From traditional Hawaiian cuisine to Italian, Greek and Japanese, there's no shortage of great restaurants in this Maui resort community
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Yes, eating when on Maui is all about the poa, poke and purple potatoes, indigenous food that defines the unique, fresh and oh so tasty flavours of the Valley Isle. So, it’s no surprise that many of the dining options in and near Wailea revolve around the native cuisine. And to be sure these are not to be missed, however, as I discovered during a week-long stay at the south-western Maui resort community, there are also some unexpected surprises tucked among the palm trees, sandy beaches and luxurious resorts.
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Kõ Restaurant
We’ll start with one of the best establishments in Wailea, if not all of Maui, the award-winning restaurant at the Fairmont Kea Lani. The menu is inspired by the many ethnicities that blended during the island’s sugarcane plantation era — Kõ is ‘sugarcane’ in Hawaiian — and the ambience is tinged with tropical breezes wafting beneath the restaurant’s open-concept cloud-like roof. More than 90 per cent of the fish, beef and produce is sourced locally, and many of the menu items are passed-down family recipes. Start out with the signature Ahi on the Rock appetizer, which is as much fun to eat as it is delicious. The dish arrives with fresh tuna, shichimi and orange ginger miso, and a hot rock that you use to sear the tuna yourself. Keep to that seafood theme for your main with the Ti Leaf Wrapped Fresh Catch, which comes with scallops, Kauaʻi prawns, upcountry spinach, shiitake mushroom, shoyu-coconut milk sauce, lomi tomato and Molokaʻi sweet potato mash. The blend of flavours epitomizes that mix of different cultures, and the local ingredients are incredibly fresh. If your more meat-inclined, you won’t go wrong with the Korean braised short ribs, with Otani baby rainbow carrots, baby bok choy and kimchee fried rice. And for dessert, at least one of your party must order the Daan Tat, a trio of Chinese-inspired Portuguese egg custard tarts (mango nata, black sesame, candied pineapple). And if you are a guest at the hotel, kids under the age of five eat for free, and those 12 and under get 50 per cent off the kid’s menu price.
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Pita Paradise
This strip-mall Mediterranean restaurant is one of those hidden treasures that is well-known by locals but somewhat off the tourist beaten path. We stumbled upon it after discovering Monkeypod, also located in the Wailea Gateway Center, was closed for a private party and so we wandered over to check out the menu at Pita Paradise. What caught my eye was the daily fish special grilled Mahi Mahi served with Greek potatoes and salad. What we discovered during a fantastic meal is that the owner, John ‘Captain Johnny’ Aragatzis Jr., spends every morning out on the water and his daily catch is featured that night at Pita Paradise. The grilled-to-perfection Mahi Mahi was so fresh, and with the sides offered a unique take on Greek cuisine. In addition to being known for its fresh catches, favourites include village and Greek salads, hummus, lamb gyros, chicken kabobs and house made gnocchi Bolognese. And all the deserts are made from scratch, though skip the decision-making here and just go with the Baklava ice cream cake. Great wine list too.
Matteo’s Osteria
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Just down the hill from the Wailea Gateway Center and tucked behind the Marriott Residence is this gem of an Italian restaurant. If you’re questioning why go all the way to Maui and eat Italian, one dinner here and you’ll have your answer. Chef Matteo Mistura is well decorated, including Maui’s best chef honours, and his cooking roots in Sarzana, Italy are on full display in Matteo’s classic menu. I say classic as many traditional pasta dishes are available, but like most of the best dining establishments in Wailea, local fish and produce figure prominently. That’s why you’ll get Mahi Mahi in your Pesce Piccata, infused with lemon caper sauce, trofie pesto pasta and tomato ripieni, and caramelized Maui onions in the creamy and tasty Carbonara. Start out with the signature G’s meatballs, three ground turkey balls of heaven, seasoned with chia seed, quinoa, kale, parmesan, flax seed and pomodoro fresco. Another signature dish is Isola, featuring a seared fresh catch, carnaroli risotto cake, mushroom trifolati, heirloom cherry tomato and fennel-thyme puree. While you’re waiting for dessert — I’d highly recommend the torta del nonno, flourless chocolate lava cake with strawberries and chocolate sauce — ask you server if you can check out the wine room that wraps around the wine bar. It’s a unique architectural feature that reflects the exceptional wine list and the overall ‘il bene vive,’ or the good life, that Matteo’s Osteria celebrates. And yes, reservations are highly recommended.
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Morimoto Maui
The Japanese culture has strong historic ties with the Hawaiian Islands, and this tasty slice of Japan is a do-not-miss if you love the combination of sand, sunsets and sushi. Located on the waterfront side of the Andaz Maui resort, Morimoto Maui architecture is a modern take on the traditional Japanese beach house. All seats and tables are arranged to take full advantage of the beach and ocean, and spectacular sunsets, and the open concept gives the dining room and bar area an airy and light ambience. The menu, curated by legendary chef and restaurant namesake Morimoto, is best described as Japanese-Hawaiian fusion. There are tacos, with ingredients ranging from Maui onion to yuzu kosho and from anchovy aioli to avocado. There’s braised black cod in a sake-soy reduction, and ishi yaki buri bop, featuring yellowtail or kakuni on rice and cooked at your table in a hot stone bowl. But the stars of the show, apart from the one’s twinkling overhead in the tropical sky, are the numerous sushi and maki selections. This is where the fusion comes to the fore, with classic Japanese flavours melded with fresh caught Maui seafood. The location and the menu make for a very memorable Maui dining experience, and not surprisingly, reservations are a must.
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Coconut’s Fish Café
We’ll wrap things up here where we started, with a classic, homegrown Maui menu. There are two Coconut’s located in Kihea, the community just north of Wailea, but for our purposes we’ll focus on the smaller one, which does not serve alcohol and is in the Azeka Shopping Center. It’s more of a takeout place really, however there are a handful of indoor and outdoor tables, each shaped like a surfboard. When you enter to lineup and place your lunch order, you’ll know right away you are in a good place as the clientele, typically, is of the local variety, often tradespeople on their lunch break. Some in-the-know tourists for sure, but mostly locals who come for the amazingly fresh fish tacos, which in my opinion, and believe me I’ve tried them all over the world, are among the best. Sound like hyperbole? Consider that esteemed Zagat Survey declared them the ‘perfect taco.’ The family-owned place opened in 2009 with a simple philosophy: it’s all about the fish. Well, that and a focus on healthy eating and making all the sauces from scratch. The coleslaw is made with coconut milk, they serve only brown rice, the fish & chips are lightly breaded and there are plenty of gluten-free and low-fat options. Reservations aren’t required, or for that matter even taken, but you most likely will have to line up to order and wait for your number to be called out. The wait is well worth it, and besides, remember that you’re on Maui time.
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Five tasty dining choices in and around Wailea - Vancouver Sun
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