kelela92's Profile
manapua in SD
I know this is an old thread, but I thought I'd make a suggestion. They sell manapua at Costco. They're mini ones and you get 12 total. Pop them in the microwave and honestly, they are moist, spongey, and the filling is pretty darn good. I've never had anything as good as that from any Hawaiian place nor Marukai. It's worth a try.
Simple Maui Recap
Bill,
I didn't realize Robert was a sommelier, so that could explain why he wasn't really helping us out overly much. Don't get me wrong, staff was great. It just seemed strange that we had so many people helping us out. And it was the 50/50 wine/dinner night. With a lot of other wine things going on that night. That makes a lot more sense then.
Bummer about missing Bev. I wanted to meet her and talk to her a bit. I thanked her for the great meal, told her she was the inspiration for my chef friend, etc. It was great seeing her there (heck, she was opening up blinds, setting up tables, etc it's nice to see owners do that and be around). As for steering us to Banyan Tree....no worries, you didn't really steer us there. We kinda ended up there since Kai was closed (again, augh!).
Lastly, no reason to sacrifice Kapalua, I mean, golf you can do any day of the week! hehehe.
Thanks to you (and many others) for all the great restaurants. Seriously, all I wanted to do was find all the good places and eat. Who cares about the beach, golf, etc.Okay, maybe saying golf was a bit extreme. lol.
Maui: any BYO/Corkage fine dining?
Interesting to say the least. Thanks for explaining some of the crazy laws. I'm not overly concerned, just curious though.
Simple Maui Recap
When we went to the Marriott, Mala wasn't open yet (it was about 1ish or so). Only Kumu was open. But yes, very friendly service there. Our waitress was awesome. So, although my friend picked up our tab, unbeknownst to us, we did leave her a nice tip. Next time, I'll have to stay at the Marriott, friend did say he could get us rooms VERY cheap. :) Although, I wouldn't mind the Grand Wailea at least once. Ah, too rich for my blood. Lucky kids.
I loved that Hali'imaile was only a 15 min drive from where we were staying that last night. On another board, someone suggested the Upcountry B&B in Kula. Short drive down the hill to Hali'imaile. The trip home, however, wasn't as fun (5 hour flight, and missing the food already).
Maui: any BYO/Corkage fine dining?
Older thread, but I'm curious. When I was at CJ's Deli & Diner, on the door, it said, BYOB. Now, it didn't sell alcohol, but it basically advertised that you can BYOB in. Is this different than a place that sells alcohol? And if not, why would they put that on their door?
Simple Maui Recap
First, a big thanks to everyone on this list who posts all the good eats on Maui. Now, for my short review.
I never did get to have a BBQ with my chef friend, however, I got a lot of recommendations from him, got to eat at his restaurant, and finally got to meet up with him. So, didn't need a "gift" after all really. But I should send him a thank you for lunch.
I can't believe we didn't realize we were about a minute, if that, from Whaler's Village, so we ate out our hotel, what a waste of money and time. We ate at O'no at Westin Maui. Seriously, bad service, food was okay, but nothing special and way expensive.
Oh yeah, ZIPPY's is on Maui now! So yes, I had to eat there. Come on, sometimes you just want some fast food. lol. And they have a bakery, so that made it that much more fun. Had to pick out some Nappy's and dobash and lilikoi for myself.
KAI - in the Ritz Carlton Kapalua:
I didn't get to eat here, but my chef friend said they have the best sushi out of Japan. Prices weren't too bad. Plate of fatty tuna was only $12 (we've paid $16 in CA by Chef Abe). We never got to eat there because 1. they're closed Tues/Wed (strange) and 2. only open after 5:30pm. Need to try that out one day. If anyone has had it, can you post and let me know what you thought. Thanks.
Honokawai Okazuya in Napili area:
ohmigod. that was soooooo good. Especially after being out in the sun all day, driving around. the food was soooo ono!!! I had the mahimahi fish and chips (the guy there suggested I eat that) and hubby had typical teri chicken. It was all so good though. Lots of food. I think I had the most expensive thing on the menu at around $14 bucks. Big menu, I couldn't decide, hence whatever he chose for me. :)
Cafe O'Lei @ The Dunes at Maui Lani golf course:
I believe others have recommended this place. The biggest thing I loved about it, was that there was NOTHING over $20 (heck, over $15). For an eatery, that serves that level/quality of food, AT a golf course IN Hawaii, I was astounded at the low prices. I had a mac nut crusted chicken on foccacia with basil aioli. Which included a Caesar salad and some funky greens in my sandwich. It was an artsy fartsy sandwich, but for $8, let's be real. Great price, even better food. My hubby had the kalua quesidilla. He said it was heavenly. And after playing a round on the links style course, sitting and looking out at the course, the mountains, the scenery in general and having a cheap but ono meal. What more could you ask for. (looks like it's not on the Cafe O'Lei website, but it is on The Dunes site)
CJ's Deli & Diner in Kaanapali:
This is where my chef friend wanted to eat. There were WAY too many things that looked good. Unfortunately for me, the item I ordered, the Mochiko Chicken, was out. So I stood there, not sure what to order. I was told we definiltey have to get back there for breakfast, but with so much golf, we didn't get the chance for ANY breakfast. Hubby had the Kalua Pork Hoagie, and although it was really tasty and good, he said he liked the Kalua Quesadilla better at Cafe O'Lei. So not sure what that means. I hate to say it, but I can't even recall what I ate that night. Either the food wasn't that great, or the company distracted me so much, I forgot. I just recall it being expensive. About $30 for two dishes and cokes.
We never made it to Da Kitchen. I am so disappointed.
Malasada search:
Well, we tried Komoda's. Rained out for golf at Pukalani, were up there, sooo......first, do NOT, I repeat, do NOT buy their malasadas unless you want a churro. Granted, I'm sure that's not what they're known for, so I guess I'll have to go to Oahu for Leonard's since I can't find anything on Maui/Kauai.
Mexican?:
per my chef friend, who was born and raised in LA, he said that Fiesta Time in P'aia is the best mexican, on Maui, outside of LA. Take that for whatever it's worth, since DH and I had just eaten, we skipped on Fiesta Time.
Banyan Tree at Ritz in Kapalua:
Since we missed Kai, again, and didn't know what else to eat (duh, Sansei is RIGHT THERE!), we ended up at the Banyan Tree, NOT knowing that this place is EXPENSIVE. I thought Mama's was expensive, forget it, this place blows them out of the water for prices. Seriously, the cheapest entree on the menu was $38. Hubby wanted the steak, which I believe was $65. Anyhow, they had a 50/50 menu, so we went with that. 3 courses for $50. The other 50 or $50 is wine. Overall the food was actually really good. Lots of great flavors that meshed very nicely. I had the Maui onion soup which was nicely mild but flavorful. The organic chicken was a bit dry, but the sauce made up for it. Hubby loved his beet appetizer. He had the steak, it was smooth and melted in your mouth, but sadly, we both would've preferred a filet somewhere else. For myself, nothing was worth that money. I could have eaten so much better at Kai. sigh. I wouldn't recommend it, unless you have money to spend. I believe Bill reviewed it, and his bill for two people was $375. Way out of my price range for great food. I think there are so many other better places to eat for way less money. (Bill, if you read this, we too had Robert, except, we only saw him twice. And neither time was to do anything of any importance. I guess he knew we weren't buying an expensive meal.)
Kumu at the Marriott Wailea:
After golf at Makena, we decided to check out my friend's hotel where he's a chef. Gotta try his food. Needless to say, the only restaurant open was Kumu's, which is poolside. I didn't realize he oversees ALL the food places of the hotel, so that made it that more exciting. We were going to do a chef's table but plans kept falling through. Anyhow, we had some Jawaiian nachos with jerk chicken. The chicken had some great flavors, although, I think the chips were a bit heavy. Hubby had the recommended kalua sliders and said they were even better than Cafe O'Lei. I had the burger. Mmmm...that thing was sooo good. Didn't need anything to add to it. Just burger and bread and I was good. At that point, we were full, so we couldn't even try dessert. Next time I'm there, I'm definitely doing a chef's table. Yum. Prices were on the high side, but considering it's Wailea and a hotel, to be expected. Oh, and this was 100x better than Westin's Ono Grill.
Ulupalakua Ranch in Kula (next to Tedeschi Winery):
I heard I had to try the elk burger. But y'know what? The Maui beef burger was 100x better. It was super moist, super tasty, didn't need any dressings. Was better than my Kumu burger by a long shot (may need to tell my friend that). I'm not sure what it was, but that has got to be the best burger I have had (and trust me, I love my burgers).
Cafe 808 in Kula:
Let's talk local. Patio plastic chairs, folding chairs, all different kind of tables. Nothing matched at all. reminded me of when you grab all your extra "visitor" furniture and put it out. This place had the typical local menu. Tons of choices, cheap prices, what DO YOU get? I ended up getting the 808 plate. It had mahi mahi, spam, bbq beef and fried chicken. And of course mac salad and rice. the bbq beef was excellent, the fried chicken was okay, the spam was greasy, and the mahi mahi tasted like any ole fish. But for $6, who cares. Like I said, typical local food. Hubby had the beef stew. Minus a taste I couldn't pinpoint, and not a bad taste, it tasted EXACTLY like how my mom makes it. So he was happy. And yes, she makes it Hawaiian style. lol. Sometimes, Mom's make it best.
Best for last...
Hali'imaile General Store in Upcountry:
Wow. Y'know, I wish I had gone here for my wedding dinner and not Mama's. This place was GREAT! Bev was there, she was helping us with buying shirts at the end (I got the phonetic one, lol). We started out with the famous crab pizza. Yum. Not overly creamy, but oh so delightful. Crust was soft, fluffy and didn't add, nor take away from the crab...which IMHO, is a good thing. We then had the Poke-tini. Oh yum. Excellent advice from our waitress....she brought us a plate and turned it over. Much easier to eat and you got to taste it all. The fish was melting in your mouth. I couldn't even describe the taste of the rest, I'd suggest looking at her menu and reading what was in it. I think it was the shiso that gave it it's unique taste, which I liked a lot. Hubby ended up having the Maui beef ribeye on bleu cheese mashed potatos. I had the mac nut mahi mahi. Hubby said the potatoes was like eating bleu cheese straight. So, for someone like him, who doesn't like bleu cheese THAT much, it kinda ruined it for him. However, if you love bleu cheese, a definite must try. My fish was moist, soft, tasty. And I don't even really like cooked fish (I try to eat what I can there, because I know its good). The purple potatoes were great, gave it a little different flavor. And the mango lilikoi butter sauce just added to the fish. I expected great food, but this was heaven. lol. For dessert we went with the chocolate mac nut pie. Sorry, I'm not a fan of pineapple upside-down cake. Oh jeez. All I can say is, what a way to end my Maui trip (we were heading for the airport right after this scrumptious meal).
Honestly, I was trying to hit a lot of places you Chowhounds suggest, but jeez, I did NOT have enough time. When I'd see one place, I had just eaten at another, so I can't eat again. I enjoyed almost all my meals. I could only wish we had great places like this in LA. Or maybe it's the view I want. Even when I'm in OC at Mastro's, its nothing compared to being in Hawaii, even at Hali'imaile General Store with really no view. If you recall, I mentioned how expensive Banyan Tree was. Even with two appetizers, two entrees, and one dessert at Bev's...our bill was still less than Banyan Tree. And the food, IMHO, is a lot better. More creativity, versus frou frou.
Like I said, a simple review of the places I went. I just wanted to say that I missed out on so many great places, but yet, I had to choose, golf or food. I chose golf and paid most of my money there. We were also too busy to get to Kihei and Lahaina (went once to both places for about an hour). Next time, I need more money and more time. :)
Hope this helps out some Chowhounds. I know all the reviews, big and small, helped me out on my foodie journey of Maui. If anything, I would suggest Cafe O'Lei (cheap) at The Dunes and Hali'imaile General Store (expensive).
Fire Code bans use of barbecues on decks of apts. and condos - HELP
Just a thought....can you use your BBQ in front of your garage? I konw it's soooo not as fun as a deck, but here at my condo complex, some of the patios are enclosed, so people just roll their bbq's out into the alleyways (where our garage doors are) and start cooking right there. It's a way around not doing it on your deck.
Personally, and IMHO, I'm glad for the ban. If my home went up in flames because someone was using charcoal and wasn't paying attention, I'd sue big time. I agree with some others, it's not only your home you're endangering. Good luck on fighting the state on this one.
Dinner w/a chef, what do you bring?
Well, it looks like we're doing a BBQ. Not sure what to bring now. I guess wine would still work. Definitely bringing some poke. :) I asked him if he'd like anything from CA. Maybe I'll make him some of my famous yummy cookies and bring those. hehehe. As long as DH doesnt' eat them first.
Hmmm........is bringing wine to a bbq type thing, still good?
Dinner w/a chef, what do you bring?
Just wanted to say you guys are great! thanks for all the suggestions. At least I have a list of things I feel better about bringing. lol.
Dinner w/a chef, what do you bring?
I'm thinking this may be the easiest way. Just need to find a good place to buy wine that knows what they're talking about. LOL. Cuz I don't drink, so I wouldn't know the difference.
Dinner w/a chef, what do you bring?
Slim-Jims, huh? interesting. I honestly wouldn't know what to do with those if someone gave them to me. How about some Jacks Links instead?
Dinner w/a chef, what do you bring?
Honestly, I'd have a great laugh and not even care!!!! Especially, if I'm on the beach in Maui, drinking a cold one (coke for me please). He could serve me Kraft Mac and Cheese, but with those views, I'm sure I'd think it's the best thing in the world (maybe not, but you get the point).
Dinner w/a chef, what do you bring?
Unfortunately, tha'ts the hard part. I'm in CA, he's in HI. I may ask him if he wants anything from CA since he hasn't been here in awhile (he grew up here). And there's a lot of "specialty" things in HI I'm sure he gets for his restaurant, if not for himself. I'll have to decide if I want to bring something with me to HI, or buy something there. With the airplane rules, may be easier to buy there.
Dinner w/a chef, what do you bring?
"p.s. A detailed thank you card (where you write the text) after the event is always appropriate."
LOL. Yes yes, I will definitely send him a hand written thank you note.
Dinner w/a chef, what do you bring?
Hmmm....I like the idea of cocoa powder. He LOVES chocolate. Not a pastry chef, but he enjoys making sweets. :)
Dinner w/a chef, what do you bring?
Well, he offered to cook, either at his home, or for us to do a chef's table at his restaurant. So, either way, I'm getting him something for what I'm sure will be a wonderful meal. :)
Dinner w/a chef, what do you bring?
Ooo....good idea, esp for a chef. He can cook with it, or create something to go with it. Great idea.
Dinner w/a chef, what do you bring?
Thanks everyone. I'll be in Hawaii, so an orchid may seem like a great choice (lots of variety and choices). And I never thought about wine being a gift, not something to have to open for dinner. Definitely a good thought and he can enjoy that with his gf. As for the knives, I don't think I would, only because I can only imagine how personal a knife is to a chef (heck, I'm an admin, and when I check out laptops, all I care about first and foremost is if I can type easily or not, lol). Great ideas. Thank you!
Dinner w/a chef, what do you bring?
I'll be visiting an old classmate in May. He's an exec. chef. Um, what can I bring, that won't offend? I keep thinking we can bring a bottle of wine, but if he's cooking, he'll probably know what is best (to drink, I wouldn't, I don't drink). So, w/o offending his good taste in food, what would you bring?
Thanks.
Early Maui Dinner (Kahului side)
I looked up the rates, how is Makena $47? Was that some sort of special through a group or something? Here's the listed rates.
Standard: $210.00*
Non-Resort Guest: $175.00
Twilight $120.00 Tee Times after 1:00pm
Summer Rate $160.00 Available 5/1/09 - 9/30/09
Summer Twilight $115.00 Available 5/1/09 - 9/30/09; after 1:00pm
Replay Rate $80.00** Same-day/space-available basis
Early Maui Dinner (Kahului side)
Yay on the TSA being fast. :) Let's hope it is for me when I have dinner. lol. Thanks for the info on the courses. Maybe we'll play Makena North to break in the week since it's cheap in the PM, and then maybe try Wailea Emerald or something. I think the Kapalua courses are out of our price range (being over $200pp), although it'd be neat to play the "Mercedes Open" lol. So, nothing good to say about Ka'anapali, huh? Interesting. :)
Thanks again.
Saimen on Maui
Aren't soba noodles those grayish-purple noodles? As far as I know, saimen isn't made with soba noodles. But then again, I make my saimen with Hamura's noodles and S&S.
Saimen on Maui
Since in another thread, I read that Hanafuda's in Kihei is closed, someone had mentioned Sam Sato's for being a good noodle place (including Saimen, but not limited to it). I believe they're in Wailuku. I hope you get more replies, because I want to know the same thing. Having gone to Kauai all my life and having Hamura's, I'm always craving it, and last time I was on Maui, we found Hanafuda's. Good luck.
Early Maui Dinner (Kahului side)
I don't recall it being bad when I went 3 years ago. Hmmm...I always think LAX is bad. Bleah. Big long winding line for nothing.
We don't know where we're going to play golf yet. Any suggestions? I was thinking Makena North, OR since we're staying at Westin Maui, one of their Ka'anapali courses (guest rates are doable, non-guest rates aren't, yikes).
What's your best burger in OC?
Cool. Close by, easy access. Definitely will need to try that one out. Thanks for the suggestion. Question, since the large parking lot is in front of Whole Foods, what exactly does "across" mean? Do you mean across the parking lot? Across the parking lot AND small street? Across Jamboree the other direction? Hmmm.....lol
Early Maui Dinner (Kahului side)
I keep staring at their chocolate macadamia nut pie, and I'm drooling. I hope that's there when I get back. Sadly, I love fresh pineapple, but am not a big fan of pineapple upside cake. I think it's because it's cooked. All that you listed, sounded wonderful. I am definitely going to have the crab pizza for a starter, like you.
Made my reservations already. She seemed to laugh when I said May, but hey, as long as I'm in the books. Yay. I'll recheck them later on.
Early Maui Dinner (Kahului side)
Thanks for working that for me. I agree, I'm going to go for it. It sounds like a place NOT to miss, and so many others on that side too, so I'll have one good last meal before we go home. That way, I can eat all the other "good, but not fancy" places on other days.
Sadly, I think I'm more excited about all the food, versus us golfing. lol
Early Maui Dinner (Kahului side)
I forgot about Da Kitchen being in Wailuku. Can I just pig out at all those that you mentioned? Sheesh. Now i'm hungry.
What do you both think? My interisland flight to O'ahu is at 8:35pm. Do you suggest stopping at Hali'imaile GS and have dinner there? Remember, I have to return my rental car then check-in for my flight. BTW, when/where do you pay your luggage fees (those suck).
I'm unsure how far Hali'imaile is from OGG and the rental car, blah blah blah.
Thanks. I'll look into Stinger Ray's. I saw Pa'ia Fish Market's menu, I think we'd like a bit more "fine dining". lol. I'll also check out Stopwatch. Thanks for the suggestions!!!
