Eating & Drinking on Maui

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AWARD-WINNING RESTAURANTS!

CHEFS GONE WILD! WHAT MAKES A WINNING RESTAURANT? CHEF OF THE YEAR HAND-CRAFTED COCKTAILS MAUI’S OWN OLIVE OIL

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June 2016–May 2017 MauiMagazine.net Monkeypod Kitchen’s No Ka Oi cocktail features Ocean Organic Vodka, Thai basil, and honey-liliko‘i pureé. Pair it with Monkeypod’s ‘ahi poke tacos. Photo by Nina Kuna

Islandwide Dining Guide The Future of Food Security

OUR GUIDE TO MAUI’S BEST

Eating Drinking Dayboat scallops on crispy potato cake with black truffle yuzu sauce—one of the treats at Grand Wailea’s Humuhumunukunukuāpua’a.

A spritz of elderberry hydrosol and a single red begonia petal finish this Pau Maui Vodka martini.

TABLE OF CONTENTS E&D

E&D

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CHEFS GONE WILD Turning foraged foods into haute cuisine

by Becky Speere

12 WHAT MAKES A WINNER?

These four ‘Aipono awardees prove there’s more than one path to success.

by Becky Speere

NINA KUNA; RIGHT: MIEKO HORIKOSHI

E&D

18 VINTAGE PERFORMANCE

At 35, the Kapalua Wine & Food Festival uncorks a celebration of culinary excellence.

by Diane Haynes Woodburn

E&D

22 ‘AIPONO’S 2016 CHEF OF THE YEAR

by Becky Speere

26 2015 ‘AIPONO AWARD WINNERS E&D 40 ‘AIPONO’S SPECIAL AWARDS E&D

ADVERTISING SALES (808) 242-8331 ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Michael Haynes, Laura Lewark, Barbara Geary MANAGING EDITOR Lehia Apana DINING EDITOR Becky Speere ART DIRECTOR & DESIGNER John Giordani DESIGN & PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Shelby Lynch CONTROLLER Kao Kushner E-MAIL ADDRESS Info@MauiMagazine.net

Publishers of Maui Nō Ka ‘Oi, Kā‘anapali, Island Living, & The Shops at Wailea magazines

Eating & Drinking is published annually by Haynes Publishing Group, Inc., 90 Central Ave., Wailuku, HI 96793; (808) 242-8331. ©2016 Haynes Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reprinted and/or altered without the written permission of the publisher.

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Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs are welcome, but must be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. The publisher assumes no responsibility for care and return of unsolicited material.

Maui N¯ o Ka ‘Oi » Eating & Drinking

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“Its authenticity, intimacy, hospitality, cultural integrity and sheer romantic beauty have made this Maui’s top lu¯‘au.”

F r o m m e r ’s M a u i

H awa i i M a g a z i n e

“This is the best lu¯‘au on Maui.

I rate it the best in the state.”

Featured in:

Emeril Live National Geographic Traveler New York Times The Travel Channel K a h i l i A wa r d s

1999 “Show”, 2000 “Attraction” Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau

Voted “Best Lu¯‘au”by Maui Residents Zagat Sur vey

“Excellent” “Extraordinary to Perfection”

For Reser ved Seats Call

(808)667- 0700 To l l f r e e

(800)248-5828 www.oldlahainaluau.com 1251 Front Street, La¯haina Along the ocean in Historic La¯haina Town

STORY BY BECKY

SPEERE PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIEK O HORIKOSHI

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PHOTO BY MIEKO HORIKOSHI

Dining

Left to right: Hali‘imaile Distillery’s Mark Nigbur, Honu’s Anton Haines, The Mill House’s Jeff Scheer, wild forager Sunny Savage, chef consultant Robert Ramshur, and Tin Roof’s Sheldon Simeon Maui N¯ o Ka ‘Oi » Eating & Drinking

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Dining

Clockwise from left: Wading into a jungle of wild greens, Sunny forages for false ‘awa leaves and flowers. Highly nutritious, wild mallow seeds cluster on the stems of this edible plant. False ‘awa’s inflorescence looks a bit like string beans. Polygala paniculata’s roots, steeped in vodka, impart a wintergreen-sarsaparilla flavor; the tops can be steeped for tea.

January 25, Evonuk Farms Spent four hours in the organically managed fields, harvesting one scant gallon of wild mallow seeds growing between rows of coriander. The striated, lime-green seeds conjure images of baby sea urchins, but taste of sweet butter lettuce with a gelatinous mouth feel. Sunny will cook and purée the seeds to create a vegan egg-white substitute. She says, “It’s great for people challenged with gastroesophageal reflux disease. It coats and soothes the entire intestinal tract.” So many foraged foods have dual purposes, as nourishment and healing.

February 5, someplace in Huelo Piper auritum (false ‘awa) is an invasive species despised by local gardeners, but it has found a place in our basket today. The white inflorescence doesn’t look like a flower, but like long, skinny tubes dancing at the tops of leggy, ten-foot-tall bushes covered with heart-shaped leaves. Sunny is distilling a potion and must process the plant quickly to capture

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its delicate, licorice-like aromas. Cooked and puréed, the young, shiny leaves will deliver a big phytochemical punch.

We’re also gathering Polygala paniculata—snakeroot, also known to locals as root beer plant because of its wintergreensarsaparilla scent—which Sunny will distill into a hydrosol.

February 15, International House of Pancakes Sunny and I have come to IHOP for a meeting with the chefs who’ll prepare the February 21 Modern Savage dinner. Two of them are former ‘Aipono Chefs of the Year: Sheldon Simeon, of MiGRANT and Top Chef fame; and Jeff Scheer, who runs The Mill House restaurant at Maui Tropical Plantation. Organizing the event are 2013 MNKO “Holiday Test Kitchen” chef Anton Haines of Honu, and Rob Ramshur. Formerly a private chef here, Ramshur now lives in San Francisco, where he works as a chef consultant. He’s flown to Maui for this event, and when I ask him why he felt drawn to planning and executing a wild foods feast, he replies, “To inspire chefs with new ingredients, [and] help spread Sunny’s message of the importance of diversity in our diet. I worked with her last year and it was an experience I wanted to share.” We’re also joined by Leaf & Limb Kombucha, a company that works with organic, fair-trade tea and organic produce from Maui farmers.

Sunny has spent 100 hours foraging wild stuff, and it looks like a Chinese apothecary shop as she places her cache on the table in the middle of the restaurant. Like a rabbit-in-the-hat magician, she dips her hand into the ice chest and pulls out Mason jars filled with dehydrated powdered greens made from mallow leaf, wild Turk’s cap, red hibiscus granules, baby pipinola (chayote squash) pickled in feral fennel seeds, pink peppercorns, Job’s tears leaves, distillates of false ‘awa flowers, elderberry, sandalwood, and butterfly ginger hydrosol; honohono (grass), oxalis, and Erechtites valerianifolia, also known as shin san cho or fireweed.

Sunny has challenged each of the chefs to compose three

TORI SPEERE: CENTER: BECKY SPEERE

It’s early morning, and I’m trailing Sunny Savage into the Ha‘ikū countryside. Savage is the author of Wild Food Plants of Hawai‘i. As I follow her, immersing myself in the moment, I liken our foraging to childhood excursions with my mother, who shared her Hawai‘i-Japanese knowledge of edible plants like pohole fern, bamboo shoots, watercress and wild fruits. Sunny is a bubbling spring, calling out the botanical names of wild plants and their health benefits. I understand some of what she says, but mostly I feign understanding . . . a lot.

We’re harvesting food for a Modern Savage pop-up dinner that will be prepared by some of Maui’s top chefs, for whom Sunny has become a mentor. She has been gathering and processing wild foods for the dinner for months, and invited me to assist her for a few harvests. Her knowledge of wild, edible plants, and their oftentimes off-the-beaten-path locations, turns our foraging into an adventure. Here are my notes from three days at the master’s side.

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February 19, Huelo Early morning again; dew hangs from the grass blades. One of Sunny’s mantras, she says, is, “Eat at least one wild food every day.” Another: “Eat a rainbow of wild foods [for] the biodiversity of their nutrients.” Wild foods contain more concentrated micronutrients than commercial crops.

We harvest juicy honohono grass tips, false ‘awa flowers, seeds and the leaves of sour oxalis and wild elderberry. Then we drive to a secret spot along the road to Hāna for shin san cho.

Originally from Asia, this “weed” hopscotched its way to Hawai‘i via immigrant plantation workers. Sunny peels the hard covering on the stem and we eat the crunchy yet tender centers, which taste sweet and celery-like, and have an intense vegetal aroma.

February 21, Pop-up night at a private home The twelvecourse feast is about to begin. Dustin Hampton and Ben Zerbe, owners of Leaf & Limb, serve kombucha “Champagne” cocktails, one with wild elderberry, the other with fruit of invasive banana poka, a distant relative of passionfruit. Petals of rose geranium and butterfly ginger decorate sugar-rimmed martini glasses filled with Hali‘imaile Distilling’s Pau Maui Vodka. Hydrosols of wintergreen snakeroot and ginger flowers are placed for guests to spray in their drinks or on their faces for a “wild aromatherapy.”

The dinner begins with Chef Rob’s appetizer: Thumbelina carrots “planted” in a black-plastic seedling tray. The whimsical presentation draws laughter from the guests. We dig our fingers into the individual compartments of onion “soil” that mimics rich, dark compost. Carrots emerge, coated in a sticky, mallow-infused compound butter, and we bite into the tender root, our taste buds tickled with the sweet, herbaceous carrot and oniony “dirt.”

Each course that follows is incredible. A few of my favorites: Chef Sheldon’s poached egg yolks (from local, free-range chickens) float in a dashi of white miso and brown butter garnished with false ‘awa flowers, toasted haole koa seeds and macadamia granola. Altogether chewy, crunchy and creamy with the slightest hint of licorice, the dish elicits murmurs of delight.

Chef Rob presents an onion soup made with fermented buttermilk, and tells us he “caramelized the onions, dehydrated them to make a powder, and incorporated this into the broth for an intensely oniony flavor.” It’s served with kiawe-flour gougéres filled

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The author (top, far left) and Sunny Savage meet with chefs and kombucha makers to share foraged wonders: 1. Tender honohono grass tips have a sweet, spinach-like flavor. 2. Finely screened green mallow powder is made from cooked and dehydrated leaves. 3. Baby chayotes marinate in wild fennel, pink peppercorns and vinegar.

4. Often strung into lei, grain seeds of the Job’s tears plant can be ground into flour or cooked and eaten like wheat berries. 5. Sunny points out shin san cho’s ragged leaves and purple-tinged stems.

6. Wild-plant distillates and hydrosols line a shelf at Sunny’s home.

7. Butterfly ginger and elderberry kombucha “Champagne” created

by Leaf & Limb. 8. This Pau Maui Vodka martini, shaken with the fruit of invasive banana poka, is a perfect sweet-tart intermezzo.

1, 3, 4, 5: BECKY SPEERE; 2, 6, 7, 8: MIEKO HORIKOSHI

courses for the dinner. As they examine the wild and unfamiliar plants, you can almost hear their imaginative minds formulating recipes. Sheldon has been assigned dishes that “include eggs” and “something crispy.” He pops a few haole koa seeds into his mouth and declares, “I can use these in my egg dish.” Rob reaches for the pickled baby chayotes and wild mallow. Jeff wants to incorporate shin san cho, kiawe flour and false ‘awa purée in his dishes; while Anton envisions mac-nut mallow foam and nasturtium capers in his culinary creation. Soon each chef has claimed his ingredients and gone his separate way, eager to invent something delicious and new.

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1. Rob’s whimsical carrots in onion “dirt.” 2. Sheldon portions a dish. 3. His egg and miso recipe uses haole koa seed and macnut granola. 4. Sunny infuses the room with pine-needle smoke.

5. Jeff pours cultured cream onto a salad of honohono and feral guava spiked with nasturtium-flower vinegar. 6. Beef short ribs on burdock root, topped with pohole shoots. 7. Kiawe-flour gougéres filled with crème fraiche accent the rich onion soup.

8. Sautéed nabeta fish tastes like lobster; it’s served on a bed of breadfruit dauphine with coconut tartar sauce. 9. Speculoos cookies with chai-spiced wild Java plums and berries.

Purchase Sunny Savage’s Wild Food Plants of Hawai‘i at Sunny Savage.com, Amazon.com, or eBook on iTunes.

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MIEKO HORIKOSHI

with buttermilk-onion crème fraiche. The savory pastry is so tender and utterly divine, I could eat an entire plate of it. Sunny adds, “The kiawe pod is dried and ground into a flour that is high in protein and carbohydrates, which makes it a phenomenal food source and a nutritional gem.”

Chef Sheldon reappears, surprising us with a dish that features ‘ulu (breadfruit). “It’s not on the menu,” he grins. “We kinda sneaked it in.” Describing the two preparations: “The first is supa-ripe ‘ulu pudding, and the second is twice-cooked ‘ulu that we boiled in water with chili pepper and garlic, then fried in butter till crispy. We topped it with a kiawe- and guavawood-smoked tako [octopus] speared at Baldwin Beach. We hibachi-grilled it and finished the tako with Maui Olive Company’s first press. On top, there’s ‘inamona [a relish made with kukui nut], ogo [seaweed] and artillery plant.” Sunny adds, “Artillery plant is in the nettle family, along with olonā and māmaki. You’ll detect a wintergreen flavor from the plant.”

Chef Jeff emerges from the kitchen to tease our senses with an umami powerhouse of tender beef short ribs braised twelve hours. He serves the collagen-rich cut of beef with nutty burdock root and a purée of ‘ulu and false ‘awa with nasturtium-caper pesto and fresh pohole.

Chef Anton has prepared two desserts, one a thin, buttery speculoos cookie spiced with cardamom and wild fennel, and crowned with feral berries and mac-nut foam made with local honey and wild mallow seed. The second: ginger sponge cake infused with butterfly ginger, rose geranium and sandalwood, finished with chocolate cremeaux and a drizzle of hibiscus gel.

As we dip in for our final bites, Sunny says, “It has been beyond my dreams to work with these top chefs. And one thing I’d like you to do is remember the names of these wild foods. Keep using this knowledge. Keep sharing it.”

Doing so will help ensure that these wild and wonderful foods will be there to nourish us tomorrow.

SAVOR THE MEAL. DEVOUR THE VIEW. Dining worthy of the paradise that surrounds it. Located in the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea.

For reservations 808-879-2999 or visit wolfgangpuck.com

What Makes a Winner?

Monkeypod Kitchen

2016 restaurant of the year | gold

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Dining

Nalu’s South Shore Grill

best new restaurant | gold

These four ‘Aipono awardees prove that there’s more than one path to success.

STORY BY BECKY SPEERE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY NINA KUNA A restaurant’s success is measured by its longevity. What makes it work? I think it all comes down to consistently well-prepared food, cleanliness, value, and service (and a good bookkeeper). Here are a few that are hitting the mark in all the above.

MONKEYPOD KITCHEN|2016 RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR|GOLD

I’m sitting at the Monkeypod Kitchen’s long bar, enjoying a pau hana beer and appetizers with my husband, Chris, and I can’t help but peek over his shoulder and steal glances of the couple next to us. With heads bowed, they are engrossed in eating kiawe-wood-roasted chicken wings and sipping the restaurant’s heavenly mai tais. Barely a word passes between them as their fingers reach for another plump, smoky wing. Then a sip. Then a dip into tzatziki and a bite of chicken. When the bowl is empty, they look at each other, nod, and flag the bartender for two more mai tais and another bowl of chicken wings. Perhaps Monkeypod Kitchen should open a chicken shack with mai tais? No, they can’t do that, because I’ve enjoyed everything on their menu, from salads to pizzas to pastas. It would surely start a revolution.

It’s hard to believe that Monkeypod is celebrating five years at the Wailea Gateway Plaza, selling over 50,000 mai tais in 2015 alone. Jason Vendrell, beverage director and mastermind of the potion, marvels at its popularity. “The year we started selling the Opposite: Topped with caramelized onions, Monkeypod’s ‘ahi sits on jalapeño mashed potatoes with ginger-and-garlic-sautéed bok choy. Top: Nalu’s ‘ahi club boasts flavor punches of applewoodsmoked bacon, avocado, caramelized onions, and sriracha aioli on crisp sourdough; it’s served with a side of cool cucumber tzatziki and house-made potato chips with a touch of truffle oil. Left: Monkeypod’s spicy-hot, wood-fire-roasted chicken wings come with a side of blue cheese sauce; add on one of the restaurant’s fine, cold ales.

Maui N¯ o Ka ‘Oi » Eating & Drinking

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Clockwise from top left: Monkeypod Kitchen’s mai tai is nothing short of revered; more than 50,000 sold last year alone. Nalu’s “Island Style Ribs with Respect” come with brown rice, kimchee, pickled ginger, Moloka‘i black-lava salt, green onions and sesame seeds; the house-made chili water, placed on every table, is a must try. Nalu’s interior features natural and weathered wood finishes—and check out the extensive menu.

mai tai, we sold 12,000. The next year we sold 23,000 . . . in 2015, we sold over 53,000 mai tais! You should see our storeroom of rum!” And I can only imagine how many cases of chicken.

Congratulations to Peter Merriman and the Monkeypod team!

10 Wailea Gateway Place, Wailea • 891-2322 • MonkeypodKitchen. com/Wailea (See our archived feature story on Monkeypod Kitchen at

MauiMagazine.net/eat-drink-be-merriman.)

NALU’S SOUTH SHORE GRILL|BEST NEW RESTAURANT|GOLD

The old IHOP in Kīhei has been transformed into a cool, open-air hangout with fun, funky seating, an unpretentious atmosphere, and a rare koa-wood outrigger canoe hanging overhead. Nalu’s ambiance practically calls out to you: “E komo mai! Welcome!”

The sophisticated menu offers fresh and delectable fare at reasonable prices. The coconut wireless has been buzzing as diners share their Nalu food experiences: Hawai‘i grass-fed beef burger on homemade brioche with brie and generous slices of applewood-smoked bacon (everything is better with bacon), Korean-style beef short ribs plate lunch complete with house-

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made kim chee, red and golden beet salad with goat cheese on fresh mesclun with a bright and fruity mango vinaigrette, and a killer loco moco that may crash the airwaves, it’s that good! As we locals say, “Garans ballbarans (Hawaiian Creole meaning “guaranteed”), you’ll be back once you try da food here!” And don’t be surprised when every plate arrives at the table looking like the cover of Gourmet magazine. Just smile, do the Instagram and grind ‘em. . . .

1280 South Kīhei Road, Kīhei • 891-8650 • NalusMaui.com

ARIA’S RESTAURANT & CATERING COMPANY|BEST BUSINESS LUNCH|SILVER

When our senior editor (who doesn’t cook) said she liked the lamb shank at Aria’s so much, it inspired her to run to Whole Foods and buy one to try to replicate the dish, I knew I had to go eat there. My daughter Tori and I arrive during their 5:30 service; a few other guests are in hushed conversation while John Coltrane blues softly fill the air. I order the lamb shank and the waitress asks

UNCOMPROMISING SINCE 1985

Mahalo for selecting us, Best Fish/Seafood and Best Wine List in 2015!

Founder/CEO Aaron Placourakis was raised around great food. And like all Greeks, he was instilled with the belief that “family” isn’t limited to close relatives, but includes all who are gathered around the table. It’s an approach that’s perfected by his team, who greet you at the door as a friend.

We invite you to join us. Be a part of the family. Create unforgettable memories in the most spectacular settings on earth. And rediscover the joy of good living.

Maui’s premier seafood restaurant Happy Hour Nightly 808 879-7224 | Wailea

Spectacular dining steps from the beach Happy Hour Nightly Serving breakfast and dinner 808 875-7555 | Kihei

WWW . TRISTARRESTAURANTS . COM

Aria’s

2016 best business lunch silver

if Tori and I are splitting the dish.

“No,” I answer, “it’s for me. Tori is ordering a pasta.” We finish eating our petite Caesar salads and the entrées arrive. Mine is ginormous.

Prepared in a savory, rich chocolate chipotle sauce chock-full of carrots, tomatoes and onions, the tender meat has just the right amount of spiciness, while the creamy maizena (polenta) transports me to a Left: Aria’s braised chocolate chipotle food memory in South Carolina. lamb shank on red-pepper maizena is big Tori dips her fork into my dish for a enough to share. Above: If you’re lucky, the special of the day may be seared ‘ahi taste, and comes back again a few with a yuzu beurre blanc and balsamic more times. miso drizzle.

Good food genetics run deep in the Carson family, who hail from Newport, Rhode Island. Aria, the grandmother of restaurant owners Ed and Majik Carson, worked as an in-house caterer for the Vanderbilts and the Kennedys, and for jazz-festival promoter George Wein.

As much as I try, I can only eat about a third of the lamb, and box the rest to enjoy at home. Sheepishly, I tell our server, “Now I know why you asked if we were splitting the dish.”

As for our senior editor, she flubbed the recipe, but found a silver lining: a great excuse to head back to the Vineyard Street restaurant for another lamb shank . . . though, to be honest, you don’t need any excuse to eat at Aria’s.

2062 West Vineyard Street, Wailuku • 242-ARIA (2742) • AriasMaui.com

established 1990 in the historic lahaina inn dinner served nightly from 5:30pm www.facebook.com/lahainagrill twitter: @lahainagrill

127 lahainaluna road lahaina, maui, hawaii 96761

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808.667.5117

www.lahainagrill.com

COURTESY OF ARIA’S RESTAURANT & CATERING

Dining

COURTESY OF MAKA BY MANA

MAKA BY MANA FOODS|BEST HEALTHY CHOICES|SILVER

I’ve been stalking Chef Shanaan Fader for a few years now. The former lead chef of a local health-food deli, he says, “I was offered the job to open Maka by Ed Thiel, the owner of Mana Foods.

He basically said, ‘Do it.’ And he walked away. It was like being given a gift.” Fader’s mise en place may not be every chef’s cup of kombucha. Dehydrating, puréeing, juicing and fermenting drive his novel menu; a minimum of five cooks in the kitchen allows for preparing everything from scratch—no canned goods whatsoever.

Fader is known for his perfected recipes for coconut kefir, coconut yogurt ice cream and exotic presentations of (mostly) raw vegan fare. He says, “When I moved to Maui from New York, there were so many great local products, like the coconut. So I made it a point to use these ingredients in my dishes.” Those dishes include fresh, organic Maui produce (supplemented minimally with produce from the continent), served with protein-rich dehydrated nut breads and nut cheeses; and a chickpea waffle bread that is the perfect foil for Fader’s “vegetarian burger”—a mix of root vegetables, greens and Mediterranean spices. And for dessert, how about a probiotic feast?

Fader makes his New York-style cheesecake with—what else?— coconut yogurt. The raw-food “cookie” base combines Brazil nuts, cashews, organic coconut sugar, and more; it’s juxtaposed with a silky-smooth cheesecake in all-natural flavors like coconut, lime, or pittaya (dragon fruit) and vanilla. If you’re searching for the elusive durian-raspberry-coconut ice cream, look no further. Shanaan has made some for you!

Maka

2016 best healthy choices silver

Above: Maka serves its veggie burger on sesame waffle bread with a pickled pohole escabeche and a classic tahini sauce.

Left: Maka’s New York cheesecake gets an island accent with pohaberry compote.

115 Baldwin Avenue, Pā‘ia • 579-9125 • MakaByMana.com

ITalIan PerFeCTIon Satisfy your palate at the award-winning Pūlehu, an Italian Grill, serving delicious traditional cuisine with a local sustainable twist.

If you plan to dine early or late, ask for the Tramonto Three-Course Prix Fixe Menu with delectable options at a special price.

Dinner: Thursday through Monday, 5:30 to 9:30pm Wine Social: Sunday and Monday, 5:00 to 5:30pm FOR RESERVATIONS, CALL 808-667-3254 OR VISIT WESTINKAANAPALI.COM TO BOOK ONLINE.

6 Kai ala Drive, north Kā‘anapali Beach, Maui ©2016 Starwood Hotels & resorts Worldwide, Inc. all rights reserved. SPG, Preferred Guest, Westin and their logos are the trademarks of Starwood Hotels & resorts Worldwide, Inc., or its affiliates. Pūlehu, an Italian Grill | Wine Spectator Award 2015, 2014, 2013, Pūlehu, an Italian Grill - Best Italian (Gold) | MNKO ‘Aipono Award 2015, 2014, 2013

Maui N¯ o Ka ‘Oi » Eating & Drinking

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Dining Raise Your Glass

VINTAGE PERFORMANCE At 35, the Kapalua Wine and Food Festival uncorks a celebration of culinary excellence—and you’re invited.

STORY BY DIANE HAYNES WOODBURN

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its kind in the U.S.—and his joie de vivre is both legendary and infectious. So is his pedigree: his godfather was Frank Sinatra.

His dad and Frank were best friends, as were his grandmother and Old Blue Eyes’ mom. Back in the sixties, Jordan Senior opened the famed Italian restaurant Matteo’s in Los Angeles.

“Frank would come into the restaurant four nights a week. That,” (and the delicious food) Jordan tells me, “is what made Matteo’s the celebrity hangout it was.” In the 1970s, a second and equally respected Matteo’s opened in Waikīkī, which is how Jordan happened to grow up in the Islands.

(The Waikīkī restaurant sold in 1984, and only recently closed.) Combine Jordan’s love of food, celebrity family life, and deep “local boy” appreciation for Hawai‘i and you have the core ingredients that created the man known within the food-and-wine community as “sommelier for the people.”

“In celebration of the thirty-fifth year, we’ll be going international,” Jordan says.

And that means, you guessed it, Italian is on the list. “We are excited to have Chef Michele Mazza from Il Mulino, one of the greatest Italian restaurants in New York.

And we are bringing in exquisite Italian wines to pair with his food.”

Above: Michael Jordan (left) and Dan Kosta of Kosta Browne Winery at Michael Mina’s cooking demonstration in 2015. Below: Heidi Barrett will introduce her La Sirena Cabernet Sauvignon.

TOP & MIDDLE: SEAN M. HOWER

As humorist Dorothy Parker once noted, “Men seldom make passes at girls who wear glasses.” But girls who fill glasses? That’s another story. Parker herself was fond of imbibing, and would no doubt applaud a woman like Heidi Barrett, who made history in 2000 when a six-liter bottle of her ’92 Screaming Eagle wine sold at the Napa Valley Wine Auction for $500,000.

Barrett is one of the notable winemakers you’ll meet at the 2016 Kapalua Wine and Food Festival, being held June 9 through 12 at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua. And she won’t be alone. Master Sommelier Michael Jordan is assembling a panel of women winemakers for a talk and tasting he’s titled “Women of the Vines.”

“Many of today’s exceptional wines are crafted by women winemakers who have a fabulous sense of flavor and create wines of great balance, finesse and style,” he says. “I predict that very soon there will be as many great women winemakers as men.” (Jordan hopes the panel will also encourage spinoffs to bring in more women chefs.) “It’s not a competition,” he adds, “just gifted people making delicious wines.”

Jordan is lead sommelier for the thirtyfifth annual Kapalua Wine and Food Festival —one of the longest-running festivals of

A recipe for authenticity in a legendary setting.

Experience Dining at the Renowned Shores of Kapalua

With breathtaking ocean views, traditional Hawaiian architecture and modern island fare, the best of Maui past and present are on display at Cane & Canoe. The signature restaurant at Montage Kapalua Bay – where every meal becomes an unforgettable memory you will cherish long after the evening ends.

SERVING BREAKFAST & DINNER DAILY NIGHTLY LIVE ENTERTAINMENT & HAPPY HOUR

O n e Bay D r i v e , L a h a i n a

(808) 662-6681

caneandcanoe.com

Dining Raise Your Glass

Above: Chef Hugh Acheson has been a contestant and judge on Bravo TV’s Top Chef Masters. Left: Chef Michele Mazza of New York’s acclaimed Il Mulino restaurant.

Both men will present cooking demonstrations at the festival.

Wine dinners are also planned.

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Also coming this year is celebrity chef Hugh Acheson from Texas, whom you may recognize as both a competitor and judge on Bravo TV’s Top Chef Masters. Chef Mazza and Chef Acheson will wow us with two cooking demonstrations, including lunch with paired wines chosen by host Michael Jordan. Wine dinners are also being planned.

The food is out of this world, but what we really come to the Kapalua Wine and Food Festival for, as Jordan says, is “the wine and the people who make it.” Among his favorite panels is “Family Tree: Scions of Family Wineries,” scheduled for June 11. Secondand third-generation winemakers will share stories, wines, and perhaps a few family secrets. “We have father-and-son legends Tim and Carl Mondavi of Continuum, Larry and Christopher Hyde of Hyde & Sons, and Robert and Brandon deLuze of ZD Wines.

This is the family tree of the divine,” Jordan emphasizes. “These guys embody the passion that goes into artisan winemaking.”

Another of Jordan’s “not to be missed” panels is the cabernet sauvignon retrospective. “We’ll compare wines from a decade ago with their current release,” Jordan says, then explains, “As the tannins and pigment

settle, the wines grow softer, more elegant, with wonderful truffle and cigar-box earth tones. Ten years is about when they peak.”

Jordan is one of just 129 master sommeliers in North America, and one of only 15 people in the world to hold both Certified Wine Educator and International Court of Master Sommeliers diplomas. He also won Wine Enthusiast’s highest honor, the Award of Ultimate Distinction, from 2004 to 2009.

Today Jordan continues his reputation for excellence as director of global key accounts for Jackson Family Fine Wines.

When asked what he sees as the future for the festival, Jordan doesn’t skip a beat. “I hope it continues in the direction it’s going, because it truly stands apart with island warmth and aloha. This festival belongs to everyone in attendance; there’s no separation of guys up on the stage and others in the audience. We mix and mingle with true Hawaiian hospitality. Maui is family.”

We hope you’ll join us at the Kapalua Wine and Food Festival. Maui Nō Ka ‘Oi will be there, once again hosting “Best of the Fest” at the Sunday-night grand finale, the Seafood Festival. For details and schedule, visit KapaluaWineAndFood.com.

Just steps from the water’s edge.

Fresh caught fish, exotic flavors & organic produce. Contemporary Pacific cuisine at its best!

Pacific’O sets the standard for Farm-to-Table Cuisine with the freshest produce supplied by their own farm in Kula. Learn more about the farm at www.oofarm.com

The farm also offers coffee and lunch tours.

505 Front St, Lahaina | Reservations 808.667.4341 | www.pacificomaui.com

Kapalua just got delizioso!

2000 Village Rd. Kapalua TavernaMaui.com 808-667-CIAO (2426)

Maui N¯ o Ka ‘Oi » Eating & Drinking

21

Dining ‘Aipono Special Award

2016 Chef of the Year MIKE LOFARO STORY BY BECKY SPEERE PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIEKO HORIKOSHI

For our March-April 2015 issue, Chef Mike Lofaro let us watch him prepare ‘ahi tartare as he does for the Grand Wailea’s Humuhumunukunukuāpua‘a restaurant.

Then he gave us the recipe. Find it at MauiMagazine.net/Ahi-Tartare.

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Eating & Drinking MauiMagazine.net

It’s six-thirty in the morning and Chef Michael Lofaro, in surf trunks and a widebrimmed hat, is pulling a state-of-the-art ocean kayak into the surf. Effortlessly, he throws his legs over and into the well and begins paddling. He’s fishing, and has known since his teenage years, when he worked on a fifty-six-foot commercial fishing boat in the Atlantic Ocean, that the early bird catches the uku (gray snapper).

As I watch him crisscross the glassy cerulean waters off Kīhei’s shore, I get “chicken skin,” remembering the eye-popping story Lofaro told me in 2015: “I was pulling in a huge swordfish [off the coast of Maine], and just as I grabbed it by the mouth to pull it onto the boat, the biggest mako shark I’ve ever seen came straight up out of the water.

As we made eye contact, the shark took the fish’s body in its mouth in one bite, leaving me with two inches of fish in my hand.”

Lofaro continues to share his experiences with guests at monthly Ka Malama dinners at the Grand Wailea Resort’s Humuhumunukunukuāpua‘a restaurant, a series inspired by the Hawaiian moon calendar. He calls it “a journey within a journey,” part of his quest to capture the cultural essence and lifestyle of days gone by, when life was harder, but simpler. Honoring the Hawaiian culture has earned him the respect of industry peers.

With veracity and years of practiced kitchen skills, Lofaro unleashes a creativity that awes fellow chefs with dishes such as akule (scad) stuffed with wild honohono grass, and fresh Maui uni (sea urchin) frosted with kaffir-lime shaved ice atop a pale pink slice of uku (deep-sea snapper) in a delicate butterfly ginger-yuzu broth.

Lofaro and Kainoa Horcajo, Grand Wailea’s Hawaiian cultural advisor, costar in KHON TV’s Search Hawai‘i show, foraging in pristine

E

kipa mai (welcome) . . .

Share the aloha in a journey through Polynesia.

The Feast at Lele brings you a royal tour of the cuisine of Polynesia which shares the spotlight with music and dance from four exotic Pacific islands.

Come visit,

“This is the most fabulous cooking on Maui, which is saying a lot.” —Travel & Leisure “an intimate experience with ‘up to date’ Polynesian cuisine . . . the entertainment is top-notch.”

H awa i ‘ i

Ao t e a r o a

—Travel Holiday

Ta h i t i

Brought to you by the creators of Old Lahaina Lu‘au & Pacific’O Restaurant.

Menu developed by “Maui’s Best Chef” (The Maui News), James McDonald.

667-LELE (5353)

Toll Free : (866) 244-5353 (Lele) 505 Front Street, Lahaina Town, Maui, Hawai‘i 96761 www.feastatlele.com

Samoa

Photos: Robie Price

For reservations call

‘Aipono Special Award

WHAT HIS PEERS SAY. . .

forests, rocky black-lava bays, and the deep ocean to harvest ingredients for Ka Malama. Each course contains one or more elements of the hunt; each dinner, held once a quarter, elicits excitement from guests who seek a once-in-a-lifetime dining experience.

Lofaro returns to the shore, his blue eyes smiling as he holds up a beautiful gray snapper he’ll prepare for dinner tonight for his family. Happily, most other nights, the rest of us can enjoy the great fare Chef Mike creates at Humuhumunukunukuāpua‘a.

Congratulations, Chef Michael Lofaro, ‘Aipono’s 2016 Chef of the Year.

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www.mauimagazine.net

“I have only known Mike as a chef for a short time, but every time I am involved in events with him, he continues to impress me with his humbleness and sense of self, and an incredible imagination using our local bounty. Mike is taking our farm-to-table cuisine to an exciting and thoughtful level.”—Ryan Luckey, executive chef, Leilani’s on the Beach

“Truly innovative with his new Ka Malama dinners based on the Hawaiian moon calendar.”—Kyle Kawakami, chef-owner, Maui Fresh Streatery “Chef Mike is not only extremely talented, but is passionate and continues to strive to be creative.

He is definitely one of the leading chefs on Maui’s food scene.”

—Jeff Scheer, chef, The Mill House at Tropical Plantation and 2015 ‘Aipono Chef of the Year.

“Innovative yet humble, [Mike] has a keen, ever-searching creativity which connects his plates to this beautiful place with [its] rich food culture. Mike rocks!”—Jana McMahon, chef-owner, Maui Private Chef

YVONNE BIEGEL

Food as adventure: Mike explores the land and sea, discovering a wondrous array of wild foods to add to his next Ka Malama menu.

“Mike has a highly skilled and refined approach to creating menus using fresh, locally sourced food. He’s constantly evolving in [his] food philosophy and personal growth, and is respected in Maui’s chef community. It’s a pleasure to watch Lofaro’s voice grow and develop as a leading Maui chef.”—Chris Speere, UH– Maui Food Innovation Center

COME FOR THE FOOD. STAY FOR THE VIEWS.

Maui’s most romantic sunsets and freshest seafood.

RESERVATIONS: (808) 875-1234 3850 Wailea Alanui, Wailea, HI 96753 www.grandwailea.com | @grandwailea

‘Aipono Award Winners Japengo~Silver, Restaurant of the Year; Gold, Best Asian; Gold, Best Sushi

Kō~Gold, Best Hawai‘i Regional Cuisine

Nobu: Silver, Best Restaurant on an Island Next Door

Maui Nō Ka ‘Oi Magazine presents the 2016 ‘Aipono Restaurant

Award Winners Gold

Silver

WHAT’S IN A NAME? In Hawaiian, ‘ai means “to eat,” and pono means “excellence. Put them together, and you have

an awards competition that honors the island’s best restaurants, as voted by the readers of Maui Nō Ka ‘Oi. The ‘Aipono Gala raises funds for the Maui Culinary Academy at the University of Hawai‘i–Maui College, and creates real-world mentoring for tomorrow’s chefs. The ‘Aipono Wine Dinner series also benefits the Academy, while inviting you to explore outstanding wines paired with special menus at ‘Aipono Award-winning restaurants. (Sign up for notices of upcoming wine dinners at MauiMagazine.net/Aipono.)

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR Monkeypod Kitchen 10 Wailea Gateway Pl., Wailea | 891-2322 MonkeypodKitchen.com/Wailea ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Japengo Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, 200 Nohea Kai Dr., Kā‘anapali | 667-4727 | JapengoMaui.com

_______________________________ BEST NEW RESTAURANT Nalu’s South Shore Grill 1280 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei | 891-8650 | NalusMaui.com

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Eating & Drinking MauiMagazine.net

Frida’s Mexican Beach House 1287 Front St., Lahaina | 661-1287 | FridasMaui.com

_______________________________ MOST “MAUI-EST” Mama’s Fish House 799 Poho Pl., Kū‘au | 579-8488 | MamasFishHouse.com ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Pacific’O Tie for Silver 505 Front St., Lahaina | 667-4341 | PacificOMaui.com The Sea House Restaurant Nāpili Kai Beach Resort, 5900 Lower Honoapi‘ilani Rd., Nāpili 669-1500 | SeaHouseMaui.com

Make cherished memories at Maui’s most exciting lu‘au!

Stunning sunset views from the ocean side venue Traditional imu ceremony Delicious all you-can-eat Hawaiian cuisine Open bar featuring beer, wine, Mai Tais and more On-stage hula lesson Authentic songs, chants and dramatic dances Three-man Samoan fire-knife dance!

Best Maui Lu’au

‘Aipono Award Winner

Receive a FREE GIFT when you book online at

www.drumsofthepacificmaui.com Enter Special Offer Code: NOKAOI

200 NOHEA KAI DRIVE, KA’ANAPALI HYATT CONCIERGE 808.667.4727

Offer available for online reservations only, Offer expires December 31st, 2016. May not be combined with other offers. A Tihati Production. The trademark HYATT and related marks are trademarks of Hyatt Corporation. ©2016 Hyatt Corporation. All rights reserved.

‘Aipono Award Winners

Merriman’s Kapalua~Silver, Best Oceanfront Dining

Cane & Canoe~Silver, Most Innovative Menu (tie)

BOTTOM RIGHT: NINA KUNA

Ka‘ana Kitchen~Silver, Most Innovative Menu (tie)

Maui No Ka ‘Oi Magazine ‘Aipono Award

Best Mexican Restaurant 2O15

MUCHO MAHALO FOR YOUR VOTE

Aloha Aina

8 1 0 H A I KU R D • W W W. PA N G E A M AU I .CO M • 8 0 8 5 75 50 55 28

Eating & Drinking MauiMagazine.net

Happy Hour 3-5:3O pm daily 5O% off ENTRÉES and TACOS Fairway shops in kA'Anapali sangritagrill.com 8 0 8 .6 6 2 .6000

Gold

‘Aipono Award Winners

Silver

BEST RESTAURANT ON AN ISLAND NEXT DOOR The Pig & the Lady 83 N. King St., Honolulu | 808-585-8255 ThePigAndTheLady.com •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Koko Head Cafe 1145c 12th Ave., Honolulu | 808-732-8920 KokoHeadCafe.com

_____________________ BEST SERVICE

Nick’s Fishmarket Fairmont Kea Lani Resort, 4100 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea | 879-7224 NicksFishmarketMaui.com •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Mama’s Fish House 799 Poho Pl., Kū‘au | 579-8488 MamasFishHouse.com

_____________________ BEST OCEANFRONT DINING

Mama’s Fish House 799 Poho Pl., Kū‘au | 579-8488 MamasFishHouse.com ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Merriman’s Kapalua 1 Bay Club Pl., Kapalua | 669-6400 MerrimansHawaii.com/kapalua

_____________________ MOST ROMANTIC SETTING Capische?

Hotel Wailea, 555 Kaukahi Rd., Wailea 879-2224 | Capische.com •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Sarento’s on the Beach 2980 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei | 875-7555 SarentosOnTheBeach.com

_____________________

BEST HEALTHY CHOICES Choice Health Bar 1087 Limahana Pl., Lahaina | 661-7711 ChoiceMaui.com •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Maka by Mana 115 Baldwin Ave., Pā‘ia | 579-9125 MakaByMana.com

_____________________ Humuhumunukunukuāpua‘a~ Gold, Most Innovative Menu; Silver, Best Pacific Rim Cuisine

BEST SHORTS & SLIPPERS DINING Hula Grill Whalers Village, 2435 Kā‘anapali Pkwy., Kā‘anapali | 667-6636 HulaGrillKaanapali.com •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Aloha Mixed Plate 1285 Front St., Lahaina | 661-3322 AlohaMixedPlate.com

_____________________

MOST INNOVATIVE MENU Humuhumunukunukuāpua‘a The Grand Wailea, 3850 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea | 875-1234 | GrandWailea.com/dine ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Maui N¯ o Ka ‘Oi » Eating & Drinking

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‘Aipono Award Winners

Gold

BEST HAPPY HOUR

Cane & Canoe Tie for Silver Montage Kapalua Bay, 1 Bay Dr., Kapalua 662-6681 | MontageHotels.com/Kapalua Bay/dining/cane-and-canoe Ka‘ana Kitchen Andaz Maui, 3550 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea 573-1234 | AndazMaui.com

The Sea House Restaurant Nāpili Kai Beach Resort, 5900 Lower Honoapi‘ilani Rd., Nāpili | 669-1500 SeaHouseMaui.com •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Fleetwood’s on Front St. 744 Front St., Lahaina | 669-MICK (6425) FleetwoodsOnFrontSt.com

_____________________

_____________________

BEST BREAKFAST The Gazebo Outrigger Nāpili Shores, 5315 Lower Honoapi‘ilani Rd., Nāpili | 669-5621 •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Kihei Caffe 1945 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei | 879-2230 KiheiCaffe.com

BEST ASIAN Japengo Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, 200 Nohea Kai Dr., Kā‘anapali 667-4727 | JapengoMaui.com •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar Kīhei Town Center, 1881 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei | 879-0004 • 600 Office Rd., Kapalua 669-6286 • SanseiHawaii.com

_____________________ BEST BUSINESS LUNCH

Bistro Casanova 33 Lono Ave., Kahului | 873-3650 BistroCasanova.com •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Aria’s Restaurant & Catering 2062 W. Vineyard St., Wailuku 242-ARIA (2742) | AriasMaui.com

_____________________ BEST SOUTHEAST ASIAN

A Saigon Cafe 1792 Main St., Wailuku | 243-9560 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

_____________________

lahaina fried soup yakitori

pahole salad

star udon

garlic noodles

singapore noodles

steamed pork buns hapa ramen

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Eating & Drinking MauiMagazine.net

ahi avo pad thai

sake cocktails

Silver

Thai Chef 878 Front St., Lahaina | 667-2814 ThaiChefRestaurantMaui.com

_____________________ BEST BURGER Teddy’s Bigger Burgers 335 Keawe St., Lahaina | 661-9111 TeddysBB.com •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Pailolo Bar & Grill Westin Kā‘anapali Ocean Resort Villas, 6 Kai Ala Dr., Kā‘anapali | 667-3200 WestinKaanapali.com/dining/pailolo

_____________________ BEST HAWAI‘I REGIONAL CUISINE

Kō Fairmont Kea Lani, 4100 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea | 875-2210 KoRestaurant.com •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Roy’s 2290 Kā‘anapali Pkwy., Kā‘anapali 669-6999 | RoysHawaii.com

_____________________

Nalu is the hapa-hawaiian phrase meaning to “go with the flow.”

With that mindset the owners of Nalu’s have made it their focus to source the best Hawai‘i has to offer, combining local flavors and the freshest island ingredients available.

SO COME ON IN TO NALU’S AND GO WITH THE FLOW. IN THE HEART OF KĪHEI AT AZEKA ONE 1280 S. Kihei Rd (808) 891-8650

EAT LIVE

PONO

ONO GELATO KIHEI & THE MAUI SANDWICH SHACK TWO CAFES—ONE LOCATION

COWABAUNGA REUBEN

KOMBUCHA FLOATS

ISLAND GELATERIA, FRESH-MADE SANDWICHES, SALADS AND MORE

TRIPLE DECKER BIG WAVE CLUB

NORTH BEACH CLUB

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH

DINE IN OR TAKE OUT 1280 SOUTH KIHEI RD.

KIHEI SUNSET

PISTACHIO

CLUCKED DOUBLE DECKER

808-495-0287 ONOGELATOKIHEI.COM

JAWS CLUB

IN WAILEA? YOU CAN ALSO VISIT ONO GELATO AT THE GRAND WAILEA RESORT IN CAFĒ KULA

Maui N¯ o Ka ‘Oi » May-Jun 2016

31

‘Aipono Award Winners

“Treat your friends like family & your family like friends” —Big Manoli

Gold

Silver

BEST PACIFIC RIM CUISINE Spago Four Seasons Resort Maui, 3900 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea | 874-8000 FourSeasons.com/Maui/dining •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Humuhumunukunukuāpua‘a The Grand Wailea, 3850 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea | 875-1234 | GrandWailea.com/dine

_____________________ BEST LŪ‘AU

Old Lāhaina Lū‘au 1251 Front St., Lahaina | 667-0700 OldLahainaLuau.com •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• The Feast at Lele 505 Front St., Lahaina | 667-5353 FeastAtLele.com

_____________________ BEST MEXICAN

Great pizza made with whole wheat or gluten-free crusts. Wide variety of appetizers, pastas, salads as well as daily Chef’s specials. Awesome burgers and sandwiches at lunchtime as well as homemade fries. We are passionate about using fresh, local, organic and sustainable products when available.

OPEN DAILY 11 AM - 12 MIDNIGHT Happy Hour From 3 pm - 6 pm & 9 pm - 12 am | 100 Wailea Ike Drive Located across from the Wailea Blue Golf Course Pro Shop

TAKEOUT & DELIVERY: 808.874.7499

Frida’s Mexican Beach House 1287 Front St., Lahaina | 661-1287 FridasMaui.com Sangrita Grill +Cantina Fairway Shops, 2580 Keka‘a Dr., Kā‘anapali 662-6000 | SangritaGrill.com

_____________________ BEST ITALIAN Capische? Tie for Gold Hotel Wailea, 555 Kaukahi Rd., Wailea 879-2224 | Capische.com Sale Pepe 878 Front St., Lahaina | 667-7667 SalePepeMaui.com •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Matteo’s Osteria Tie for Silver 161 Wailea Ike Pl., Wailea | 879-8466 MatteosMaui.com Pūlehu, an Italian Grill Westin Kā‘anapali Ocean Resort Villas, 6 Kai Ala Dr., Kā‘anapali | 667-3200 PulehuRestaurantMaui.com

_____________________ BEST PLATE LUNCH

Aloha Mixed Plate 1285 Front St., Lahaina | 661-3322 AlohaMixedPlate.com •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Da Kitchen Triangle Square, 425 Koloa St., Kahului 871-7782 • Rainbow Mall, 2439 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 875-7782 • Da-Kitchen.com

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_____________________

every raindrop every wind every sunrise every sunset captured in a bottle

mauiwine.com

808.878.6058

“WOW”

“...this is, by far, the best sushi I’ve ever had. So fresh and beautifully presented. Doesn’t hurt that they run their own fishing boat...” – Jennifer P.

Kahana - West Maui (808) 669-9010 Kihei - South Maui (808) 891-MISO (6476) Azeka Place Mauka, 1279 South Kihei Road #108

www.MisoPhat.com

FEATURED ROLL

Kahana Manor, 4310 Lower Honoapiilani Hwy #111

TNT Roll (MISO the Bomb)

Shrimp Tempura and Crab Roll topped with Ahi Poke and served with Unagi sauce and Agave Honey. So big you could explode!

Maui N¯ o Ka ‘Oi » May-Jun 2016

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‘Aipono Award Winners Gold

Silver

BEST PIZZA Flatbread Company 89 Hāna Hwy., Pā‘ia | 579-8989 FlatbreadCompany.com •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Monkeypod Kitchen Tie for Silver 10 Wailea Gateway Pl., Wailea | 891-2322 MonkeypodKitchen.com/Wailea Pizza Madness 1455 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei | 270-9888 PizzaMadnessMaui.com Prison Street Pizza 133 Prison St., Lahaina | 662-3332 PrisonStreetPizza.com

_____________________ BEST NOODLES

Star Noodle 286 Kupuohi St., Lahaina | 667-5400 StarNoodle.com •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Sam Sato’s 1750 Wili Pa Loop, Wailuku | 244-7124

_____________________ BEST FISH & SEAFOOD

Mama’s Fish House 799 Poho Pl., Kū‘au | 579-8488 MamasFishHouse.com •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Lahaina Grill 127 Lahainaluna Rd., Lahaina | 667-5117 LahainaGrill.com

_____________________ BEST STEAK

Ruth’s Chris Steak House Lahaina Center, 900 Front St., Lahaina 661-8815 • The Shops at Wailea, 3750 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea | 874-8880 RuthsChris.com •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Duo Tie for Silver Four Seasons Resort Maui, 3900 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea | 874-8000 FourSeasons.com/Maui/dining Son’z Steakhouse Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, 200 Nohea Kai Dr., Kā‘anapali 667-4727 | SonzRestaurant.com

_____________________ BEST SUSHI

Japengo Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa 200 Nohea Kai Dr., Kā‘anapali 667-4727 JapengoMaui.com ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

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Eating & Drinking MauiMagazine.net

VISIT OUR FARM AND DISTILLERY OPEN FOR TOURS 7 DAYS A WEEK

808.877.0009

oceanvodka.com

@oceanvodka

#oceanvodka

Please enjoy responsibly. Distilled and bottled by Hawaii Sea Spirits LLC, Kula, Maui, Hawai’i, 40% ALC/VOL (80 Proof) ©2016

At Ululani's, we make 100% of our ice and syrup with purified water, pure cane sugar, premium fruit purees, fruit juices and select concentrates to create a truly memorable gourmet shave ice experience.

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Maui N¯ o Ka ‘Oi » May-Jun 2016

35

‘Aipono Award Winners Gold

Silver

Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar Kīhei Town Center, 1881 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei 879-0004 • 600 Office Rd., Kapalua 669-6286 • SanseiHawaii.com

_____________________ BEST FISH TACO Coconuts Fish Café 1279 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei | 875-9979 CoconutsFishCafe.com ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Leilani’s on the Beach Whalers Village, 2435 Kā‘anapali Pkwy., Kā‘anapali | 661-4495 | Leilanis.com

_____________________ BEST FOOD TRUCK Maui Fresh Streatery 137 E. Ka‘ahumanu Ave., Kahului 344-7929 | MauiFreshStreatery.com •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Shark Pit Food Truck 78 Ulupono St., Lahaina | 298-7776

_____________________ BEST POKE

Tamura’s Fine Wine & Liquors 199 Dairy Rd., Kahului | 873-8000 226 Kupuohi St., Lahaina | 667-9000 841 Alua St., Wailuku | 242-0957 TamurasFineWine.com •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Foodland 90 Kane St., Kahului | 877-2808 370 Kehalani Village Dr., Wailuku | 244-4460 1881 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei | 879-9350 878 Front St., Lahaina | 661-0975 Pukalani Terrace Center | 572-0674 Foodland.com/stores

_____________________ BEST SHAVE ICE

Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice 333 Dairy Rd., Kahului 58 Maui Lani Pkwy., Wailuku 61 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei 790 Front St., Lahaina 819 Front St., Lahaina Hyatt Regency, 200 Nohea Kai Dr., Kā‘anapali 877-3700 • UlulanisShaveIce.com •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Local Boys Shave Ice 624 Front St., Lahaina • 1941 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei • 344-9779 • LocalBoysShaveIce.com

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IKI THAI CUISINE T I K I T

After your long drive back from Hana, or on your way to the airport stop for a delicious meal at Tiki Tiki Thai Cuisine, Maui’s newest authentic Thai restaurant in Kahului across from Savers in the Dairy Center, down from Office FedX. And now, Tiki Tiki Thai Cuisine II, once again Mauis newest most authentic Thai restaurant, in the Wharf Cinema Center across from the famous Lahaina Banyan Court Park, Front Street Lahaina. Relax and enjoy absolutely delicious Thai food.

Uncle careful your level of spice and Anti B we put no M.S.G. Taste our house favorites: Thai style Filet Mignon in Creamy Thai Chili Sauce; delicious Panang Curry; or our famous Volcano Fish. Excellent vegetarian selections. You will love every bite. We cater weddings, reunions, private parties.

Performing traditional Thai dance at both locations.

Lahaina: Mon & Thurs 7pm to 9pm | Kahului: Wed & Fri 7pm -9pm

KAHULUI Tiki Tiki Thai Cuisine 395 Dairy Road (808) 893-0026 Open Daily 10am–10pm

LAHAINA Tiki Tiki Thai Cuisine II Wharf Center, 658 Front St. (808) 661-1919 / 283-5202 Open Daily 10am–10pm 2 hours free validated parking at Wharf Parking Lot

Italian Soul in The Heart Of Wailea

REGIONALLY INSPIRED CUISINE BY ITALIAN BORN CHEF MATTEO MISTURA

Featuring Hawaii’s largest wine selection Handcrafted Italian Artisan Pizza’s & Pasta’s Proudly use locally sourced products Vegetarian & Gluten Free 64 Wines by the glass HAPPY HOUR M-F 3 - 5pm (wine bar only) LUNCH M-F 11:30am - 3pm | DINNER DAILY 5 - 9:30pm WAILEA TOWN CENTER, 161 WAILEA IKE PLACE

808-891-VINO (8466) Available for Large Parties

www.MatteosMaui.com

Maui N¯ o Ka ‘Oi » May-Jun 2016

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‘Aipono Award Winners Gold

Silver

BEST DESSERT Pūlehu, an Italian Grill Westin Kā‘anapali Ocean Resort Villas, 6 Kai Ala Dr., Kā‘anapali | 667-3200 PulehuRestaurantMaui.com •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop 820 Olowalu Village Rd., Olowalu 662-3600 | Leodas.com

_____________________

exPeRIence POLyneSIA Wailele Polynesian Lūa‘u presents a spectacular revue featuring the songs and dances of Hawai‘i and Polynesia, complemented by a lavish island-style buffet dinner and all-inclusive beverages.

Tuesdays, Thursdays & sundays Oceanfront at the Aloha Pavilion Reservations required, please call 808.661.2992

BEST BAR Monkeypod Kitchen 10 Wailea Gateway Pl., Wailea | 891-2322 MonkeypodKitchen.com/wailea •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Pailolo Bar & Grill Westin Kā‘anapali Ocean Resort Villas, 6 Kai Ala Dr., Kā‘anapali | 667-3200 WestinKaanapali.com/dining/pailolo

_____________________ BEST COCKTAILS

2365 Ka‘anapali Parkway Lahaina, Hawai‘i 96761 ©2016 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Dates subject to change without notice. Visit westinmaui.com

Mahalo for voting us Best Healthy Choice at the ‘Aipono Awards 5 years in a row!

Fleetwood’s on Front St. 744 Front St., Lahaina | 669-MICK (6425) FleetwoodsOnFrontSt.com •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• The Banyan Tree Tie for Silver The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, 1 Ritz-Carlton Dr., Kapalua | 665-7096 RitzCarlton.com/en/hotels/kapalua-maui Cow Pig Bun 535 Līpoa Pkwy., Kīhei | 875-8100 CowPigBun.com

_____________________ BEST LOBBY LOUNGE

Botero Lounge The Grand Wailea, 3850 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea | 875-1234 | GrandWailea.com/dine •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Lobby Lounge Four Seasons Resort Maui, 3900 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea | 874-8000 FourSeasons.com/Maui/dining

_____________________ BEST WINE LIST

açaí bowls • juices • smoothies • soups • salads • sushi Monday–Saturday | 8 am–9:30 pm 1087 Limahana Place, Lahaina 808.661.7711 | ChoiceHealthBar.com

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ChoiceHealthBar ChoiceHealthBar

Lahaina Grill 127 Lahainaluna Rd., Lahaina | 667-5117 LahainaGrill.com •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Nick’s Fishmarket Fairmont Kea Lani, 4100 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea 879-7224 | NicksFishmarketMaui.com Find more restaurant listings at MauiMagazine.net/Maui-Dining-Guide

‘Aipono Award Winners

ESTABLISHED 1973

Serving Hawaii’s Restaurant & Fine Wine Community since 1979

Special Awards

EACH YEAR, ‘AIPONO HONORS A FEW INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES CHOSEN BY INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS.

@ChamberswinesHI

ChambersWinesHawaii

@ChamberswinesHI

Importers & Distributors of the World’s Finest Wines www.ChambersWines.com

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LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT Aaron Placourakis, President & CEO Tri-Star Restaurant Group Aaron Placourakis hails from a long line of Greek food merchants, and learned the ingredients for hospitality success early on: quality food and high-caliber service offered in a warm and inviting atmosphere.

A Hawai‘i resident since 1985, Placourakis is president and CEO for the restaurant group that owns Nick’s Fishmarket, Sarento’s on the Beach, Son’z Steakhouse, and Manoli’s Pizza Company on Maui; and Sarento’s Top of the “I” in Waikīkī. His Maui restaurants have earned an impressive twenty-five ‘Aipono Awards.

“The high quality of Aaron’s restaurants— the food, the wine, and attention to detail by his staff—is well known. If Aaron is going to do it, it’s going to be first class,” says Maui Nō Ka ‘Oi Magazine publisher Diane Haynes Woodburn.

Placourakis’s sense of service extends into the local community. He is a past chairman of the Hawai‘i Restaurant Association, a former board member of the Hawaii Food Bank, and was honored as Ambassador of the Year by the nonprofit Ka Lima O Maui, which serves developmentally challenged adults. He has spearheaded fundraisers for

‘Aipono Award Winners the Hawai‘i and Maui food banks, Junior Diabetes Research Foundation, St. Francis Hospice Care, YMCA, Maui Visitor Industry Charity Walk and Montessori Hale O Keiki.

“If you’ve only met Aaron once, what you remember is his charismatic personality and natural charm,” notes Haynes Woodburn.

“But most impressive is what one doesn’t see at first glance—that behind the bigger life presence is a humble and generous heart.

He is a giver, and doesn’t make a lot of noise about it.”

Chef Perry Bateman (right) with taro farmer Bobby Pahia

maui county farm bureau’s

MONDAYS 11-1PM UH MAUI COLLEGE CAMPUS WEDNESDAYS 11-1PM WAILUKU BANYAN TREE PARK (MARKET & VINEYARD) FRIDAYS 11-1PM ILIMA SHELL SERVICE STATION (137 KAAHMANU AVE)

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM FOR UPDATED MENUS AND LOCATIONS @MAUIFRESHSTREATERY 42

Eating & Drinking MauiMagazine.net

808.344.7929

frienD of aGricuLture Perry Bateman, Executive Chef Mama’s Fish House In 2001, Mama’s Fish House named Perry Bateman executive chef, giving him charge of a team of nearly 100 employees. In the years since, the restaurant has received countless accolades and awards, including an unflappable record as the most-winning restaurant in ‘Aipono history: forty-four ‘Aiponos since the awards began in 2003. Coincidence? We don’t think so.

Chef Bateman’s contribution to Maui’s culinary scene reaches far beyond treating diners’ taste buds. His passion for homegrown agriculture has empowered and inspired local farmers.

“He supported local agriculture before ‘farm-to-table’ was a concept,” notes Maui County Farm Bureau Executive Director Warren Watanabe. “He follows farmers who have trucks loaded with produce and asks them if he can buy produce from them. He goes to taro farms to walk the land, takes the product back into his kitchen and works his magic.”

Helping to mālama (care for) Maui’s resources is especially fulfilling for Bateman, given his cultural understanding of food as a precious, limited and vital resource. For him,

¹

SHOPPING * DINING * ACTIVITIES * MODERN ACCOMMODATIONS

Enjoy the hospitality of Maui’s plantation era at the historic Pioneer Inn on Lahaina Harbor.

Plenty of Places to Shop with over 14 Retailers ∏ Restaurants Banyan Treats

Pioneer Inn Bar & Grill

Bad Ass Coffee

Best Western Pioneer Inn, 658 Wharf Street, Lahaina (808) 661-3636 www.pioneerinnmaui.com

‘Aipono Award Winners food is life, and gathering and sharing the aloha spirit is what makes Hawai‘i special.

Chef Bateman notes, “[There are] thirdgeneration fishermen still fishing as a lifestyle and providing for their families, [and] thirdgeneration farmers leasing additional land to grow more food. I love being part of a restaurant that helps to make our islands more sustainable in so many ways.”

EAT, DRINK, AND LIVE WELL EVERY DAY TIL MIDNIGHT

535 LIPOA PARKWAY, KIHEI | 808-875-8100 |

(ACROSS FROM MAUI BREWING CO.) | COWPIGBUN.COM

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EXCELLENCE IN SUSTAINABILITY Westin Maui Resort & Spa The Westin Maui has made green its goal, and is asking everyone, from executives to staff to guests, to be part of the program.

The resort has joined parent company Starwood Hotels & Resorts in its “30/20 by 20” initiative, which calls for a 30 percent reduction in energy use and a 20 percent reduction in water consumption at all its properties by 2020. The initiative began in 2007, when Starwood started collecting environmental data on those properties to set a baseline.

To meet those goals, Westin Maui staff have been supporting local organic farmers, taking threatened seafood varieties off menus, composting landscape green waste, recycling more than 200 gallons of kitchen oil to biodiesel weekly, and other eco-friendly measures too numerous to mention here.

Pacific Biodiesel Technologies is a proud sponsor of ‘Aipono’s Excellence in Sustainability Award, and company vice president Kelly King applauds the resort’s efforts. “The Westin’s initiative to eliminate Styrofoam from its operations is just one of the many ways the resort shows leadership and commitment to a sustainable future,” she says.

In addition, as part of the “Make a Green Choice” program, guests who defer daily housekeeping services receive 500 Starpoints or dining credits. Guests who act on this offer help the resort save nearly forty gallons of water, enough electricity to run a laptop for ten hours, 25,000 British thermal units (BTU) of natural gas, and seven ounces of chemicals each day.

a restaurant created by a man who loves to eat Serving Hawai‘i Since 1976

F

Best Award of Excellence Wine Spectator

Best Breakfast in Hawai‘i Zagat Survey

Restaurant of Distinction Honolulu Magazine Hale ‘Aina Award

Best Restaurant Honolulu Advertiser I‘lima Award

Best Italian Restaurant The Maui News “Best of Maui” Award

Best Mediterranean BEST Guidebook

‘Aipono Icon Award, Bob Longhi Maui No Ka ‘Oi Magazine

L A H A I N A / 8 8 8 F r o n t S t r e e t / 8 0 8 . 6 6 7. 2 2 8 8 WAILEA / The Shops at Wailea / 808.89 1.8883 HONOLULU / Ala Moana Center / 808.944.3733

WWW.LONGHIS.COM

LOCAL FLAVORS EXPRESSED THROUGH CULINARY INNOVATION Sharing food with the people you love is a big part of traditional Hawaiian culture, and our fresh restaurant Ka’ana Kitchen serves up some of Maui’s best dishes family style. So grab your favorite humans, and share farm-to-table cuisine expertly prepared to stimulate your sense of adventure.

CALL US at +1 808 243 4750 to book your reservation.

The trademarks Andaz® and related marks are trademarks of Hyatt Corporation. © 2016 Hyatt Corporation. All rights reserved.

Maui N¯ o Ka ‘Oi » May-Jun 2016

45

ADVERTORIAL » MASTERS OF MIXOLOGY

ONO GELATO KĪHEI

& the Maui Sandwich Shack

1280 S. Kīhei Road, Kīhei | 808-495-0287 Daily, 10:30 a.m.–9:30 p.m. | OnoGelatoKihei.com

KOMBUCHA FLOATS

OCEAN ORGANIC VODKA 4051 Ōma‘opio Road, Kula | 808-877-0009 Guided tours daily, 9:30 a.m.–4 p.m. | OceanVodka.com

DA POI DOG 1½ oz. Ocean Organic Vodka ¾ oz. Thai basil & black peppercorn syrup ¾ oz. yuzu citrus juice 2½ oz. fresh-squeezed pomelo or grapefruit juice kosher salt & black pepper for rim 1 sprig Italian basil

Kombucha is made from fresh-brewed tea fermented with a culture to create a probioticrich, slightly fizzy beverage that the ancient Chinese called the “immortal health elixir.” It has been around for more than 2,000 years and has a rich anecdotal history of health benefits like preventing and fighting cancer, arthritis, and other degenerative diseases.

Gelato is an age-old delicacy; the earliest frozen desserts were recorded in 3,000 B.C., when Asian societies discovered they could consume crushed ice and flavorings. Although gelato is rich and decadent, it is lower in fat and calories than traditional ice cream, and made with ingredients that are all found in nature.

When combined, kombucha and gelato make an amazing, fizzy and creamy “grown-up” float high in protein, rich in calcium, with enzymes that detoxify the body, glucosamine for joint care, and probiotics that aid digestion and immune support.

This second annual Ultimate Ocean Showdown Cocktail winner was created by Ross Steidel.

PANGEA

NALU’S SOUTH SHORE GRILL

Ha‘ikū Marketplace, 810 Ha‘ikū Road, #404 | 808-575-5055 Tuesday–Saturday, 4–10 p.m. | PangeaMaui.com

1280 S. Kīhei Road, Kīhei | 808-891-8650 Daily, 8 a.m.–9 p.m.

THE ALCHEMIST smoked-tea ice cube (tulsi, gotu kola, lemongrass, mint, māmaki) Hawai'i honey Buffalo Trace bourbon Ha‘ikū lemon dash of cayenne The Alchemist is a universal cure for disease and a means for longevity. This sacred drink has its roots in Ha‘ikū, Maui, at the Ahimsa Farm Sanctuary. The herbs are organically grown, harvested and solar dried. We invite the herbs in our kitchen. The chef cold-smokes the herbs with local kiawe, which preserves the nutrients and enhances the flavor.

After the tea is smoked, it is ready to brew.

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Rim half of a Collins glass with salt and pepper. In a mixing tin, combine first four ingredients and shake for ten seconds.

Strain over fresh ice into Collins glass. Garnish with sprig of Italian basil.

Enjoy!

NALU'S MAI TAI rum triple sec amaretto fresh-squeezed lime, pineapple & mango juices dark & light rum float Nalu’s signature Macadamia Nut Rum Foam At Nalu’s, we’ve taken this tiki-bar staple and kicked it up a notch with premium ingredients and fresh-squeezed juice, all topped with our signature Macadamia Nut Rum Foam. Known for its fruity flavors and boozy kick, this tropical-drink favorite will have you calling for another round.

Our drink menu also includes seasonal craft brews and Valley Isle Kombucha on tap, plus a fine selection of wines and special, hand-crafted cocktails.

MASTERS OF MIXOLOGY « ADVERTORIAL

SANGRITA GRILL + CANTINA

MAUIWINE

Fairway Shops, 2580 Keka‘a Drive, Kā‘anapali 808-662-6000| Daily, 11 a.m.–9:30 p.m. | SangritaGrill.com

14815 Pi‘ilani Hwy., Ulupalakua | 808-878-6058 Daily, 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. | MauiWine.com

PIÑA NON-COLADA 6 oz. Hula o Maui Pineapple Sparkling Wine ½ oz. coconut turbinado syrup (See recipe below.)

1 dash Bittermens Tiki Bitters In a champagne flute, add syrup, bitters and 1 oz. pineapple sparkling wine.

Gently stir to mix. Top off with pineapple sparkling wine.

Garnish with lemon twist.

NAGUAVI MARGARITA

LEMONGRASS SYRUP

1 oz. lemongrass syrup (See recipe at right.)

1 oz. guava purée ½ oz. fresh lime juice 1½ oz. Sauza Blue 100% Agave Tequila

20 habanero peppers, cut in half 1 lb. lemongrass, cut into 1” pieces 3 c. sugar 4 c. water

Shake with ice, then pour over ice into bucket glass. Garnish with lime wheel.

Bring all ingredients to boil, steep for 48 hours, strain.

Created at Luana, Fairmont Kea Lani Resort, by lead mixologist Aaron Alcala-Mosley

COCONUT TURBINADO SYRUP turbinado sugar aged rum coconut extract

Add 2 parts turbinado sugar to 1 part cold water and stir until sugar is fully dissolved.

Add 3 parts of this syrup to 1 part aged rum. Add 2 drops coconut extract per 2 oz. liquid, and stir to mix all ingredients.

MISO PHAT SUSHI

FAT DADDY’S SMOKEHOUSE

1279 S. Kīhei Road, #108, Kīhei | 808-891-MISO(6476) Sunday–Thursday, 11 a.m.–9 p.m.

Friday & Saturday, 11 a.m.–10 p.m. | MisoPhat.com

1913 S. Kīhei Road, Kīhei | 808-879-8711 Daily, 4–9 p.m. | FatDaddysMaui.com

CLASSIC SAKÉ-TINI 2½ parts dry saké 1 part premium vodka Shake well over ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with thin slices of Japanese cucumber. You can change the flavor of the saké or add your favorite fruit to spice up the cocktail.

OLD SMOKEY APPLE PIE This is a true smokehouse-style cocktail: We take our housemade lemonade, mix it with Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine and Smirnoff vodka, then finish with a splash of soda. This drink perfectly complements our wood-smoked cuisine and wide range of sides. Fat Daddy’s serves local beers and kiawe-wood-smoked meats that are never rushed. We smoke fresh daily to bring the best product to our guests.

Come in and see how good this cocktail tastes with our BBQ. Maui N¯ o Ka ‘Oi » Eating & Drinking

47

ADVERTORIAL » MASTERS OF MIXOLOGY

KONA DEEP WATER

MATTEO’S OSTERIA

73-275 Makako Bay Dr., Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i Island 808-327-1400|KonaDeep.com

161 Wailea Ike Place, Wailea | 808-891-VINO (8466) Monday–Friday, 11:30 a.m.–9:30 p.m.

Saturday & Sunday 5–9:30 p.m. | MatteosMaui.com

KONA DEEP WATER This deeply refreshing and restorative water has a unique balance of naturally occurring deepocean electrolytes.

Kona Deep comes from the deep ocean waters of Hawai‘i, more than 3,000 feet below the surface, where cold, pressure, and darkness combine to create an exceptionally high-quality water. We use a unique method to bring the water to the surface to offer you an extraordinary taste and hydration experience. In the process, we add nothing. Kona Deep is bottled right at the source and is now available in grocery, convenience and natural-food stores throughout Hawai‘i in 500 milliliter and 1 liter bottles.

At Matteo’s Osteria, embark on a liquid journey into our Grand Cruvinet or our custombuilt cantina housing 2,000 bottles of wine.

Our Grand Cruvinet is the largest winepreservation system in Hawai‘i, and includes 64 wines by the glass in 3- or 6-ounce pours. Our system expertly controls the temperature of the wine and injects a seal of nitrogen that preserves the wine for freshness and full flavor.

Hand-selected by Chef Matteo Mistura, our ever-evolving wine list features labels from Italy, as well as many domestic and other international wines. Our intention is to provide customers with the opportunity to explore and discover a palatable journey of wine.

Our wine stewards will guide you, to suit your nose and palate, creating personalized pairings with one of Matteo’s delectable epicurean creations. Salute!

Bravo!

Executive Chef Perry Bateman Mama’s Fish House 2016 Friend of Agriculture Award recipient Presented by Maui County Farm Bureau in partnership with Maui Nö Ka ‘Oi magazine at the annual ‘Aipono Awards Gala

We salute past recipients:

Peter Merriman, Hula Grill Kä‘aanapali 2007 James McDonald, Pacific‘O and I’O 2008 Peter Merriman, Merriman’s Kapalua 2009 Jenna Haugaard, Flatbread Company 2010 Justin Pardo, Market Fresh Bistro 2011 Tylun Pang, Kö, The Fairmont Kea Lani 2012 Scott McGill, TS Restaurants 2013 Chris Schobel, Hula Grill 2013 Eric Faivre, Grand Wailea 2014 Francois Milliet, Kä‘anapali Ocean Resort Villas 2015

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MAUI COUNTY

dining guide

Eating & Drinking is published annually.

For dining updates, contact the venue—or pick up the current issue of Maui Nō Ka ‘Oi Magazine.

B = Breakfast BR = Brunch  L = Lunch  D = Dinner N = Dinner past 9pm  RR = Reservation recommended  $ = Average entreé under $15  $$ = Under $25  $$$ = Under $40  $$$$ = $40+ = ‘Aipono Readers’ Choice Award winners for 2016

WEST SIDE ‘Āina Gourmet Market, Honua Kai Resort & Spa, 130 Kai Malina Pkwy., Kā‘anapali, 662-2800.

Chef James McDonald oversees this deli’s menu, right down to the sun-ripened tomatoes and Maui onions grown upcountry at O’o Farm. Deli. B, L. $

Cliff Dive Grill, Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa, 2605 Kā‘anapali Pkwy., Kā‘anapali, 661-0031.

Order Hawaiian-style edamame, a juicy burger, or fish taco to go with your poolside mai tai or Black Rock Lager. Hawai‘i Regional. L, D. $–$$

Alaloa Lounge, Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, 1 RitzCarlton Dr., Kapalua, 669-6200. This stylish bar attracts a cocktail generation as lovely as the views.

Sushi. D, N. $

The Coffee Store Nāpili, 5095 Nāpilihau St., Nāpili, 669-4170. Sip a cup of Kā‘anapali Peaberry paired with a freshly baked muffin, éclair or coconut macaroon. Coffee Shop. B, L. $

Aloha Mixed Plate, 1285 Front St., Lahaina, 661-3322. Plate lunches served up with plenty of aloha.

Shoyu chicken, chow fun, and banana lumpia are local favorites. Kid-friendly. Local Mixed Plate. L, D, N. $

Cool Cat Café, 658 Front St., Lahaina, 667-0908.

Burgers, chicken, fish and more, all within a ’50s diner atmosphere. Kid-friendly. American. L, D. $

Japengo, Hyatt Regency Maui, 200 Nohea Kai Dr., Kā‘anapali, 667-4796. Authentic sushi prepared with the finest seafood. Steak, too! Japanese.

D, N. $$$

Dollies Pub & Café, 4310 Honoapi‘ilani Rd., Kahana, 669-0266. Hand-pressed crusts and stoneoven pizzas highlight a menu ranging from cheese steak to Costa Rican salad. L, D, N. $–$$

Joey’s Kitchen, Whalers Village, 2435 Kā‘anapali Pkwy., Kā‘anapali, 868-4474. Try the braised short-rib pho atop rice noodles, corn and sweet peppers in rich ginger beef broth. Pacific Rim. B, L, D. $$

Drums of the Pacific, Hyatt Regency Maui, 200 Nohea Kai Dr., Kā‘anapali, 661-1234.

Enjoy a traditional imu ceremony and Hawaiian cuisine, plus the dances and music of Polynesia.

Kid-friendly. Lū‘au. D, RR. $$$$

Kā‘anapali Beach Hotel, 2525 Kā‘anapali Pkwy.

Kā‘anapali, 661-0011. Dine in casual comfort with the Tiki Restaurant’s full-service menu, or challenge yourself to try all the offerings at the award-winning Sunday brunch. Kid-friendly. American/Pacific Rim. B, BR, L, D. $–$$$

Amigo’s, 658 Front St., Lahaina, 661-0210.

Authentic Mexican fajitas, tostadas, chile verde, flautas, and Amigo’s famous wet burritos. Huge portions.

Kid-friendly. Mexican. B, L, D. $ The Banyan Tree, Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, 1 RitzCarlton Dr., Kapalua, 665-7096. Savor a top-shelf mai tai, an appetizer of seared scallops on cauliflower purée, and braised beef short ribs with kabocha squash and ali‘i mushrooms. Pacific Rim. D. $$–$$$$ Black Rock Kitchen & Lounge, Sheraton Maui Resort, 2605 Kā‘anapali Pkwy., Kā‘anapali, 808-9214600. Grilled catch of the day served with coconut and Moloka‘i purple sweet potato and ginger-spiced broccolini glazed with yuzu brown butter. Or try the New York strip steak with bleu cheese fondue and baked mashed potato. The mac-nut brittle bar is to die for. Kidfriendly. American/Hawai‘i Regional. B, D. $$$ Cane & Canoe, Montage Kapalua Bay, 1 Bay Dr., Kapalua, 662-6681. Impressive steak program featuring filet mignon, American Wagyu rib-eye and Australian lamb chops. Modern plantation-style bar offers light fare and full island-inspired restaurant menu. Kid-friendly. Pacific Rim. B, D. $$$–$$$$ Castaway Café, Aston Maui Kā‘anapali Villas, 45 Kai Ala Dr., Kā‘anapali, 661-9091. A casual beachfront spot for local coffee and eggs Benedict with a view. At dinner, the chockablock wine cellar dresses up the simple, satisfying fare. American.

B, L, D. $$ Cheeseburger in Paradise, 811 Front St., Lahaina, 661-4855. This family-friendly restaurant serves up Angus beef burgers, refreshing salads and fun mixology, all with great ocean views, live entertainment and aloha. Kid-friendly. American. B, L, D, N. $$ Choice Health Bar, 1087 Limahana Pl., Lahaina, 661-7711. Juices, smoothies, salads, soups and açai bowls are all made with fresh local ingredients. Daily specials, and an epic entrée with forbidden rice and marinated broccoli in red-pepper sesame sauce.

American. B, L. $

Duke’s, Honua Kai Resort & Spa, 130 Kai Malina Pkwy., Kā‘anapali, 662-2900. Imagine Old Hawai‘i at this open-air beach house while dining on crab-and macadamia-nut wontons or prime rib. Kid-friendly.

American/Pacific Rim. B, L, D, RR. $$

Honu Seafood & Pizza, 1295 Front St., Lahaina, 667-9390. Mark Ellman serves bicoastal seafood and killer Neapolitan pizza. Seafood/Pizza. L, D. $$ Hula Grill, 2435 Kā‘anapali Pkwy., Kā‘anapali, 667-6636. Dip your toes in the sand at the Barefoot Bar and enjoy kiawe-grilled ono on fresh spinach, homemade ice-cream sandwiches, and live music.

Kid-friendly. Hawai‘i Regional. L, D. $$

Kai Sushi, Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, 1 Ritz-Carlton Dr., Kapalua, 669-6200. Chef Tadashi Yoshino and his team work sushi magic. Large selection of Japanese saké. Sushi. D. $$$

The Feast at Lele, 505 Front St., Lahaina, 667-5353. This classy beachfront lū‘au explores the cultural and culinary world of the Pacific Islands. Open bar. Lū‘au. D, RR. $$$$

Kimo’s, 845 Front St., Lahaina, 661-4811. Savor one of the island’s best mai tais on an oceanfront lānai. Opt for sweet basil fish or the 32-oz. prime rib. Save room for Hula Pie. Kid-friendly. Steak/Seafood. L, D. $$

Fleetwood’s on Front St., 744 Front St., Lahaina, 669-6425. Pacific oysters with tart apple mignonette, grilled Hawaiian shutome, and a one-pound Harley Davidson Hog Burger. American/British pub food. B, L, D $$–$$$$

Koa’s Seaside Grill, 839 Front St., Lahaina, 6677737. The folks at Gazebo run this oceanfront eatery, and serve the same famous breakfast menu from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Plus pulled-pork sandwiches, prime rib and mahimahi. American. B, BR, L, D. $–$$$

Frida’s Mexican Beach House, 1287 Front St. Lahaina, 661-1287. Chalupas, fresh chili agua ‘ahi, and short-rib tacos served with ocean views and fresh mixology. Latin-inspired. L, D. $–$$

Kobe Japanese Steak House & Oku’s Sushi Bar, 136 Dickenson St., Lahaina, 667-5555. Flying shrimp, whirling spatulas and late-night karaoke make this longtime Lahaina icon fun. Kid-friendly. Japanese/Sushi. D, N, RR. $$$

The Gazebo, Outrigger Nāpili Shores, 5315 L. Honoapi‘ilani Rd., Nāpili, 669-5621. Mac-nut pancakes, French toast and legendary fried rice served with an ocean view. Kid-friendly. American. B, L. $ Gerard’s, 174 Lahainaluna Rd., Lahaina, 661-8939.

Chef Gerard Reversade delights guests with Basque country fare. French. D. $$$$ Honokōwai Okazuya, 3600-D L. Honoapi‘ilani Hwy., Honokōwai, 665-0512. Plate lunches piled high with two-scoops rice and mac salad fly out the door of this tiny takeout shop. Local Mixed Plate. No credit cards. L. $

Lahaina Fish Co., 831 Front St., Lahaina, 661-3472.

Grab an oceanfront seat and dig into fresh mahi and sautéed scallops in cream sauce. Memorable tropical drinks, and a happy hour from noon to 6 p.m. Pacific Rim. L, D. $$–$$$ Lahaina Grill, 127 Lahainaluna, Rd., Lahaina, 667-5117. Treat yourself to a warm, pecan-crusted goat cheese and arugula salad; Maui onion and sesame-crusted ‘ahi steak with vanilla-bean jasmine rice; or the famous Kona coffee roasted rack of lamb with coffee-cabernet demi-glace. Great wine selections and cocktails. Hawai‘i Regional. D, RR. $$$$ Maui N¯ o Ka ‘Oi » Eating & Drinking

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dining guide Lahaina Pizza Company, 730 Front St., Lahaina, 661-0700. Deep-dish pizza, hearty salads and sandwiches draw crowds to this relaxed hangout.

Live music nightly. American/Italian. L, D. $$ Leilani’s on the Beach, Whalers Village, 2435 Kā‘anapali Pkwy., Kā‘anapali, 661-4495. Chef Ryan Luckey rocks Hawai‘i-inspired flavors. Try the sesame-crusted seared ‘ahi with shiitake-mushroombutter-soy sauce, or Korean gochujang risotto with salt-and-peppa’ mahi. Steak/Seafood. L, D, N. $$ Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop, 820 Olowalu Village Rd., Olowalu, 662-3600. House-made pastrami on freshly baked bread with a side of pineapple coleslaw and an ice-cold beer or freshly squeezed lemonade will make you want to dance.

After the mac-nut chocolate cream pie, you will boogie!

American. B, L, D. $ Local Boys Shave Ice, 624 Front St., Lahaina, 868-3476. This location also serves açai bowls, coffee and bagels. See South Side listing.

Longhi’s, 888 Front St., Lahaina, 667-2288. For breakfast at this open-air landmark, try the eggs Benedict on thick toasted French bread. For dinner, use the jalapeño cheese bread to sop up sauce served with the Shrimp Longhi. Italian. B, L, D. $$$–$$$$ LuLu’s Lahaina Surf Club & Grill. 1221 Honoapi‘ilani Hwy., Lahaina, 661-0808. Creative dishes range from blackened ‘ahi Benedict with Cajun hollandaise, to crispy shrimp tossed in honey-mac-nut aioli, to li hing mui barbecued-chicken flatbread.

Kid-friendly. Asian-American. B, L, D, N. $$ Māla Ocean Tavern, 1307 Front St., Lahaina, 667-9394. Snap peas slathered in ginger and sambal, and fresh ‘ahi atop flaxseed bruschetta satisfy the health-conscious and the hedonistic at this surfside tavern. Turtle sightings nearly guaranteed.

Mediterranean. BR (Sat & Sun), L, D. $$ Mama’s Ribs & Rotisserie, 5095 Nāpilihau St., Nāpili, 665-6262. See South Shore listing.

Maui Sugar Shop, 878 Front St., Lahaina, 662-0033. Delectable gluten-free, paleo and vegan delights like quiches, Belgian waffles, muffins, cakes and more. Bakery/Café. B, L. $ Mauiano’s Italian Grille & Wood-fired Pizza, 900 Front St., Lahaina, 667-0791. The pizza and pasta are great, but the bacon-wrapped meatloaf with goat cheese scalloped potatoes topped with bourbon mushroom sauce? Delicioso! Italian. L, D. $–$$ Merriman’s Kapalua, 1 Bay Dr., Kapalua, 669-6400. Peter Merriman casts his spell on seafood, local beef and produce to create some of Maui’s most delectable fare. Pacific Rim. Sunday Br, L, D, RR. $$–$$$$ Miso Phat Sushi, 4310 Honoapi‘ilani Hwy., Kahana, 669-9010. See South Side listing.

Myths of Maui, 2780 Keka‘a Dr., Kā‘anapali, 6619119. Enjoy live music, Polynesian dance, and an islandinspired buffet, complete with unearthing of the kalua pig from the imu. Lū‘au. D, RR. $$$ Ocean Pool Bar & Grill, Westin Kā‘anapali Ocean Resort Villas, 6 Kai Ala Dr., Kā‘anapali, 667-3200.

Kick back with a tropical cocktail and pūpū (appetizer) beside the pool; the paparazzi should be there shortly.

American/Pacific Rim. B, L, D. $$–$$$

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Old Lāhaina Lū‘au, 1251 Front St., Lahaina, 667-1998. Lounge on tatami mats and eat lomilomi salmon and haupia (coconut pudding) like a Hawaiian.

Reserve this popular, authentic lū‘au far in advance.

Open bar. Kid-friendly. Lū‘au. D, RR. $$$$ Pacific’O, 505 Front St., Lahaina, 667-4341.

Owner Louis Coulombe’s decadent fish tacos and bahn mi sandwiches are memorable lunch fare. For dinner, try the lobster ravioli or coconut-dusted mahi with Thailemongrass-peanut sauce on black mochi rice. Spectacular oceanfront dining. Hawai‘i Regional. L, D. $$$$ Pailolo Bar & Grill, Westin Kā‘anapali Ocean Resort Villas, 6 Kai Ala Dr., Kā‘anapali, 6673200. Spicy, homemade Bloody Mary will rev your engines in the morning. Excellent burgers, tacos, and appetizers, plus ice-cold beer on tap. American. B, L, D. $ Penne Pasta, 180 Dickenson St., Lahaina, 6616633. Dig into flavorful, affordable pasta dishes while people-watching from this cozy spot tucked down a Lahaina side street. Kid-friendly. Italian. L, D, N. $$ Pineapple Grill, 200 Kapalua Dr., Kapalua, 6699600. Try pistachio-and wasabi-pea-crusted ‘ahi steak served with coconut forbidden rice; or tender, Asian-style braised short ribs. L, D, N. $$$ Pioneer Inn Grill & Bar, 658 Wharf St., Lahaina, 661-3636. Views of the bustling harbor, sailor-worthy breakfasts, extended happy hours, and well-priced dinners reel ‘em. American. B, L, D. $–$$ Pizza Paradiso Mediterranean Grill, 3350 L. Honoapi‘ilani Hwy., Kā‘anapali, 667-2929. Juicy gyros, flavorful falafel in warm pita bread with a side of tabbouleh, kabob platters . . . and pizza. Dine in or take out. Pizza/Mediterranean. L, D. $–$$ Plantation House Restaurant, 2000 Plantation Club Dr., Kapalua, 669-6299. Rock your inner Cajun with Rising Star Chef Jojo Vasquez’s Kaua‘i shrimp ètouffée, prepared with Adoboloco’s Hamajang hot sauce and scallion-polenta cake with lime crème.

Hawai‘i Regional. B, BR, L, D. $$$

soy mustard, ume tsukudani, soy daikon and pickled ginger. Save room for the signature Melting Hot Dark Chocolate Souffle. Pacific Rim. L, D. $$–$$$$ Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Lahaina Center, 900 Front St., Lahaina, 661-8815. Steaks worthy of devotion, top-flight service and a superb wine list earn the Ruth’s Chris chain loyal fans. This restaurant doesn’t stray from the flock. Several tables overlook the harbor. American. D, N. $$$$ Sale Pepe, 878 Front St., Lahaina, 667-7667.

Brick-oven-fired pizza and flatbreads highlight a menu that changes daily, with items like pancetta and ceci purée on grilled crostini, and house-made strozzapreti pasta—like Michele’s mama makes in Italy. Good selection of Italian wines and beer. Italian/Pizza. D. $$ Sangrita Grill + Cantina, Fairway Shops, 2580 Keka‘a Dr., Kā‘anapali, 662-6000. South of the Border goes upper crust with achiote-marinated ono grilled Yucatan style; fig-mole short ribs; and seafood Veracruz with shrimp, octopus, and fish simmered in tomato-Spanish-olive sauce. Mexican. L, D. $–$$ Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar, 600 S. Office Rd., Kapalua, 669-6286. D.K. Kodama’s restaurant draws lines late into the night. Small and action-packed, this classy sushi bar is the place to try a Kenny G roll (snapper with shiso and ponzu sauce) with a swig of saké. Pacific Rim/Sushi. D, N, RR. $$$ The Sea House Restaurant, Nāpili Kai Beach Resort, 5900 Lower Honoapi‘ilani, Nāpili, 6691500. Start your day with oven-baked pancakes laden with fruit. Enjoy coconut-crusted shrimp while the sun sinks into Nāpili Bay. On Wednesday, stay for Grammy-winner George Kahumoku Jr.’s Masters of Hawaiian Slack-key Guitar. Pacific Rim. B, L, D. $$$ Shark Pit Food Truck, 78 Ulupono St., Lahaina, 298-7776. Kabayaki meatball sub, steak or spicy shrimp tacos with Korean aioli, USDA Prime beef burgers and fresh catch on a taro brioche bun. Food Truck. L. $

Prison Street Pizza, 133 Prison St., Lahaina, 6623332. East Coast-style pizza, Caesar salad, calzones and more. Captivating! Italian/Pizza. L, D. $

Slappy Cakes, 3350 Honoapi‘ilani Rd., Kā‘anapali, 419-6600. Cook your own pancakes with your favorite toppings, or try weekly specials like steak poke rice bowl. All meat and dairy are hormone-free; pancake/pastry is scratch-baked. American/Local.

B, L (D Friday–Sunday). $$

Pūlehu, an Italian Grill, Westin Kā‘anapali Ocean Resort Villas, 6 Kai Ala Dr., Kā‘anapali, 667-3200. Island cuisine speaks Italian! Try the pappardelle Bolognese made with Maui Cattle Company beef, or succulent Kaua‘i prawn risotto. End with a sweet zeppole, tiramisu or budino. Closed Tues– Wed. Italian. D. $$$

Son’z Steakhouse, Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, 200 Nohea Kai Dr., Kā‘anapali, 6674506. Moroccan-spiced blackened ‘ahi with soymustard sauce enlivens the evening. Or sink your teeth into filet mignon carpaccio, rib-eye steak, or classically prepared, line-caught mahimahi in lemon-caper butter. Pacific Rim/Steak. D, N. $$$$

Relish Burger Bistro, Westin Maui Resort & Spa, 2365 Kā‘anapali Pkwy., Kā‘anapali, 667-2525.

All-natural Kobe beef burgers, fish sandwiches, salads with island greens, and huli huli grilled chicken breast, served poolside in an open-air setting. Kid-friendly.

American/Hawai‘i Regional. B, L, D. $$–$$$

Star Noodle, 286 Kupuohi St., Lahaina, 6675400. Big-city style and local flavors unite. At the communal table, order a Golden Star sparkling jasmine tea. The ramen broth is extra smoky; the Singapore noodles bright and flavorful. Asian. L, D. $$

Relish Oceanside, Westin Maui Resort, 2365 Kā‘anapali Pkwy., Kā‘anapali, 667-2525. Fried rice with Asian-style braised beef, fresh mahi atop luscious and cheesy risotto, and possibly the best kale salad with chunky macadamia nuts you ever ate. Reservations at OpenTable.com. Pacific Rim. D, N. $$-$$$ Roy’s, 2290 Kā‘anapali Pkwy., Kā‘anapali, 669-6999. At lunch, line up for the best burger on Maui. For dinner, dive into Roy’s blackened ‘ahi with

Sugar Cane Maui, 736 Front St., Lahaina, 214-6662.

Chef Philippe Chin reimagines island cuisine with ‘ahi nachos on sesame-spinach salad, Asian BBQ ribs with purple yams, fresh tuna steak on wasabi potatoes and more. Asian Fusion. L, D. $–$$$ Teddy’s Bigger Burgers, 335 Keawe St., Lahaina, 661-9111. The staff hand-pat the burgers, charbroil them to order, and serve them in a fun diner ambiance. Follow their food truck on Facebook. Kidfriendly. American. L, D. $

dining guide Teppan-yaki Dan, Sheraton Maui Resort, 2605 Kā‘anapali Pkwy., Kā‘anapali, 808-921-4600.

Start with Oyster Dan—seared oysters with wasabi and tobiko—then watch your skillful chef transform chunks of lobster and sirloin into a masterpiece on your plate. Japanese/Steak. D, RR. $$$ Thai Chef, 878 Front St., Lahaina, 667-2814.

This small, well-loved restaurant keeps West Side fans coming back for more with its commendable curries, fresh prawn spring rolls, and beef salads drenched in tangy sauce. Thai. L, D. $ Tiki Tiki Thai, 658 Front St., Lahaina, 6619911/283-5202. Filet mignon in creamy Thai chili sauce, chicken panang curry, and many vegetarian selections. Coconut mango sticky rice pudding will plunk you into tropical heaven. Thai. L, D. $–$$ Trilogy Excursions’ Sunset Dinner Sail, Mā‘alaea Harbor, 661-4743. Board a luxury catamaran for Chef Bailey’s four-course dinner. Choose a rosemarygarlic-crusted steak on roasted garlic demi-glace, wild-caught mahimahi with lemon caper butter, or vegetarian pasta. Open bar with cocktails, Maui Brewery and wine selections. American. D. RR. $$$$ Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice, 790 Front St., Lahaina. Homemade tropical-flavored syrups like liliko‘i and coconut set this shave-ice business apart.

Additional West Maui locations: 819 Front St., Lahaina; and in the Hyatt Regency Maui, 200 Nohea Kai Dr., Kā‘anapali. Kid-friendly. $ ‘Ūmalu, Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, 200 Nohea Kai Dr., Kā‘anapali, 667-4506. Head poolside for Kobe beef sliders or ‘ahi poke nachos.

Knock back a “Mutiny on the Carthaginian” cocktail inspired by Lahaina’s rowdy whaling past. Live music nightly. American/Pacific Rim. L, D. $$$ Wailele Polynesian Lū‘au, Westin Maui Resort, 2365 Kā‘anapali Pkwy., Kā‘anapali, 667-2525.

Fire dancers ignite the excitement, and hula dancers sway as you enjoy a Polynesian feast. Kid-friendly.

Lū‘au. D. RR. $$$$

CENTRAL Amigo’s, 333 Dairy Rd., Kahului, 872-9525. See West Side listing.

Aria’s Restaurant & Catering, 2062 W. Vineyard St., Wailuku, 242-2742. Luscious sandwiches, salads, and entrèes like braised chocolate chipotle lamb shank with maizena. American/Pacific Rim. B Sat-Sun only; L, D Mon-Sat. $–$$ Bistro Casanova, 33 Lono Ave., Kahului, 873-3650. This downtown bistro branches out from its Upcountry sister, adding paella for two, fresh-cut french fries, and burrata caprese to the menu. Mediterranean. L, D. $-$$ Café O’Lei, The Dunes at Maui Lani, 1333 Maui Lani Pkwy., Kahului, 877-0073. Macadamia-nutcrusted chicken, seared ‘ahi tuna, tiger shrimp linguine and other favorites, served in a setting overlooking a links-style golf course and the West Maui Mountains.

American/Pacific Rim. B, L, D. $$ Da Kitchen, Triangle Square, 425 Koloa St., Kahului, 871-7782. The Hawaiian plate feeds three normal appetites or one sumo-sized eater. Plate lunch favorites like chicken katsu, tempura fish, and Korean

mixed plate won’t leave you wanting. Kid-friendly.

Local Mixed Plate. L, D. $ Farmacy Health Bar, 12 Market St., Wailuku, 866-4312. Pono means excellence, which perfectly describes this organic eatery’s pono bowl: kale salad atop quinoa and tofu. The taro veggie burgers and the poi açai bowl with fresh fruit are a delicious spin on a local staple. Call in your order to expedite service. Maui-style, Takeout Only. B, L. $ Fatt Chicks Burgers, Brews & Grill, 200 Halewaiu Rd., Waiehu, 242-6666. The 19th hole never tasted so good! Kim chee loco moco, bountiful salads and ‘ono burgers. Nuff said! Go eat! Pacific Regional. B, L. $ Geste Shrimp Truck, Kahului Beach Rd., Kahului, 298-7109. Try Hawaiian scampi, hot and spicy, lemon pepper, and spicy pineapple shrimp with crab salad and rice. American. L, D. $ Kula Bistro, 4566 Lower Kula Rd., Kula, 8712960. Big fat sandwiches on focaccia, Upcountry salad greens with house balsamic vinaigrette, and buttery scallop appetizers will have you swooning.

Fresh-fish entrèes and juicy burgers, too. American/ Pacific Rim. B, L, D. $–$$ Marco’s Grill & Deli, 444 Hāna Hwy., Kahului, 877-4446. Head to Marco’s for a good Reuben, meatball parmigiano, or tiramisu. Italian. B, L, D. $$ Maui Coffee Roasters, 444 Hāna Hwy., Kahului, 877-2877. Eclectic art and brightly painted tables decorate this popular gathering spot. At Happy Cappy Hour, 2 p.m. to closing, cappuccinos are special price. Coffee Shop. B, L. $ Maui Fresh Streatery, 137 E. Ka‘ahumanu Ave., Kahului, 344-7929. Chef Kyle rocks the street-food scene with imaginative poutine, ethnic dishes from around the world, and a modern take on local fare. Menu changes every few weeks. Food Truck. L. $ Las Piñatas, 395 Dairy Rd., Kahului, 877-8707.

Home of the famous Kitchen Sink burrito, plus tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, and a self-serve salsa bar. Ole! Kid-friendly. Mexican. B, L, D. $ Poi by the Pound, 385 Ho‘ohana St., Kahului, 2839381. Eat like a local. Hawaiian. L, D. $ A Saigon Cafe, 1792 Main St., Wailuku, 2439560. Squeeze into a booth beside local lawmakers and order Buddha rolls and lemongrass curry. The comedic servers don’t miss a beat. Vietnamese. L, D. $ Sam Sato’s, 1750 Wili Pa Loop, Wailuku, 2447124. This beloved Maui restaurant sets the standard for dry mein, saimin and chow fun. Asian. B, L. $ Tiki Tiki Thai Cuisine, 395 Dairy Rd., Kahului, 8930026. See West Side listing.

Tin Roof, 360 Papa Pl., Kahului, 868-0753. Chef Sheldon Simeon of Bravo Channel’s Top Chef fame lets you build your own kau kau bowl with his savory offerings: sweet Kaua‘i prawns in garlic butter and kochujang sauce; seared furikaki-crusted fish with wasabi mayo and soy, and more. Pacific Rim. B, L, D. $–$$ TJ’s Warehouse, 875 Alua St., Wailuku, 244-7311.

Located in Wailuku Industrial Park, TJ’s serves up plate lunch to go: chicken katsu, fried saba (mackerel), and Maui N¯ o Ka ‘Oi » Eating & Drinking

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dining guide a hot line of daily specials, such as potato croquettes, nishime and poke, too. Asian. B, L. $ Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice, 333 Dairy Rd., Kahului. See West Side listing. Second Central Maui location: 58 Maui Lani Pkwy., Wailuku.

Wailuku Coffee Company, 28 N. Market St., Wailuku, 495-0259. Espresso, ice cream and sandwiches in a relaxed setting. Shave Ice. B, L. $ Whole Foods Market, 70 E. Ka‘ahumanu Ave., Kahului, 872-3310. All things fresh and healthy.

Order from the deli or construct your own meal from the salad and hot-food bars. Get it to go, or dine here inside or out. B, L, D. $

baked goods are worth the trek. For lunch, enjoy a hamburger with Swiss cheese and caramelized onion.

American/Coffee Shop. B, L, Snacks. $$-$$$

find entrees like kitchen-sink burritos and grilled carne asada plates with refried beans and Spanish rice.

Mexican. L, D. $$

Hāli‘imaile General Store, 900 Hāli‘imaile Rd., Hāli‘imaile, 572-2666. Chef Bev Gannon dishes up fresh fish, local meats, and regional produce drenched in complex sauces. The towering sashimi appetizer is legendary. Hawai‘i Regional. L, D. $$$$

The Preserve Kitchen + Bar, Travaasa Hana Resort, 5031 Hāna Hwy., Hāna, 359-2401. Hāna-sourced produce and fish are the basis for an original menu created by Chef Jay Johnson. Try a craft cocktail with fresh juices and sours. Pacific Rim. B, L, D, RR. $–$$$

Hana Ranch Provisions, 71 Baldwin Ave., Pā‘ia, 868-3688. The name says it all: the freshest produce, fish, and Hāna-raised beef. Well, almost all: add the name of premier chef Gary Johnson. Asian Fusion.

B, L, D. $–$$$

La Provence, 5355 Lower Kula Rd., Kula, 878-1313.

The glass case overflows with perfect croissants, fruit tarts, and arguably the world’s best mango-blueberry scones. On Sundays, muscle past Kula’s long-distance cyclists to order a Benedict or salmon-pesto crepe.

French Bakery. B, BR Weekends. $

Zing, Main Street Promenade, 2050 Main St., Wailuku, 244-3707. Salads, soup and sandwiches with fresh local ingredients. Closed Sunday. B, L, $

La Isla Mexican Tamales, Pukalani Terrace Center, 55 Pukalani St., Pukalani, 572-8258. Tamale lovers and local plate-lunch eaters unite! Great food, reasonable prices. Local/Mexican. L, D. $

UPCOUNTRY, NORTH SHORE & HĀNA

Maka by Mana, 115 Baldwin Ave., Pā‘ia, 5799125. Coconut-cream stacker with balsamic reduction, vegan burgers, tempeh Reuben . . . this is vegan and vegetarian fare so delicious, it could make a meat lover cross over. Vegetarian. L, D, RR. $$$$

Barefoot Café, 1632 Keawa Pl., Hāna 446-5732.

Takeout breakfasts like French toast or scrambled eggs with Portuguese sausage. Midday, get a burger or mahimahi plate lunch to go. Pacific Rim. B, L. $ Café Des Amis, 42 Baldwin Ave., Pā‘ia, 579-6323.

Savory crêpes are served with wild greens and a dollop of sour cream. Lightly spiced curries come with chutney and raita, Indian yogurt sauce. Kid-friendly.

Mediterranean. B, L, D. $ Café Mambo, 30 Baldwin Ave., Pā‘ia, 579-8021.

Steak, tofu, or duck fajitas are served with a lazy Susan piled with tasty condiments; or grab packed lunches for the trip to Hāna. Mediterranean. B, L, D. $$ Casanova Italian Restaurant & Deli, 1188 Makawao Ave., Makawao, 572-0220. Order a tartufo pizza or carbonara pasta at this Upcountry institution. Kid-friendly. Italian/Pizza. B, L, D. $$ Colleen’s at the Cannery, 810 Kokomo Rd., Ha‘ikū, 575-9211. Sink into a comfy booth and enjoy a roasted eggplant sandwich on homemade bread.

The pizza is a well-loved standard. Kid-friendly.

American/Pizza. B, L, D. $-$$.

Eskimo Candy Seafood Market & Deli, 2665 Wai Wai Pl., Kīhei, 879-5686. Locals come here for the rice bowl topped with poke mixes like shoyu, spicy wasabi and furikake. Fresh opah fish and chips with cabbage coleslaw. Seafood/Deli. L, D. $-$$ Farmacy Health Bar, Pukalani Terrace Center, Pukalani, 572-7900. See Central Maui listing.

Five Palms, 2960 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 879-2607.

Watch whales cruise by and enjoy lobster-tempura sushi and baked artichokes—half-price from 3 to 6 p.m. Breakfast is generously served until 2:30 p.m.

American/Pacific Rim. B, L, D. $$$ Flatbread Company, 89 Hāna Hwy., Pā‘ia, 579-8989. Big booths, charity nights, a snazzy bar scene, and organic flatbreads laden with maple-fennel sausage and roasted veggies have made this a North Shore institution. Kid-friendly. Pizza. L, D, N. $$ Grandma’s Coffee House, 9232 Kula Hwy., Kēōkea, 878-2140. The eggs Benedict and made-from-scratch

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Mama’s Fish House, 799 Poho Pl., Kū‘au, 579-8488. Mama’s is famous for its heart-stirring windward setting and Polynesian-inspired cuisine.

Every detail evokes old-time island hospitality, from the walkway’s gecko tiles to mahimahi steamed in lū‘au leaves. Hawaiian/Seafood. L, D, RR. $$$$ Market Fresh Bistro, 3620 Baldwin Ave., Makawao, 572-4877. Chef Justin Pardo brings a passion for sustainable food to this courtyard gem. Try a breakfast frittata or pan-roasted crab cakes with corn succotash.

Dinner Thursday through Saturday. Call for dates on special farm dinners. American. B, L, D. $–$$ Milagro’s, 3 Baldwin Ave., Pā‘ia, 579-8755. The corner of Baldwin and Hāna Highway can’t be beat for people-watching. Sample fine tequilas and dig into ‘ahi tacos with sweet-spicy salsa. Mexican. L, D. $$ Nuka, 780 Ha‘ikū Rd., Ha‘ikū, 575-2939. Izakaya food with flavor and style. Start with the paper-thin fried gobo chips, then the ‘ahi tataki with house-special ponzu sauce. Tempura shrimp udon is light and crispy.

Save room for black-sesame or green-tea ice cream.

Japanese. D. $$–$$$ O’o Farm, 651 Waipoli Rd., Kula. Call Pacific’O Restaurant, 667-4341, to reserve a culinary tour.

Learn about organic gardening and coffee roasting, and enjoy a breakfast veggie frittata, bread from the wood-burning oven, and freshly roasted coffee in this bucolic Upcountry setting. Lunch offers chicken and fish entrées, roasted vegetables and dessert. American. B, L. $$$$ Pā‘ia Fish Market, 100 Hāna Hwy., Pā‘ia, 579-8030.

The huge slabs of fresh fish served with coleslaw on burger buns explain the long line out the door. Order your ‘ahi burger rare and squeeze in beside surfers and families. Kid-friendly. Seafood. L, D. $

Ulupalakua Ranch Store & Grill, 14800 Pi‘ilani Hwy., Kula, 878-2561. Across from Maui Winery, find great deli fare and hot-off-the-grill offerings: lamb burger with tzatziki, grass-fed elk, venison or beef burgers. Plus homestyle chili and rice, or kalua pork plate lunch with mac salad and rice. American.

B, L, D. $

SOUTH SHORE Amigo’s, 41 E. Līpoa St., Kīhei, 879-9952. See West Side listing.

Bistro Molokini, Grand Wailea Resort, 3850 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 875-1234. Kids and parents alike will be satisfied at this casual open-air eatery.

Organic Kurobuta pork, Hāna Bay fish and chips, and grilled mahimahi are made with fresh local ingredients.

American. L, D. $$$ Botero Bar, Grand Wailea Resort, 3850 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 875-1234. Named for the Fernando Botero sculptures that surround it, the Botero Bar offers nightly entertainment and Thirsty Thursdays—when a three-cocktail tasting is just $20.

L, D, N. $ Café O’Lei, 2439 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 891-1368.

See Central listing.

Caffe Ciao Deli, Fairmont Kea Lani Maui, 4100 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 875-4100. Healthy vegetarian fare, deli sandwiches and spectacular desserts abound at this take-out or eat-in deli.

Espresso drinks, baked goods and house-made gelato, too. American/Italian. B, L, D. $$ Capische?, Hotel Wailea, 555 Kaukahi St., Wailea, 879-2224. Fresh, handmade pastas include kabocha gnocchi; strozzapretti carbonara comes with house-smoked bacon; and lamb shanks are served on lemon risotto in a romantic garden setting. Italian. D. $$$$ Chez Mēmē Bistro & Bakery, 115 Kio Loop, Kīhei, 879-5425. Mango-nectar mimosas quench the morning thirst as you dive into tender brioche French toast or a ham-and-Gruyére baguette sandwich for lunch.

French/American. B, L. $

Pangea, 810 Ha‘ikū Rd., Ha‘ikū, 575-5055. Earthto-table cuisine. Paniolo (cowboy) whiskey sliders, sublime coconut clam chowder, and daily seasonal specials, plus farm-fresh fruit cocktails, and half-off prices at happy hour. Pacific Rim. L, D. $–$$$

Coconuts Fish Café, 1279 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 875-9979. Fresh fish tacos, grilled fish burgers, fish and chips. The cabbage slaw with coconut dressing and mango salsa sets this eatery apart. American. L, D. $$

Polli’s Mexican Restaurant, 1202 Makawao Ave., Makawao, 572-7808. The sign outside says, “Come in and eat, or we’ll both starve!” Follow that advice to

Cow Pig Bun, 535 Līpoa Pkwy., Kīhei, 8758100. If a Brandt premium beef burger slathered in foie gras butter, smokey bourbon-bacon jam and blue

dining guide cheese makes you want to say, “Moo!” this is the place.

Maui-style Comfort Food. L, D, N. $$ Da Kitchen, Rainbow Mall, 2439 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 875-7782. See Central listing.

Duo, Four Seasons Resort Maui, 3900 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 874-8000. Duo reinvents the classic “surf-n-turf.” Japanese Kobe tenderloin (the real thing) and dry-aged rib eye are a carnivore’s delight. Choose a strong wine to match your meat’s performance. Steak/Seafood. B, D, RR. $$$$ Fabiani’s Pizzeria & Bakery, 95 E. Līpoa St., Kīhei, 874-0888. Lox and bagels, fresh croissants, Caprese salad with locally harvested tomatoes, thin-crust and gluten-free pizza, spaghetti with house-made pork-sausage meatballs. Italian. B, L, D. $$ Fat Daddy’s Smokehouse, 1913 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 879-8711. What happens to pulled pork, beef brisket and pork ribs when they’re smoked 15 hours over fragrant kiawe? Something amazing. Enjoy sides like cornbread, chili-garlic beans, and cabbage slaws: one sweet-tart, the other with blue cheese and apples.

American. L, D. $–$$ Ferraro’s Bar e Ristorante, Four Seasons Resort, 3900 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 874-8000. For lunch, enjoy vegetarian quesadillas or grilled tenderloin sandwiches served poolside; for dinner, handcrafted salumi and lobster tagliatelle. Italian. L, D. $$$$ Four Seasons Lobby Lounge, Four Seasons Resort Maui, 3900 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 874-8000. Impeccable service, an upscale, locally sourced menu, swank cocktails, and performances by hip, local songwriters. Pacific Rim. D, N, RR. $$$$ Gannon’s, 100 Wailea Golf Club Dr., Wailea, 8758080. Order drinks at the Red Bar, then enjoy Chef Beverly Gannon’s fine comfort food: maple-vinaigrettesweetened chicken salad, or venison atop Parmesan risotto. Pacific Rim. B, L, D. $$$ Humuhumunukunukuāpua‘a, Grand Wailea Resort, 3850 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 8751234. Carpaccio of Japanese hamachi with celeryginger shaved ice, watermelon salad with Surfing Goat Dairy cheese, crispy mahimahi on black forbidden rice . . . love from first bite to last. Pacific Rim. D. $$$$ Joy’s Place, 1993 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 879-9258.

Brilliant collard-green wraps, sandwiches on thick bread, and awesome daily-made soups are a few of the reasons to scout out this humble but bright jewel.

American/Vegetarian. B,L . $–$$ Ka‘ana Kitchen, Andaz Maui, 3550 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 573-1234. Chef Isaac Bancaco creates seasonal dishes that change weekly, such as lobster bathed in vanilla-cream reduction, watermelon salad with Surfing Goat Dairy feta, and nuggets of foie gras malasadas. Asian Fusion. B, D. $$$$ Kihei Caffe, 1945 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 879-2230.

Woke up hungry at 5 a.m.? Head down to this surfer hangout and load up on banana mac-nut pancakes, loco moco, and a cuppa joe. Cafe. B, L. $–$$ Kō, Fairmont Kea Lani Maui, 4100 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 875-4100. Plantation Era cuisine takes the spotlight. Try the Kobe beef poke appetizer, and “On the Rock”—three mouthwatering morsels of ‘ahi served with a 300-degree lava rock for searing them to perfection. Pacific Rim. L, D. RR. $$$

Local Boys Shave Ice, 1941 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 344-9779. How to chill out in the Islands? Slurp up a mountain of fruity shave ice served with plantationculture-inspired add ons like haupia (coconut) and macadamia-nut ice cream. Shave Ice. $ Longhi’s Wailea, 3750 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 891-8883. Stop in for a crisp pinot grigio and a crisp romaine tossed with reggiano cheese, lemon-feta vinaigrette, and anchovies. Italian. B, L, D. $$$ Luana, Fairmont Kea Lani, 4100 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 875-2210. This lobby lounge reimagines pau hana (happy hour) in lush tropical surroundings. Try the chef’s original appetizers, like the lū‘auinspired kalua-pork flatbread with mango barbecue sauce, and lomi lomi tomato paired with ice-cold passionfruit ale. Pacific Rim. L, D. $–$$ Manoli’s Pizza Company, 100 Wailea Ike Dr., Wailea, 874-7499. Manoli’s believes in fresh, organic and sustainable ingredients. Order a pizza with handcrafted organic wheat or gluten-free crust, or dig into chicken scaloppini or Chef Geno’s homemade lasagna. Italian/Pizza. L, D, N. $$ The Market, 10 Wailea Gateway Pl., Wailea, 879-2433. Homemade breads and pastas, chia seed waffles, salads to go, charcuterie and sandwiches like the Haole Hoagie: pepper-crusted turkey on sourdough with red-dragon cheese and cumin aioli.

The full barista service features coffee drinks sweetened with fresh-pressed sugarcane juice, and the cheese is made on Maui. Deli. L, D. $$ Matteo’s Osteria, 161 Wailea Ike Pl., Wailea, 879-8466. Matteo’s makes its meatball sandwich with Maui Cattle Company beef and Italian sausage, and crusts its ‘ahi with Calabrese olive tapenade.

Italian. L, D. $$–$$$ Maui Thai Bistro, 2439 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 8745605. Memorable kaffir-scented tom yum fried rice and green-mango salad with crispy fried fish filets and house curries. Thai food cooked by a Thai chef. Beer and wine bar. Thai. L, D. $–$$ Memphis Belle Coffee House, 1794 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 868-4091. Serious coffee and fresh-baked goodies to rev you up, morning or afternoon. Healthy papaya yogurt cups, bacon-brioche donuts, and the Black Market Cronut: croissant dough with dark chocolate glaze. Coffee House, Bakery. B, L. $ Miso Phat Sushi, 1279 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 8916476. Sushi served on-site, takeout or delivered.

Sashimi platters, sushi rolls, nigiri and specialty rolls.

Japanese. L, D. $$ Monkeypod Kitchen, 10 Wailea Gateway Pl., Wailea, 891-2322. Lunch at this Peter Merriman restaurant includes pizza, burgers, tacos and ramen.

For dinner: Big Island beef rib eye with chimichurri sauce, gnocchi with pork sausage, and banana-cream pie. Hawai‘i Regional. L, D, N. $$ Morimoto Maui, Andaz Maui, 3550 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 573-1234. Iron Chef’s Masaharu Morimoto combines signature and Maui-centric dishes such as rib-eye beef burgers lobster roll sandwiches.

Prix fixe omakase. Japanese Fusion. L, D. $$$$ Nalu’s South Shore Grill, Azeka Shopping Center (mauka), 1280 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 8918650. Generous portions and locally sourced ingredients served with aloha. ‘Ahi club with smoked bacon,

and fresh fish and chips will have you coming back for more! Burgers? Yes! Pacific Rim. B, L, D. $–$$ Nick’s Fishmarket, Fairmont Kea Lani, 4100 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 875-7224. Classic seafood dishes are served beneath a sky full of stars.

Woo your date with plump strawberries that are drenched in Grand Marnier and set aflame. Pacific Rim/Seafood. D, RR. $$$$ Oceanside Restaurant, 300 Mā’alaea Rd., Mā’alaea, 868-3481. Imagine the freshest fish landing in the kitchen within minutes of the vessel’s docking at the harbor. Plus organic produce, burgers and pasta. Pacific Rim. B, L, D. $–$$$ Pā‘ia Fish Market South Side, 1913 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 874-8888. See North Shore listing.

Pizza Madness,1455 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 2709888. This family-style restaurant serves Cobb salad, hot and cold deli sandwiches with chips and a pickle, the best pizza this side of the Pacific, and pasta, too.

Italian/Pizza L, D. $–$$ Roasted Chiles, Azeka Shopping Center, 1279 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 868-4357. Ofir and Suki Benitez share family recipes like Mama Benitez’s chicken mole, pozole verde, and langostino enchiladas blanketed with tomatillo cream sauce. Giant margaritas!

Mexican. L, D. $-$$ Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar, 1881 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 879-0004. See West Side listing.

Sarento’s on the Beach, 2980 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 875-7555. Inspired entrèes are backed by great wines and a myriad of martini choices. And of course, there’s the romantic location—smack dab on Keawakapu Beach. Italian. B, D. RR. $–$$$ South Shore Tiki Lounge, Kīhei Kalama Village, 1913 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 874-6444. Gourmet pizza, burgers, salads, and several vegetarian items round out this hip bar’s menu. American. L, D, N. $ Spago, Four Seasons Resort, 3900 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 874-8000. Chef Cameron Lewark’s ‘ōpakapaka sashimi and perfectly seared Kobe beef match the trendsetting wine list note for note. Spectacular sunsets may as well be on the menu. Pacific Rim. D, RR. $$$$ Thailand Cuisine, 1819 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 8750839. Sticky rice served in a woven Thai basket complements the flavorful red duck, lobster, or tofu curries. Thai. L, D. $–$$ Three’s Bar & Grill, 1945-G S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 879-3133. Three’s serves up eggs Benedict six different ways, including seared ‘ahi, smoked salmon, and prime rib. For lunch, try the Peruvian pork tacos for dinner, truffle-yaki-marinated flatiron steak. Follow their food truck on Facebook. Pacific Rim/Southwest. B, L, D. $$–$$$ Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar, The Shops at Wailea, 3750 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 875-9983. Who would guess that a clothing company could deliver such delish pork sandwiches and Caribbean-inspired libations? Caribbean/Pacific Rim. L, D, N. $–$$ Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice, 61 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei. See West Side listing.

Find more listings at MauiMagazine.net/DiningGuide.

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THE OLIVE STORY BY DIANE HAYNES WOODBURN PHOTOGRAPHY BY SUE HUDELSON

Could this tiny, ancient fruit become Maui’s next big thing?

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Sal and Erin Diaz’s Olinda Olive Orchard, planted in 2012

« ISLAND BUSINESS »

How to taste olive oil to evaluate its quality: Slurp air and oil into your mouth, then wait for a hint of pepper at the back of your throat, indicating freshness and complexity of flavor. Some olive oils are buttery; others have a delicious, spicy bite.

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Josh and dad Jamie Woodburn stroll through the Polipoli orchard they planted shortly after forming Maui Olive Company. Left: Young fruit and flowers hang from a branch of a Koroneiki olive tree.

Alan Battersby’s Calasa Gulch olive mill processes Maui Olive Company’s very first oil. Right: Ripe Frantoio, Arbequina and Koroneiki olives are ready for milling. A blower will clean the leaves away before the olives enter the mill.

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TOP RIGHT: JAMIE WOODBURN; OPPOSITE BOTTOM (2): DIANE HAYNES WOODBURN

It begins with “starts”—saplings from Santa Cruz Olive Tree Nursery.

Each variety can produce a different taste. These are, from left, Cerasuola (Sicily), Picholine (Southern France) and Arbosana (Spain).

“You want to do what?” I asked incredulously.

My husband, Jamie Woodburn, had just announced his intention to plant olive orchards. Starting a career as a full-time farmer at an age approaching Medicare was horrifying enough, but choosing a crop that had never been grown on Maui? That was certifiable.

“It would be a great agribusiness for Maui,” Jamie continued.

“But you don’t even like olives.”

I shouldn’t have been surprised. My husband is a man of the dirt. When he retired after thirty years as director of a nonprofit, his green thumb got the better of him. He spent hours every day gardening on our two-acre Kula homesite. Lettuce, beans, squash, beets, chard, kale, tomatoes, potatoes, coffee, corn, berries, citrus, figs, liliko‘i . . . our property could have fed a village.

In 2010 we had traveled to Italy. For me it was a dream vacation —we toured walled cities, visited museums and famous wineries.

But for Jamie, the days filled with wonder were those spent in the farmlands of Tuscany. “I’d look at the dirt, more aptly described as dried clay and rocks, and be amazed at the strong, twisted trunks of ancient olive trees that stood there steadfast,” he recalled. “Farmers said many of the trees were over 500 years old and still producing huge quantities of fruit.”

Olives had intrigued Jamie even before our trip. After Italy, they became his obsession.

The only other man I knew who loved to garden (and worked as hard) as Jamie was his good friend Ali‘i Chang, the late founder of Ali‘i Kula Lavender Farm. “Ali‘i and I would swap plants and stories,” Jamie told me. “Sometimes we would talk about how great it would be to incorporate olives with his lavender and create walking tours for visitors to his farm.” Ali‘i, and later our Kula neighbor Alan Battersby, were the first to grow olives here on a large scale, proving that Upcountry Maui had a suitable microclimate. But could Mauigrown olive oil be a viable business?

Jamie and his son Josh, a landscape architect, decided to find out. We three headed off to California for some hands-on research in Napa/Sonoma and the Mondavi Olive Center at the University of California at Davis. For ten days, we toured farms and processing centers, and met nearly all the major players in California’s emerging olive industry: growers, tree suppliers, consultants in the field and leaders in the retail side of the industry. The olive community welcomed us with open arms, happy to share their knowledge.

The American Olive Oil Producers Association was only established in 2012, but olive oil has been produced in the United States for more than 150 years. Some 300,000 acres of olives have been planted in the U.S. exclusively for oil; of that, 95 percent or more exceeds the standard for extra virgin olive oil. Americans use 80 million gallons of olive oil annually, making it the largest market outside of Europe. Yet only 2 percent of the olive oil consumed in the U.S. is produced here. Room for growth? You bet.

Josh Woodburn samples fresh oil at Mike Madison’s Yolo Farms in California, where he and Jamie interned. The highest-quality olive oil is extra virgin; it can vary in color and flavor, depending on the fruit’s ripeness, variety, and origin. Like a good wine, a good oil will elicit a subtle fruitiness that can taste of olive, apple, sweet grass, nuts or even tomato; plus a balance of bitter, pepper and pungent flavors. Defective oil has a musty or vinegary smell. According to Paul Vossen, on the board of the American Olive Oil Producers Association, many olive oils on U.S. grocery shelves—even those touted as extra virgin—fall into the defective category, some of them rancid before the bottle is opened.

Olive oil is basically olive juice. In the old days, folks used massive stone wheels to crush the olives, then stored the resulting mash or pumice in huge urns until the oil separated out. By then, much of the oil might be rancid, but since it was mostly used for fuel, that didn’t matter. Today, olives are crushed in a mill; then the pumice is gently kneaded and placed in a centrifuge that separates it into solids, water and oil. The oil is stored in giant, conical settling tanks made of stainless steel. Any remaining sediment gets discarded by opening a spout at the bottom of the tank.

Everything that is not oil—nearly 80 percent of the olive—is considered waste or byproduct, but that’s in the eye of the beholder.

Leaves can be used for teas and medicines, waste oil for soaps and beauty products. The pumice is a healthy additive for animal feed, and can also be composted. The olive, as the ancient Greeks knew, is an endless resource.

FIRST PLANTING Armed with research and a list of resources, Jamie and Josh returned to Maui determined to be olive farmers, and formed Maui Olive Company. They calculated that a single acre could accommodate approximately 225 trees. At maturity (six to ten years), each of those trees could produce two to four tons of olives, which could yield forty to fifty gallons of olive oil.

The company’s first planting opportunity came when Don Nelson (yes, the famed basketball coach) asked Jamie and Josh to partner with him on installing an orchard at his Kula property. “‘Vertical’ is my response when people ask me about the learning curve,” says Jamie. “We made every mistake you could think of. Our seedlings were too small, the terrain too steep, the trees planted too closely together, and the soil was Kula loam—what we refer to as ‘moon dust’ for its characteristic of repelling water. Rose beetles Maui N¯ o Ka ‘Oi » Eating & Drinking

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Orchards with a view: At left is Kurt and Beth Thompson’s olive orchard at Launiupoko in West Maui; at right, Maui Olive Company’s newest, Waipoli Orchard in Kula.

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GROWING INTEREST The last few years have seen a groundswell of interest in olives. In early 2016, Paul Vossen was invited to Maui to speak about olive farming and the production of olive oil. Vossen is an internationally recognized expert, and a judge at respected olive-oil tasting competitions. The University of Hawai‘i’s Maui campus held the seminar, anticipating about a dozen participants. More than fifty farmers crowded the small classroom.

Among them were Sal and Erin Diaz, two of the earliest olive growers on Maui, who launched a commercial-sized orchard on their Olinda property shortly after Maui Olive Company started. The Diazes and Jamie worked together to secure a mill large enough to serve the island’s burgeoning olive community. That mill was sourced in Italy, and purchased last fall—not quite in time for the first harvest.

THE HARVEST Jamie and Sal expected the Maui orchards to follow the pattern of those in California, Spain and Italy, whose harvests usually happen in November. September caught them by surprise: Maui trees were laden with ripe olives. The two men called family and friends to help, and dozens of folks volunteered, excited to be part of the first commercial olive harvest on Maui. The camaraderie energized us, as we learned hands-on what it takes to literally pick a ton of olives.

For the best oil, olives must be milled within twenty-four hours of harvesting, but Maui Olive Company’s commercial mill was still wending its way from Italy. Alan Battersby came to the rescue, lending his personal mill to the task. Jamie made sure all the island’s olive farmers knew that a milling would take place the next day.

Olives came in from seven different farms. Ali‘i Chang hadn’t lived to produce his own olive oil, but Jamie organized a crew to harvest Chang’s olives, as well.

Maui Olive Company sent a sample of that first pressed oil to the Mondavi Center at UC–Davis. Tested against USDA standards of not more than .8 grams of oleic acid (a fatty acid) per 100 grams, it was found to be “of the highest quality.” When Paul Vossen concluded his seminar here with an informal tasting, the last to be tasted was Maui Olive Oil. It was a white-knuckle moment, until we saw the smile. “You need to enter this in competition,” he told Jamie. “This is award-winning oil.”

RIGHT: DIANE HAYNES WOODBURN

and whiteflies threatened to decimate the entire orchard, not to mention deer and pigs that found the trees an attractive meal.”

And not to mention hurricanes. Olives trees set fruit right during Hawai‘i’s hurricane season. A big storm could wipe out an entire orchard. Somehow, the trees on Don Nelson’s property beat the odds, and yielded Maui Olive Company’s first harvest.

Jamie, Josh and Sam (Jamie’s younger son) soon found themselves installing orchards for other Maui folks interested in olives.

Bruce Golino, a founding member of the California Olive Oil Council and the man responsible for helping to establish standards defining extra virgin olive oil, became Maui Olive Company’s advisor. Golino came to Maui on several occasions to help identify planting sites, test soil and recommend the best “low chill” trees for our environment. Olives need a chill factor of fifty degrees or lower for a cumulative 100 hours.

“You can grow beautiful olive trees in Hawai‘i at any elevation,” Golino advised, “but to get fruit, the trees need cold.” On Maui, the ideal microclimate lies at an elevation of 2,000 to 4,000 feet, specifically Olinda, Kula and Kēōkea.

In 2014, we returned to Italy, and spent countless hours touring orchards and talking with farmers. Jamie studied pruning techniques, milling options, and organic farming styles. Every orchard had a new secret to reveal. And every tree seemed to speak to him.

“I can do this,” Jamie told me. “I can grow olives.”

Later that year, Jamie leased ten acres of Kula farmland at 3,800-foot elevation and began planting Maui Olive Company’s largest orchard. The site’s terraced grounds allow for neat, wellspaced rows and a flat surface for safe harvesting. “The verdict is still out on how much fruit and which varieties do best at what elevation,” Jamie says, “but we have had really nice success with the varieties we’ve planted here: Koroneiki, Arbequina, Arbosana, Frantoio and Pendolino.”

It costs about $10,000 per acre to set up an olive orchard in Hawai‘i, three times what it costs on the mainland. That includes clearing the land, purchasing the slips of California-grown saplings, and setting up a drip irrigation system. Maintenance costs about $3,000 per acre per year, but olive trees are drought-, disease-, and fire-resistant. Because they place little demand on precious resources, they’re an attractive long-term investment.

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A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE OLIVE

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1. Kathy Parrish, Sandra Florence, Terry Moore and Makana (yes, that Makana) with Frontoio olives from Polipoli Orchard. 2. Janet and George Allan pick fruit from pruned branches at Ali‘i Kula Lavender Farm—under Buddha’s watchful eye. 3. Randy Wagner Rixey takes a relaxed approach to harvesting. 4. Jamie Woodburn and Erin Frampton Diaz load the mill for processing at Calasa Gulch olive mill. 5. Sal Diaz shows off some of Maui’s first-ever milled olive oil. 6. The author displays her crate of hand-picked olives at Polipoli Orchard.

1, 4, 5: DIANE HAYNES WOODBURN; 2, 3: BECKY SPEERE; 6: JAMIE WOODBURN; TOP RIGHT: SHUTTERSTOCK

THE FUTURE Maui Olive Company’s newest orchard is located just below Ali‘i Kula Lavender Farm on Waipoli Road. Jamie and his sons, along with Sal and Erin Diaz, look forward to opening a farm stand there.

“I like the ag-tourism model and the idea of a retail outlet that allows us and other local growers to sell our oil,” says Josh. “The appeal is in providing something like a winery experience.”

Jamie nods. “The complexity of the effort is staggering sometimes, but the reward, we hope, is a sustainable food crop that will produce for generations to come.” As Sal Diaz says, “You grow olives for your grandchildren.”

The olive is perhaps history’s most glorified fruit, a symbol of peace, wisdom, fertility and purity. It appears in the New Testament and the Quran, where it is praised as a precious fruit.

The ancient Greeks burned olive oil in the temple lamps and used it to anoint kings. It fueled the “eternal flame” of the original Olympic Games, and garlands made of its branches crowned the victors. In Egypt, leafy branches of the tree were found in the tomb of Tutankhamun.

The Greeks believed that Athena, goddess of wisdom, planted the first olive. Trees growing on the stony hillsides of the Acropolis are thought to be its descendants. Whether or not a goddess had a hand in it, the olive has coexisted with man for 5,000 to 6,000 years, and may have been grown commercially as early as 1,000 B.C.E. The tree most likely originated in Persia and Mesopotamia, and later spread to Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Israel. Most romantic of all, olive trees can live for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years. Carbon testing has found some trees to be over 1,000 years old. It is little wonder that the olive fascinates us still today, connecting and grounding us to a rich and storied past.

Brined Koroneiki olives sit beside bottles of Maui Olive Company oil that are ready for tasting.

Maui Olive Oil has been entered in two international competitions. Stay tuned for the results. For more information on Maui Olive Company and crowdfunding possibilities, visit MauiOlive.com. For information on Olinda Olive Orchard, email SalErin@gmail.com.

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« ISLAND ISSUES »

Has Hawai’i bought the farm when it comes to food security?

STORY BY TEYA PENNIMAN | ILLUSTRATIONS BY MATT FOSTER

Sweet papayas turn gold just outside the window of my north shore home. Kabocha squash hide among dark vines along the drive, while bursts of red chili peppers inflame the bush in the middle of our garden. Flattened stalks of last season’s turmeric and ginger tell tale of pungent roots below. But it’s the breadfruit tree I’m keeping my eye on.

Despite a mild climate and year-round growing season, Hawai‘i imports an estimated 90 percent of its food. Our geographic isolation in the middle of the Pacific leaves us vulnerable to shocks in our food distribution system. A natural disaster could destroy harbors or airports, while crop diseases or a distant political event could interrupt shipments, quickly depleting the Islands’ cupboards. No one knows for sure, but urban lore says that if the ships and planes stopped coming, our food supplies might last a few weeks. During peak visitor seasons, fresh lettuce, eggs, and meats would fly off the shelves even more quickly. A few banana bunches or liliko‘i ice cubes couldn’t breach a major gap.

Hawai‘i is renowned for its efforts to reduce dependence on imported energy sources, but not so much for food security. Island history shows it doesn’t have to be this way. Before the Europeans arrived, a mauka-to-makai (mountain-to-sea) land-management system provided enough food for all, with the population estimated at close to today’s numbers. While ancient Hawaiians weren’t immune to droughts or other weather woes, the fertile lands, healthy streams and rich seas generally meant the masses weren’t a fortnight away from a major food fight.

The transition to an import-dependent food economy probably

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started with the Great Māhele—the redistribution of land by King Kamehameha III enacted in 1848—which eventually resulted in non-Hawaiians owning nearly one third of all private land. Private land ownership ushered in the plantation era, which further transformed traditional farming and fishing practices, as mono-crops dominated the landscape. With tourism, the Islands became more connected to the rest of the world; more frequent arrivals of planes and ships increased accessibility to food grown elsewhere, at lower prices. The lure of tropical living fueled subdivisions of agricultural land into two-acre “gentlemen’s estates,” helping to drive up local real-estate values and placing homes and farms out of reach for many residents.

Today, export crops account for nearly 80 percent of farmed land, with sugar, seed production, macadamia nuts, commercial forestry and coffee playing lead roles, crops not likely to satisfy a local food shortage. Previous government-funded efforts to help transition old plantations to diversified agriculture have been minimally successful. Farming in Hawai‘i presents unique challenges, especially to aspiring farmers. What are the key impediments to growing our own, and what are we doing about it?

“The cost of land is astronomical,” says Dale Bonar, former executive director of the Hawai‘i Islands Land Trust, who’s become involved in food-sustainability issues. Absent the ability to own land, farmers can only lease, making them reluctant to invest in needed infrastructure. “If you lose the lease, you lose your equity,” he says. Maui County’s 445-acre Kula Agricultural Park supports twenty-six farmers, offering long-term tenure with reasonable rent,

Maui N¯ o Ka ‘Oi » Eating & Drinking

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In ancient Hawai‘i, land divisions were mauka to makai: each section, or ahupua‘a, included portions of the mountain, valley and sea. People living within an ahupua‘a thus had access to the different plants and animals needed for food and shelter, and the ali‘i (chiefs) and their konohiki (land stewards) ensured that current harvests didn’t compromise the needs of future generations. Today’s import-dependent food system offers far greater variety, but leaves us—and our mo‘opuna (grandchildren)—vulnerable to disruptions beyond our control.

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Eating & Drinking MauiMagazine.net

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BY THE NUMBERS

CROPLAND STATISTICS ARE FROM THE STATEWIDE AGRICULTURAL LAND USE BASELINE 2015, PREPARED BY JEFFREY MELROSE, RYAN PERROY AND SYLVANA CARES AT UH–HILO FOR THE HAWAI‘I DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

Since 1970, the state’s dairy industry dropped from 120 operations to a lonely 2 on the Big Island, and Hawai‘i’s ranches now provide just 6 percent of meat consumed locally, down from 30 percent.

Since 1980, total acres farmed diminished 57 percent.

By the end of 2016, the state’s last sugar plantation will shut down; the fate of those 36,000 acres on Maui is unknown.

but more affordable land is needed, and Bonar is adamant about the importance of having on-site housing. “You need to have eyes on the land,” he says, to protect against theft, vandalism, cropmunching deer and other pests. Bonar’s brainchild? The Affordable Farming Land Trust Maui. He explains that landowners could make tax-deductible donations of land or easements to the trust, which would provide long-term leases to farmers. Investments the farmer makes in the land, such as farm dwellings or irrigation improvements, could be passed on to the kids or sold at affordable levels to new farmers. While the concept has garnered support from a broad range of agricultural leaders on Maui, it has yet to clear legal hurdles at the county level.

Existing government policies, such as reduced property taxes and water rates for agricultural use, are designed to support the industry, but farmers aren’t feeling the love. The Maui County Council has been trying to change tax rates to weed out faux farms, but one proposed system could have pushed legitimate operations out of business, says Maui County Agricultural Specialist Kenneth Yamamura. Especially problematic: provisions that required owners to dedicate their land to farming for the next twenty years to avoid paying thousands more in taxes. An older farmer would have to choose between a shorter term of dedication and higher taxes, or selling off. Yamamura says that some properties have dozens of heirs; trying to get seventy people to commit the land to decades of farming would have meant the demise of agriculture for that parcel. After dozens of meetings and hours of impassioned testimony, the bill returned to the drawing table, but left lingering questions about how to prune the system without killing the tree.

At the state level, acreage designated by each county as “Important Agricultural Lands” can qualify for valuable tax credits or loan guaranties, thanks to a 1978 initiative designed to preserve large, contiguous blocks of agricultural land. But according to Maui Planning Director Will Spence, State funding to determine which lands qualify has never materialized. Spence lauds the affordablefarming concept proposed by Bonar, adding that the ability to cluster houses or other infrastructure would create larger contiguous pieces for farming. His department is seeking to expedite farming applications, which currently require navigating three different departments—a daunting process for those who want to add revenue with farm tours or farm-to-table dinners.

The announcement in late 2015 that the state’s last sugar plantation was shutting down added a giant question mark to Maui’s landscape. While some envision repurposing both the water and land for more diversified operations (albeit in the absence of a clear nod in that direction from landowner Alexander & Baldwin),

Ranchers have seen a 31 percent decrease in pasturelands since 1980; some lie fallow or now grow houses.

others predict economic hits to smaller farms that will no longer be able to piggyback on large-scale purchases and shipments from the mainland. At a minimum, the county will lose some 650 jobs in agriculture. Simon Russell, vice chair for the Hawai‘i Farmers Union United (HFUU) and a member of the Hawai‘i Board of Agriculture, says, “We need to have a well-thought-out, polite conversation” to prevent transforming 36,000 acres of Central Maui into a desert.

Meanwhile, the backs aren’t getting any younger: on average, farmers in the state are sixty years old. But there are bright spots.

Efforts to grow more farmers, expand local expertise and develop new marketing options seem to be taking root with an abundance of partnerships and programs. The HFUU has a Farm Apprentice Mentoring program that has paired young farmers with experienced elders who share their mana‘o (knowledge) and commitment.

The Maui County Farm Bureau’s Agriculture in the Classroom project combines field trips, school visits and career-opportunity days to raise awareness about where the corn, kale and burgers

Existing government policies, such as reduced property taxes and water rates for agricultural use, are designed to support the industry, but farmers aren’t feeling the love. on our plates come from. The bureau also hosts the annual Maui County Agricultural Festival, highlighting agriculture’s role in the community, providing a venue for small-scale growers, and linking farmers and top chefs in cooking demonstrations. Statewide, the new, legislatively created Farm-to-School project advocates buying food locally for public schools to leverage taxpayers’ dollars in support of food self-sufficiency; the program coordinator lives on Maui.

The local nonprofit Grow Some Good has been hugely successful: forty-two school gardens across Maui County’s three populated islands are getting keiki hands in the soil, lo‘i (taro paddies) and compost, while helping them discover the joys of harvesting their own veggies or capturing honey from beehives. Many of the schools integrate lessons from the gardens into the curriculum.

For the backyard gardener and commercial producers alike, the Sustainable Living Institute of Maui at UH–Maui College offers a variety of workshops, from composting, to building a shed, to Maui N¯ o Ka ‘Oi » Eating & Drinking

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Left to right: The Grow Some Good-inspired garden at Lahaina Intermediate School teaches youngsters like Federick Syrus Manangan how to grow their own—starting with seeds. Ag in the Classroom introduces students to the vital role agriculture plays.

At Haleakalā Ranch, border collie Buddy intrigues youngsters as he waits for a command from Livestock Operations Manager Greg Friel.

HFUU’s Farm Apprentice Mentoring Program is cultivating the next generation by pairing experienced farmers with those just learning the trade. Apprentices David Honu Lafitaga and Ipo (Ku‘uipo) reap the rewards on mentor James Simpliciano’s farm.

GOT AN APPETITE TO LEARN MORE? • • • • • • •

Affordable Farms Maui AffordableFarmsMaui.org Agricultural Land Use Baseline Study Hdoa.Hawaii.gov/salub Grow Some Good GrowSomeGood.org Hāna Ranch HanaRanch.com Hawai‘i Farmers Union United HfuuHi.org Maui County Farm Bureau MauiCountyFarmBureau.org National Tropical Botanical Garden Ntbg.org/gardens/kahanu.php • Sustainable Living Institute of Maui SustainableMaui.org

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Eating & Drinking MauiMagazine.net

HOW PREPARED ARE YOU? 1. Do you have a garden with year-round fruits and vegetables, including leafy greens, citrus, papaya or bananas, avocado, taro or breadfruit—and know how to cook them?

2. If your garden produces more than you consume, do you have a sharing network?

3. If you can’t have a garden, do you own shares in a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) network? (You can share the risks and benefits of supporting a local farmer.)

4. Do you patronize farmers’ markets, verifying that the products offered are locally grown?

5. Do you choose local food first, both in your purchases and by asking vendors and restaurants whether they buy local?

6. Do you educate yourself about political and policy issues important to local producers?

7. Do you support one or more of the organizations mentioned in this story?

8. Have you thanked a farmer or rancher recently? No farmer, no food!

How many “yes” answers did you have?

7–8 You and your ‘ohana (family) should be fine. You might want to invest in a locked pantry.

4–6 You probably won’t starve, but you might consider taking up fishing.

1–3 You could be knee-deep in compost if the ships stop coming.

Find a community garden or CSA network to increase your food-security score!

TOP LEFT: CADENCIA PHOTOGRAPHY; TOP MIDDLE: COURTESY OF MAUI COUNTY FARM BUREAU; TOP RIGHT: JAMES SIMPLICIANO; COURTESY OF HĀNA RANCH

arborist certification. The college’s new Food Innovation Center provides training in food safety, manufacturing practices and marketing. The center also has a certified commercial test kitchen.

On the east end of the island, Hāna Ranch has embraced the challenge of self-sufficiency, pledging to “produce for Maui first,” according to Operations Director Brian McGinness, who says, “Growing calves and selling them to the mainland doesn’t contribute to food security.” The ranch’s “stacked enterprise” approach includes developing new markets for its products; its Pā‘ia restaurant, Hāna Ranch Provisions, features Hāna-grown produce and ‘ono (delicious) beef. McGinnis says they are an experiment in progress; focusing on what grows well here will require fewer inputs like water, fertilizer or pest control.

Besides complying with the annual hurricane-season advice to stock up on batteries, canned fish and rice, what can the rest of us do to simultaneously help avoid and prepare for a run on local food supplies? Maybe start with that breadfruit tree.

Breadfruit, or ‘ulu in Hawaiian, is a canoe plant—carried with the Polynesians wherever they journeyed across the Pacific. The fruit is packed full of calories and nutrients; a single tree can drop 450 pounds each season, and it grows to a majestic, productive tree in fewer than ten years. You just need to learn how to cook it; to the uninitiated, ‘ulu tastes quite bland. Maui has the most extensive collection of breadfruit species and varieties in the world. The folks at the National Tropical Botanical Garden in Hāna are happy to share their knowledge and recipes with you.

As happens in Hawai‘i, sometimes a passerby or neighbor asks to harvest from the bounty of our yard. Over the years we’ve happily shared our fat round ‘ulu. But if those ships stop coming. . . .

Grass-fed beef munch their way to Pā‘ia—or at least to the menu at Hāna Ranch Provisions restaurant.

« ISLAND ISSUES » GOT AN APPETITE TO LEARN MORE? • Affordable Farms Maui AffordableFarmsMaui.org • Agricultural Land Use Baseline Study Hdoa.Hawaii.gov/salub • Grow Some Good GrowSomeGood.org • Hāna Ranch HanaRanch.com • Hawai‘i Farmers Union United HfuuHi.org • Maui County Farm Bureau MauiCountyFarmBureau.org • National Tropical Botanical Garden Ntbg.org/gardens/kahanu.php • Sustainable Living Institute of Maui SustainableMaui.org Above: HFUU’s Farm Apprentice Mentoring program is cultivating the next generation by pairing experienced farmers with those just learning the trade. Apprentices David Honu Lafitaga and Ipo (Ku‘uipo) reap the rewards on mentor James Simpliciano’s farm.

Right: Grass-fed beef munch their way to Pā‘ia—or at least to the menu at Hāna Ranch Provisions restaurant.

TOP: JAMES SIMPLICIANO; COURTESY OF HĀNA RANCH

Above right: Hāna Ranch Operations Director Brian McGinness.

Below: Twenty of the ranch’s 3,600 acres now produce organic fruits and vegetables.

Maui N¯ o Ka ‘Oi » May–Jun 2016 Celebrating 20 Years!

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Humuhumunukunukuapua‘a’s crispy mahi mahi with forbidden rice, baby bok choy, and sauce L’Hommedieu. Photo by Nina Kuna