka and near the Ace Hardware store (which used to be Azeka’s Market with ‘ono’ delicious ribs!) is the new kid in the block. Ron Panzo previously owned Nick’s Fishmarket and is the current owner of Lulu’s (where the oxtail soup is divine!) so I already am having high hopes and I haven’t even eaten there! Nalu is named for his pet dog which translates to “go with the flow,” and they help keep these prices low by having you order at the counter. The prices are in the $11-30 range. They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner 8am-10pm. With five flat screen tv’s they could have people lingering on game days. They feature complimentary infused flavored water while you wait for a staff member to deliver your order. They have a lot of local foods and even the famous Azeka ribs! The Cubano sandwich has pork shoulder, Swiss cheese, kosher pickles and more! The chicken and waffles didn’t sound appealing but the cornflake French toast sounded interesting and the crab BLT, apple brie burger or ahi club all caught my eye. 1280 South Kihei Road (808) 891-8650. 8am-10pm.
WAILEA – The shops of Wailea have reportedly been sold for $342 million to a Chicago based Company. The parking quandary appears to be resolved with parking free for the first hour and two hours available with a validation.
Joe’s Nuevo Latino was bringing together the talents of island chef Beverly Gannon and two other island chef’s in a partnership. It was a great concept but it closed within a couple of months.
WAILUKU– Pau Hana Kava opened earlier this year and they describe themselves as a health conscious restaurant (vegan) using local, organic products. They have Middle Eastern cuisine, cold pressed juices, alcohol free beverages, vegan desserts and kombucha or kava beverages. Kava is a Tongan and Marquesan beverage and throughout Polynesia there are other names for it. In Hawai`i it is also known as `awa. I tried Kava once and found it made my tongue numb almost immediately. The herbal properties of this root are reported to relieve stress and anxiety and help with insomnia. I was feeling pretty relaxed after a few sips. You might want to read online about contra-indications and risks before you try it. A little tricky to find down an alley at 2070 Vineyard. Hours 11am-2pm and 5-9pm. Closed Saturday and Sunday. They are adding activities such as yoga classes.
Check out the new Caribbean inspired food truck on Market Street under the banyan tree. Lots of Jamaican and even some Panamanian influences blended with island flavors. Their original plan was to offer vegetarian fare but they found that chicken was a popular request so they sourced out organic free-range chicken. You can bicycle blend your smoothies, enjoy Kona cold pressed coffee. Broccoli cheddar soup might be on the menu as well as tacos and jerk chicken 93 N. Market Street. www.Kokopelemaui.com
KAHULUI – In my opinion the best Chinese Restaurant on Maui’s has closed. Dragon Dragon located at the Maui Mall had good Chinese food and even Dim Sum. The location will reopen later this year as Max of Manila. Who remembers Ming Yuen in Ka`anapali and Kahului location many moons ago?
Early this week employees showed up at Ruby’s Diner at the Ka`ahumanu Center to find a note on the door that they were closed and would not be re-opening.
PAIA – Hana Provision Company quickly opened to rave reviews. Their farm to table approach includes innovative meals at affordable prices. Folks heading down from Haleakala have been discovering it by chance and word is spreading. Among top contenders are the farm fresh burgers, the coffee coco rubbed ahi, the ulu and sweet potato gnocci, sweet potato fries and squash risotto. (808) 868-3688 71 Baldwin Avenue. Hours 7am – noon and 5:30pm-9pm daily.
Paia Bay Coffee started small as just a coffee house featuring their own blend of Nicaraguan, Brazilian and Sumatran coffee. Recently they have expanded with an “After Dark” menu which starts at 5:30pm. Dinner options include Mediterranean flavors and with coconut soup with steamed mussels, salmon, lamb or shrimp skewers, and until they have a liquor license you can byob. They are open for breakfast which features farm fresh eggs and freshly baked croissants with service at 7am. Open for lunch as well. 115 Hana Highway, Paia (808) 579-3111.
UPCOUNTRY & HALEAKALA -- Kula Fields is the new name for the former Enchanting Floral Gardens in Kula. The gardens are open daily 9am-5pm but the drive thru coffee opens at 7am and closes at 10am. You can shop for locally grown produce, artisan goods or purchase a snack at the to-go café and enjoy a stroll around their 8-acre botanical garden. 2505 Kula Hwy. Near mile marker 10.
The Haleakala Park Headquarters at the 7,000 foot elevation of this dormant volcano will be closed until late November for upgrades to the parking lot, restrooms and roof repairs as well as structural improvements. There is still a small visitor center at the 9,741 summit.
HANA – Travaasa has a new general manager. Marni Aina was formerly the assistant manager and joined the hotel in 2006 as a massage therapist back when it was still Hotel Hana Maui. Congratulations Marni!
MISCELLANEOUS – Trilogy II is the newest of Trilogy’s vessels and it was built right here in my town of Portland, Oregon. It is 64 feet long and it took 17 days for them to sail the boat from Oregon to Maui. I bet that was a fun trip! The vessel is now home to a lovely Sunset dinner that offers table seating. Cost is $129 per person and you have a choice of fish, steak or vegetarian entrée. They depart three nights weekly at 5:15pm from Ma’alaea Harbor. Guests must be at least 21. Looking forward to trying this out! www.sailtrilogy.com (808) 874-5649
BEST OF MAUI for 2015 had some interesting tips! Most of the voting is from the local folks so if they like something it might bear consideration! Here is a sampling of the results.
BEST HAPPY HOUR – Three’s Bar & Grill with happy hour twice a day from 3-6pm and again 9-10pm. Cocktails, beer, Margaritas or Mai Tais run $3! 1945 S. Kihei Road (808) 879-3133.
BEST FARMERS MARKET – This one goes to Upcountry where farmers set up to bring you the freshest produce. Also baked goods, farm fresh eggs, raw macadamia nuts and more. It’s more a farmer’s market than the Kahului version which is also a swap meet.
BEST SAIMIN – The winner is Star Noodle at 286 Kupuohi Street in
BEST SUSHI – No competition with Sansei in Kapalua or Kihei offering innovative and delicious sushi and rolls!
BEST HEALTH FOOD STORE – Bypass Whole Foods and head to Paia where you’ll find parking a little difficult but the store is old school with fresh produce, health care products and a deli.
BEST PAU HANA – Dog and Duck also was runner up for the best Happy Hour and this Irish pub is a find tucked in the heart of Kihei but off the main street. Their food is good and the atmosphere is friendly and mostly local.
BEST PIZZA --Goes to Pizza Madness at 1455 S. Kihei Road. I haven’t been there but if you are in Kihei and hankering for pizza you might give it a try.
BEST BURGER – I agree with this one as Cool Cat does have a great burger with certified Angus beef that is fresh, not frozen. Even their buns are freshly baked locally. Plus many nights you’ll find local entertainment. They are in the Wharf Cinema Center at 658 Front Street upstairs. Runner up is Teddy’s Bigger Burgers in Lahaina and I’ve kept meaning to give them a try. Hana Provision in Paia might give them a run next year!
BEST DINNER SHOW – Warren & Anabelle’s gets top nod. It’s been a long while since I’ve visited this show but now I’m anxious to go back. It’s at 900 Front Street in Lahaina. When I first heard that they were opening with their magic show I didn’t think it would fly but it is intimate and amazing. (808) 667-6244 www.warrenandannabelles.com
BEST BREAKFAST – Kihei Caffe has been around for many years now and there is good reason for it! Big portions, good food, indoor and patio seating (albeit on the road). It is also one of the earliest restaurants to open which gives them extra kudos from those east coast guests who are up at 4:30am when they first arrive on Maui. You’ll find them at 1945 Kihei Road (808) 879-2230 and usually packed.
BEST HIKE – The Pipiwai Trail, along the Hana Highway, is a good one and it is better known as the Bamboo Forest. The overall hike is four miles with pretty easy trekking. Bring plenty of bug spray. Personally I like the hike to Twin Falls which is at the start of the Hana Hwy. Bring more bug spray!
As we were reminded in a recent article of the Maui News …. heavy rain that comes down in upcountry takes little time to fill the canyons along the Hana Highway and cause the narrow channels to quickly flood. One man was recently swept away when this happened at the Pipiwai Trail. Areas with waterfalls are naturally very dangerous. Luckily he was found safe but very likely pretty battered and bruised.
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