FOOD & DRINK
BY JEN RUSSO jen@mauitime.com + @jenrusso on Twitter
Greeking Out
New Pita Paradise location showcases generations of Mediterranean flavor Pita Paradise Wailea Wailea Gateway Center, 34 Wailea Gateway Pl. 879-7177, open 7am-10pm
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he Arabatzis family has generations of Mediterranean cuisine experience to share with Maui—so much, in fact, that it can’t be contained in one restaurant. And so they opened another one, the new Pita Paradise location in Wailea. The culture of food runs deep in Greece. Did you know people have been eating feta cheese since the Byzantine? It was good then and it rocks now. You may already be familiar with the the Arabatzis’ food. The Greek Bistro, now closed, was started in 1988 by John Sr., while Pita Paradise in Kihei opened was more than eleven years ago by John Jr. and his wife Christine, and is still going strong with its casual but delicious Mediterranean offerings. While the Wailea and Kihei restaurants share the same name—and both have lots of great Arabatzis recipes—the similarities end there. “My father is from the Grecian islands and
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introduced an ethnic, Greekflavored cuisine to Maui,” says John Jr., who adds that he learned to cook at The Greek Bistro and has been preparing food for two decades, since high school. The new location has a gorgeous full bar, an extended wine list and a spacious dining room with air conditioning that gives way to large windows looking out at the open-air lanai seating. A mural adorns the wall, telling a story of the family’s dedication to sharing their food traditions with Maui. Christine
Arabatzis, who oversees the restaurants, nts, in tthe lamb designed the room to be elegant and d sala salad and the comfortable, awash in warm tones with med medalions modern stucco walls. entr entree, but The breakfast menu is unique with ith if yo you really its Greek-inspired dishes, like the wan want to go egg with feta and basil pita, and thee Gree Greek get the Mediterranean skillet. They have a Greek Gods pastry chef who comes daily to make ke Platte Platter, which fresh baked goods. The lunch menu u featur features all has lots of pita sandwiches, fresh of the family salads and pasta dishes, all available specia specialties: for take out as well. mous moussaka, The Pita Paradise crew have a gyro, spinach special connection to the bounty tiropit tiropita and of the Pacific Ocean, something thee tzaziki tzaziki. The Pita Greeks lack. The once-abundant Paradis Paradise gyro Mediterranean Sea is overfished and d isn’t m made on a polluted and fishing is threatened. spit, bu but rather On Maui, John Jr. fishes for the from ha hand-sliced, restaurants on his boat, “The grilled lleg of Ricket,” catching ahi, mahi, lamb. ono and local bottom fish like The n new bar is Left to Right: opakapaka, onaga, gindai, lehi, and decked out with hapu (seabass). a cockta cocktail menu Casbere-ParadRoy Stone- Parker , Callie a, Christine Ar Executive Chef Jesse Robinson that’s pe perfect for abatzis, Jesse Robinson, Chad Beitler & Jesse designs a nightly special around celebrati celebrating the Rois the fresh fish. “Myy inspiration p day’s hap happiest in creating tthe fresh hour, 3-6 3-6pm, butter sauce with sun-dried tomato fish dishes ccome from m the where co cocktails mashed potato and sauteed vegetables. The environment around environme d me, the are $1 off, beers are $3-$4 and ta tapas are ahi melted in your mouth, and the sauce produce and the people fresh produ $2 off. The Mediterranean punch is made had a gorgeous glossy purple color. Every with,” says Robinson. I work wit with Southern Comfort, Disaronno, melon dish is served with their house-made pita Mediterranean flavors “The Med liqueur and fresh juices. The Paradise bread, and it goes with everything. you can eexpect are the Passion designed by bartender Chad Beitler The Mediterranean appetizer platter is freshness of the herbs and and Christine Arabatzis imparts a ginger a can’t-miss starter, full of fresh vegetable It’s a combination citrus. It passion fruit buzz with Canton Ginger tapas and dips. The spicy falafel is amazing; of light with rich flavors. liqueur and St. Germaine plus fresh passion some falafel can be dry, but these have an Greek food fo is some of the fruit juice. irresistible texture and flavor. The bruschetta, healthiest healthie food.” Pita Paradise Wailea is offering a buy hummus and tepanade with grilled pita make The evening I stopped one, get one half-off entree special on it a salad and appetizer all at once. There by, the fresh fish was Mondays; call and make a reservation are lots of tapas to enjoy: ziziki, tiropita, pan seared ahi with a se and mention the special. They’ll also be lamb pitza and calamari. calamar The Greek salad is burgundy burgundy red wine bu participating in restaurant week Wailea, reinvented with wit an amazing dressing. running November 7-13. And on the A new addition to second Fridays of each month starting at the menu are the pasta 6:30pm they’ll have a live belly dancing entrees, recipes sourced entr show, while on Sundays Benoit Jazzworks from John Jr.’s sicilian will perform at 5:30pm. ■ roots root traced through his mother and grandmother. mot Got a hot food scoop? Contact Jen Russo at The Bolognese is a rich 280-3386 or fax to 244-0446. pork and beef sauce stewed for hours. “I have stewe To share or save this article, type: watched my grandmother watch mt.hy.pr/1420d make traditional Italian cuisine since I can cuisin For more foodie news, visit MauiTime’s remember,” says John Jr. remem food blog at: mauidish.com The chicken fettuccine, which has a light cream with mushrooms and sauce w chicken breast chunks, was To 97.3 K-Rock during the Johnny a table favorite; we had to A show at 5:20pm every Friday jan ken po for who got to for Jen Russo’s lineup of foodie Fresh Ahi KEba take hom home the leftovers. The events and tastings of the week. b tradition traditional Greek lamb is seen
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