It's That Time! Raise Your Stein!

Bikini Blond Lager Wins Silver!

Cheers to Maui Brewing Company, who are busting their buttons now that WCM’s favorite brew, Bikini Blonde Lager, recently won the silver medal at the 2009 BrewNZ Beer Awards Competition, European Lager Style Category! The 8th annual competition sponsored by the Brewers Guild of New Zealand invited breweries from all over the world to enter their brews in this premier competition so you can imagine that competition was keen.

Maui Brewing Company is the only brewer and canner of craft beer in Hawaii as 100% of the beers are brewed and canned on Maui. Founder Garrett Marrero and his wife, Melanie, run a 7-barrel brewpub at the Kahana location as well as a 25-barrel full production brewery and canning facility in Lahaina where you are invited to take a tour and tasting on Tu/Th/Friday from 2-6 p.m. Maui Brewing Co. is a truly local beer as 100% of their products are made in Hawaii as opposed to other so-called “Hawaiian” beers.

Maui’s OktoberFest – Every Weekend at Brigit & Bernard’s Gardencafe

Maui’s mini OktoberFest, which kicks off tomorrow at Brigit & Bernard’s Gardencafé and runs every Friday and Saturday through October, is the closest you can be to experiencing the world-renown festival of beer, brats, lederhosen, drindl (and lots of other things I have fun pronouncing when I’ve had a few) without flying to the mainland.

Every Friday/Saturday in October, special OktoberFest Beer, all-you-can-eat buffet replete with schnitzel, wursten, leberkase, sauerkraut, rotkohl, kartoffeln and other such tongue twisting specialties that are oh-so-ono this time of year, are rolled out along with a real,  live Oohmpah band, “The Dorfmusikanten.” Get your best Chicken Dance on and enjoy some knee-slapping fun that will have you yodeling before the night is over.

WCM Staffers have attended two years running and, having actually lived in Germany and dined often in Milwaukee, we can say with some authority it is the real deal, Mein Schatz. Save room for Apfelstrudel! Schmecht lecker!

Reservations recommended. Call 877-6000. Brigit & Bernard’s, 335 Ho‘ohana St., Kahului.

Café Marc Aurel

What an incredible line-up of entertainment this month at Café Marc Aurel’s in Wailuku! Visit their website to learn of scheduled performances starting tomorrow by the awesome band fronting the ever-amazing Vince Esquire (not a household name yet – should be!) this Friday, Oct. 2nd in concert with Wailuku’s First Friday celebration. Revisit for music by the ever-popular Eric Gilliom and Barry Flanagan (Wednesday, Oct. 4, $55/dinner show, $30 show only), and be sure not to miss Cheryl Rae October 16th.

Of course the entire WCM staff is looking forward to Café Marc’s Oktoberfest party, Wednesday October 14th, 7:00 p.m., when Beers from Germany and the US will be presented by Bruce ‘Frazier’ from Paradise Beverages. Included are: Paulaner, Warsteiner, Sam Adams and St. Pauli Girl. Reservations are recommended so please call 280-6363. $25 admission.

Dining Deal of the Week

Did you remember that Maui Tacos hosts Taco Tuesdays which means all tacos, all locations are half-off all day Tuesday. Maui Tacos is also offering $5 value meals selections to stimulate economic growth.

Community Events

Maui Jazz Society, Oct. 23rd, 5-9 p.m.

Sir Wilfred’s presents a fundraiser to benefit the Maui Jazz Society which promises to be a wonderful evening of food, drinks, cigars and live music. A variety of liquor will be provided by Maui Brewing Company and B & B Distributors, music by David Choy & Friends, food by CJs Deli. There will be a live and silent auction. $100/pp all inclusive. For tickets and information contact Sir Wilfred’s at 661-0202 or CJ’s Deli at 667-0968.

Save the Date:
Holiday Home Tour to Benefit Planned Parenthood, December 2nd, 10- 4pm

Those of you who attended this unique event last year sneaked a vicarious peak into five gorgeous West Maui homes while enjoying an afternoon being shuttled around in the company with friends. This year, the Holiday Home Tour will feature homes of Up County Maui and Bev Gannon’s Hailimaile General Store.

Chef Gannon has graciously offered participants special surprises at her restaurant for pre and post-tour fun. (Pssst… participants will also tour the winsome Chef’s home!) Contact us at info@whatscookingmaui.com for more information or to donate items for the silent auction. Proceeds from the Holiday Home Tour help support Planned Parenthood’s educational programs in Maui County. Knowledge is power!

Dining Events

‘Aipono “Wines of the World” Dinner Series

Mala Wailea, October 9th

WCM staffers have attended nearly all the Aipono Award dinners hosted by Maui No Ka Oi Magazine to benefit the Maui Culinary Arts program – such a great cause and such a great meal! Award winning chefs and winemakers put on their best show for these events so if you haven’t yet attended one of these fabulous soirees we strongly suggest you consider doing so. The next event features the wines of Australia and is hosted at Mala’s Wailea (in the Wailea Marriott), Friday, October 9th, 6 p.m. Call 808-875-9394 to reserve your spot at the table! Here’s what you’ll enjoy:
First Course “Made this Morning” Burrata Cheese Panini, Portugese Sweet Bread~with~ Brokenwood, Semillon, Hunter Valley, New South Wales

Second Course Oyster Stew with Coconut Milk Lemongrass & Kaffir Lime Broth~with~ Peter Lehmann, Layers, Adelaide, 2008

Third Course Spicy Maui Lamb Riblet “Taco”, Pea Shoots, Mint Chutney & Cucumber Raita~with~ Kilikanoon, Oracle, Shiraz, Clare Valley, South Australia, 2005

Fourth Course Oven-Roasted Spear Caught Uhu w/ Taro & Butternut Squash Succotash~with~ Leeuwin, Chardonnay, Prelude Vineyards, Margaret River, 2006

Fifth Course Dark Chocolate Dessert~with~ D’Arenberg, Vintage Shiraz, Port, Mclaren Vale, 2005

Mollydooker Wine Tasting, The Plantation House, Tuesday, Oct. 6

The Plantation House Restaurant is hosting an informal wine event featuring Sparky Marquis, of Mollydooker wines. (Just saying that is fun!)

They will present a one-hour blending and tasting seminar during which everyone will learn how we blend the Mollydooker wines, and will get a chance to make blends of their own. It will be interactive, informal and most likely somewhat messy, so do not wear your best white clothes!

Each guest will be greeted with a taste of the new 2009 Violinist Verdelho. Sparky will kick off the blending session with a demonstration of the Mollydooker Shake. The audience will be able to see and to taste the difference between the pre-shake and post-shake wines, and then everyone will get into the fun of blending.

After the blending session, Sparky will introduce the next flight of wines. The servers will walk around and assist each guest to empty four of their glasses (no rinsing!) and turn their tasting mats over, then they’ll pour a taste of  2007 Blue Eyed Boy, Enchanted Path, Carnival of Love, and Velvet Glove (chosen by The Wine Advocate as #4, #3, #2, and#1 highest rated Australian wines!) after which the partying will begin in earnest.

Dinner will be served, and the remaining wines (they always send plenty!) will be distributed amongst the tables so everyone can re-taste and enjoy whichever wines they’d like with dinner.

Event begins at 6pm. The cost is $60.00 per person which includes tax and gratuity. This event is to be booked directly with The Plantation House by calling 669-6299. All reservations require a credit card for this event.

To note: Plantation House Chef Alex Stanislaw has been featured by the National Honey Board for his use of Hawaii’s lehua blossom honey in one of his recipes. Visit their site to view the recipe for his “Famous Scallop Skewers” with applewood-smoked bacon and lehua honey glaze.

Eat well and be hearty! Lebwohl!

Lahaina Harbor View from Pioneer Inn

Pioneer Inn is stepping up their specials through the end of the year. After 5:30 every night buy one entrée get a second 50% off. Extended Happy Hour from 2-5 p.m. includes $3 Bud and Bud Lights, $4.50 Margaritas, $4 Mai Tais and $2-$5 pupus .  (See our feature story for more.)

Maalaea Grill is packing ‘em in with their weekend Seafood Buffet offered Thursday, Friday and Saturday for $29.95 all you can eat from an assortment of superb options like Crab, Prime Rib and Sushi. Arrive early or late (5-6 or 8-9) and eat yourself silly for only $24.95.  If you’re not up for the whole buffet shebang, choose three, pay only for two appetizers anytime in the bar.

Pineapple Grill hosts Ocean Beach Parties every Friday night. Ocean Vodka drinks are $5 and pupus are half-off from 8-10 p.m.

Did you realize you can have a brew tour complete with tastings every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 2-6 p.m. at Maui Brewing Company Production Facility? You can and it’s gotta be a great escape from the afternoon heat.

Hurry for the last few days of the new Diamonds Ice Bar and Grill special. Located in the former Tip-ups location in Kihei, act now and get half off when you order another entrée.

Oceans Beach Bar and Grill offers 15% kama`aina food along with their Taco Tuesdays, Wet Wednesdays, Entourage Fridays, etc.

Pineapple Grill is hosting the Hale Makua Fundraiser again this year but there’s a twist! It’s a Non-Event, meaning the invitation asks guests to donate all the money they would have normally spent to hire a babysitter, buy a new dress and shoes and valet the car to Hale Makua directly. They suggest $100 for a non-attending single, $200 for a no-show couple and $300 since you’re also saving on an outfit. Very clever! In appreciation they’ve included a 20% off coupon in the non-invite for food only at either lunch or dinner to be used anytime you like at Pineapple Grill.

Fernando’s Mexican Grill has opened in the former Lemongrass location at Queen Kaahumanu Center. Open daily for lunch and dinner and the lounge stays open until 1 a.m.! Nice to know there’s a late night place for nosh and drinks in Kahului.

DEALS TO GO

Have you taken advantage of the Cash for Clunkers program yet? You have two days before casting your old auto unto the junk heap but lots of time to trade in your junk bicycle for cash toward a shiny new ride at West Maui Cycles.

We told you about Hawaiian Air’s Mainland Madness program (explained here). If you sign up right away you can also book inter-island flights through September 30^th for only $24.99 each way. Plus, those roundtrip flights count toward the Mainland Madness promotion. Never been a better time to have sushi at Nobu!

AIR MAUI is offering a Kama`aina, family and friends special for a limited time – 2 for one Helicopter Rides.