mechteach's Profile
Anniversary dinner, Lahaina-area, Maui
We ended up doing Gerard's for our anniversary, and did the degustation menu. It was a very nicely put together meal - not "island" cuisine, but full of fresh and locally-sourced ingredients. The service was also professional, and it was very pleasant to sit out on the lanai as the evening deepened. It would have been nice to do a series of wine pairings with the menu, but that was a little more difficult. The list of wines by the bottle is quite extensive, but they do not have a large selection of half-bottles or wines by the glass.
We also had a nice meal at the Lahaina Grill (with the kids - don't worry, they are well-behaved!), but I did not find the setting to be as romantic.
It isn't in the same league, but I really enjoyed a dinner we ate at the Hula Grill in Kaanapali as well. It was within walking distance to our hotel, and I really expected no better than typical beach food - grilled fish, limp veggies, etc. Instead, I had a tandoori-style Monchong that was unbelieveable. My husband had Kiawe wood grilled Mahi Mahi that was good, but the tandoori Monchong knocked it out of the park. The seasonings were well balanced, and the fatty consistency of the fish was a perfect counterbalance to the spice. The grilled fish on the Keiki menu was also prepared with more skill and care than I would have expected, and was promptly inhaled by both of our kids. It was definitely the surprise restaurant of our trip.
Thanks again, everyone, for the input. I have a nice wish list of other restaurants now for the next time we are lucky enough to go to Maui.
Anniversary dinner, Lahaina-area, Maui
Thanks, everyone, for the feedback. We've decided to do the Lahaina Grill with the kids at an early seating on another night. For the anniversary dinner, we're booked into Gerard's, mainly due to the taxi vs. hotel shuttle situation. There's still availability at Merriman's, though, so I'm wavering a bit....
Anniversary dinner, Lahaina-area, Maui
We're going to be on Maui for our anniversary this year, and have lined up a sitter for our two young-ish kids. We're looking to book a special anniversary dinner, with three main factors:
1) the quality of the food (of course!),
2) the ambience (preferably not a room filled with kids, since we'll be on break from ours...), and
3) the convenience.
We're staying at the Sheraton in Kaanapali, and would like a non-driving option (so that we can both have wine). There's a free shuttle to Lahaina, but I assume that we can instead get a taxi pretty easily to/from the Kapalua area.
After reading through pages of past reviews on this board (as well as on other sites), it appears that the best option for us is the Pineapple Grill, where I have booked a reservation. Now, as we get closer, though, doubt is beginning to set in! Merriman's has been getting a lot of good posts, and I'm also intrigued by the Lahaina Grill. I *think* that Pacific'o and I'o are not the same level of quality, but their location on the water is very nice. I would very much welcome any thoughts/opinions. Thanks!
Pittsburgh Sure Likes its Beer
Glad you enjoyed the beer in the burgh (and go Pens!). If you come back, you might also like the selection at the Sharp Edge and Mad Mex. I also agree with theboatmanscall that the Church Brew Works and Penn Brewery are fun and tasty.
Grilled Cheese Sandwich ... fried or toasted?
My daughter likes it cooked in a skillet with butter, I like it sans butter/oil in a George Foreman Grill (a gift from my folks) - which makes for a nice, cheap panini-style press, btw. To each his own...
Raclette Grill
It's probably too late, but Whole Foods in E. Liberty had them as of a few days ago, along with 2 varieties of raclette cheese.
La Foret in Highland Park (Pittsburgh)
(I have to finally de-lurk for this....)
I live in Highland Park, so I'm probably a little bit biased due to proximity, but I think that Laforet (it's all one word for some reason) is one of the best restaurants in Pittsburgh. The quality of the ingredients is very high (Elysian Fields lamb, Maple Farm duck, etc.), and the preparation is uniformly excellent. I have probably been to Laforet 30+ times in the last five years, and have never yet had a dish that is off. Their tasting menu is very nicely put together, and I would recommend it. Furthermore, their service is attentive, informed, and excellent (some members of the waitstaff have been with Laforet for years). The atmosphere is intimate, and it's a great choice for V-day.
If I had to criticize Laforet, I would say that I wish they had more wines by the glass or half-bottle (like Casbah, for example), though their full-bottle wine list is decently deep, with a range of options for any budget. I would also mention that their menu only changes 4-5 times/year, and the individual dishes are more classical in scope than, say, Bona Terra. By classical, though, I don't mean that the dishes are heavy - it's more 'new French' than Le Pommier. A good, basic example is their salad - describing it as lettuce, croutons, bleu cheese, bacon, and vinagrette makes it sound bland, whereas the individual touches (the flavor, size, and texture of the croutons, the balance of the vinagrette, etc.) that go into putting the salad together raise it to another level (probably the best I've had in Pittsburgh).
