Fun in a cone or crepe

Prepare your taste buds for a new addition to the Maui food scene. Let’s welcome Paradise Found opening soon in Lahaina!

Described by the marketing manager as a “quaint café with a local vibe,” the new creperie and gelato menu will consist of a wide variety of sweet and savory crepes, assorted salads, panini sandwiches, and specialty gelato. Some examples of their specialty crepes include:

• ALOHA SUNRISE:  Scrambled eggs, portuguese sausage, spinach, and swiss cheese
• THE YOGI: Non-fat vanilla yogurt, fresh berries, bananas, walnuts, and honey
• RATATOUILLE:  Eggplant, squash, peppers, tomatoes, mozzarella, fresh herbs, and marinara
• MAC-NUTELLA:  Banana gelato, milk chocolate-hazelnut spread, and macadamia nuts

All breakfast crepes will be served with house made mac-nut granola, while savory crepes will include a mixed green salad. (We suspect a throw down over which is more popular.)

Most menu items, including crepes, gelato, salads, and dressings will be made with freshest seasonal ingredients including a special Paradise Found blend of coffee. To show consideration for the environment, all products are eco friendly (reduce, reuse, recycle.)

Located in the Lahaina Center, the café will be open Monday-Friday 8 AM – 9 PM and Sat & Sun 8 AM – 8 PM.

We can hardly wait to try it!

Beautiful and delicious salmon appetizer

So much has been written (and whispered) about David Paul’s Island Grill since it opened this past spring (2009) in Lahaina. Although we’ve  remained conspicuously silent during the restaurant’s start-up period,  we were observing, stopping in now and then to taste this and that, giving it time to settle a bit.

We had acknowledged it’s a really beautiful space and predicted the food would be first-rate coming from David Paul. He, with a reputation to uphold, associations to explain, standards to maintain, new territory to explore, had a lot at stake. Most importantly he would need to satisfy patrons with discriminating palates who would challenge the oft controversial chef to fulfill their every expectation.

David Paul, in the course of his illustrious career, has won every coveted award, broken rules, forged new ground and gone against the grain more than once. To time his “comeback” in concert with intense market challenges, at a time when others might rather throw in the dishtowel, was courageous and bold. He’s making it.

What he’s doing right, besides continuing his tradition of excellence in the kitchen, is offering great value. Over 50 wines by the glass for under $10; half-size portions available on many items; a constantly changing menu; six course chef’s tasting menu for $49 (that’s always new and different); and now even greater incentives to stop in and see what the buzz is about.

The  biggest and most news worthy buzz spawns from his “New Island Cuisine” approach to cooking and menu selections that appeal to everyman and gourmets alike. For not-so-average Joes, there’s mac and cheese — with truffles, of course; burgers crafted with Kobe beef; big bowls of salad to share with friends. At Island Grill you might also enjoy comfort on a silver platter with slow roasted pork and short ribs; while other dishes like the ahi and foie gras or butterfish and lobster drip with elegance.

Bar - David Paul's Island Grill

The Chef’s originality and creativity shine in dishes like the Princess and the Pea — diver scallops seared medium rare and served on sweet English pea cakes with pickled ginger foam and frizzled leeks. Yes, pea cakes. What a great idea! Ever try lemongrass kimchee as a side dish? Brussel sprout leaves in place of romaine on your Caesar salad? Whether or not such experiments are your cuppa cabbage, one thing is certain, you won’t be bored and you won’t go broke trying out exotic flavors or enjoying soul-satisfying mainstays at David Paul’s Island Grill.

Absolut Sunset at the Bar – $5.00 Absolut cocktails, $3.00 Draft Beer, 50% off Supper Club menu all night at the bar!!

Turn of the century charm at the Pioneer Inn, Lahaina, Maui, HI 96761

Pioneer Inn is west Maui’s first and oldest hotel, pre-dating Hawaii’s statehood by about 58 years. Located harbor side across from the great Banyan Tree, the refurbished Pioneer Inn retains the charm of its turn of the century heyday when Mark Twain lingered here whilst penning news reports of this exotic port to the world at large.

A haven for sailors, day trippers, harbor hands and tourists, Pioneer Inn’s breezy lanai invites lingering and dreaming about days of yore – or for the newly just married in Pioneer Inn’s gazebo and courtyard – of glorious days to come.

You’ll find the standard seafaring-town lunch and dinner fare on the menu here. To create your own pupu platter chose three favorites from: calamari, sautéed scallops, spring rolls, Buffalo wings, grilled chicken breast or onion rings for $15.95. There’s also spring rolls, seared ahi, nachos and fish tacos, all well prepared and well-priced. Although seared ahi and spinach salads are commonplace on Lahaina menus, those served at Pioneer Inn have won awards at former Taste of Lahaina competitions. Having recently enjoyed the seared ahi salad, I can attest that it stands the test of time with perfectly pink ahi over crisp, delicate greens highlighted with a delightfully sweet/tangy dressing.

Pioneer Inn Ahi Salad, Winner at the Taste of Lahaina 2004,

You’ll also find fish, chicken, steak, kalua pork sandwiches and other local favorites, most everything priced $10-$20, a veritable steal for a restaurant with great food, ambiance, good location and so much history.

Pioneer Inn is currently offering super economic stimulus specials including Aloha Friday’s extended Happy Hour. From 2-7 p.m., pupus are just $2-$5, Beer $3, Margaritas $4.50, Tai Tais $4. But the big news is the dinner deal, every day from 5 p.m. until closing, buy one entrée, get the second for 50% off.  Plus, sign up for the frequent diner card and for every 10^th sandwich or entrée you purchase get one Maui Cattle Company Premium Cheeseburger free!

Pioneer Inn      $-$$                 VIEWS/PRICES/FOOD
Location: 658 Wharf Street, Lahaina, Maui, HI 96761
Cuisine: American, Island Favorites
Telephone: (808) 661-3636 fax : (808) 667-5708

Rainbows over Lahaina

Not many restaurants can compete with I’o and its sister/neighbor, Pacific’O, when it comes to ambiance and setting. On an island brimming with dining spots touting picture postcard views this one on the Lahaina shores grabs all five tikis.

The dreamy vision of the sun setting beyond distant Lanai escorted by sailboats and canoe paddlers would be enough eye candy but I’o also serves up an award winning, dazzling interior. Etched glass aquariums, hip lighting, a bar just begging for an enchantress to take a seat and challenge its sensuous curves, and a “must peak” exhibition kitchen compete with the views. With so much to see, my preference is actually a window table rather than the more popular al fresco seats on the front lanai. That way, you don’t miss a thing including what’s going on at the bar and in the kitchen.

Wherever you settle in while awaiting the glorious sunset, you’ll notice Martinis rather than Mai Tais predominate the drink menu. Although I don’t drink the potent devils, the Dreamsicle and Lemon Drop versions sound mighty tasty served with ocean breezes wrapped around them.

Various wines offered by the glass are also enticing. The menu recommends vintages to specifically match various dishes; for instance, the fois gras topped ono served on “wilted Hana vegetable salad, tropical fruit coulis and balsamic reduction” served with a nice Vouvray. Yea! That I can handle.

I`o’s also prepares some of the best appetizers on the island; Cowboy Ribs, Smoked Sashimi, or Crab Cakes can all stand alone as dinner. But you won’t want to stop there. The Waipoli Road Salad is tossed with assorted organic O’o Farm greens, seasonal produce, herbs and heirloom tomatoes with Maui onions and feta cheese tossed in citrus mustard vinaigrette, everything grown or produced not more than 20 miles away at the O`O farms in Kula and Surfing Goat Dairy.  The Crispy Ahi, fresh sashimi tuna rolled in nori and panko crust and green papaya salad, ($27.00) purportedly has inspired a cult following but don’t feel you have to dress up in funky garb or join a chat room to admit you love it.

A table with a view is obviously a major asset for restaurants on Maui but I`o doesn’t take its location for granted or slip guests mediocre food hoping they won’t notice. (It happens!) On the contrary I`o goes the vistas one better by presenting outstanding sustainable, healthy, original dishes using local ingredients spiced with considerable originality.