Maui Guidebook » Food | South Maui

Nick’s Fishmarket

Mark — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:00:37 +0000

Nick’s Fishmarket at the Fairmont Kea Lani in Wailea

Rating:
^{*how we rate restaurants}

Rated #1 Fine Dining – South Maui

In a nutshell: The setting is only outdone by the service which is only outdone by the cuisine.
Minuses: They don’t have one back home!
Sound-bite: “mmmmm!”

Location:		Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel 4100 Wailea Alanui Dr. Wailea, HI 96753
Phone:		808-879-7224
Website:		www.tristarrestaurants.com/nic…
Menus:		Menu

Hours:		5:30-9:30pm
Price:		Fine Dining
Credit Cards:		Yes
Views:		Sunset & Ocean
Outdoor Seating:		Yes
Entertainment:		No
Booze:		Yes
Reservations:		Strongly Suggested

Summary
My wife and I visited Nick’s Fishmarket last week, and I must say that I had among the very best meals of my life there. Yes, it was that good. Not just the food; on every single point Nick’s got it right.

Sunsets from Nick's are spectacular

Ambiance
Nick’s Fishmarket sits in the gardens of the opulent Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel in Wailea. Much of the seating is outdoors; dining alfresco on Maui makes for a comfortable, relaxed and memorable dining experience.

Nick’s is classy fine dining infused with the comfortable and casual resort attitude that Maui is famous for.

Tip: Since Nicks is just a few hundred yards back from Polo Beach, you may want to show up at the beach a half an hour early for a romantic stroll.

Service
If you’re a stickler for attentive service you’ll be in heaven. Nick’s Fishmarket delivers a team of skilled waitstaff at your beck and call. This attention to service starts the moment you step through the restaurant gate. When we arrived we were instantly greeted by the friendly hostess and ushered to our table without delay.

Our romantic table for two.

Throughout our meal, our water glasses were never allowed to approach bottom, and whatever we needed – be it a question about the menu, more bread or beverages, the staff knew instantaneously. I’ve noticed a handful of folks on the sites like Yelp and Tripadvisor actually complaining that there is too much service! I can’t disagree with that more. I certainly don’t like being intruded upon, and especially on date night with my wife (something we don’t get enough of these days) – we never felt like any staff member was there at any time other than exactly when we wanted them.

While most restaurants on Maui don’t require a reservation, Nick’s is very popular, and making reservations is a must.

Dinner
The wine cellar is world class, with about 2,000 bottles to choose from, and has been consistently awarded as among the most outstanding in the world.

Nick’s menu offerings don’t fit into a pigeonhole category – “Mediterranean Rim” is the term most often used to describe the cuisine (Pacific Rim cuisine with Mediterranean flair.)

Just looking at the Mahi is mouthwatering.

Now at the risk of outing myself as an unrefined heathen, I knew Nick’s had done the food right when I caught myself, many times, making audible “mmmmmm” sounds while my eyes rolled back into my head. No, my horrified wife will be the first to tell you, I’m not kidding. Imagine a three-year-old going primal on an ice cream sundae – but in a 40-year-old man’s body at a fine restaurant. Yup, that was me.

So, with that image in your mind’s eye, I’ll go on to describe the heavenly meal Kira and I shared:

We decided to forego salads and started our meal sharing two appetizers with deceiving names: “Kalua Pig Pot Stickers” and “Poi Pounder.”

The Pot stickers were unique, and delicious. Most definitely added a new dimension to what I understood could be called by the modest name “pot sticker” – these were prepared with a caramelized Maui pineapple curry. Five stars.

The second app was the “Poi Pounder” – which I assume is a play on words with the “pounder” part of the name (poi is the pounded starchy taro root of traditional Hawaiian fare – and there was none to be found here!) My Poi Pounder appeared as raw ahi perfection presented atop yummy blue crab salad. A spicy wasabi aioli added a distinctive zing of horseradish when liberated from its role of artful pate decoration. “mmmmm!”

Kira had the opakapaka

On to our entrées – Kira had the opakapaka which came in a lemon butter & caper sauce. My wife likes zen simplicity when it comes to her fish – so she ordered the opakapaka with the sauce on the side. When the dish was served, I tried it both with and without the sauce – I can’t overstate how much Kira was missing out on – this sauce complimented the fish so well it should be illegal; once these two were united with my taste buds, my eyeballs rolled to the back of my head and “mmmmm!”

I also ordered fish (hello, “Fishmarket” is the name!!) – for me it was the grilled Hawaiian opah. Served encrusted in candied peanut, Thai red curry-coconut, and artfully stacked center-plate sandwiched in layers of Thai sticky rice and blue crab slaw. Kira sure was spending quite a lot of time looking at the whites of my eyes while Opah and I spent some some quality time together.

So, after savoring our out of this world entrées we debated the rationale of desert. Kira was more reluctant to cross over the line of excessive indulgence, but she graciously offered to keep me company by offering “I’ll take a bite or two and bring the rest home for the kids.”

In a few minutes a gigantic oblong bowl that looked like it was purpose made to hold my generous bananas Foster sat before me. Kira had gone with the apple pie. I won’t talk about eyes rolling back or mmmmms any more (they kept coming) but I will say that the kids won’t miss any apple pie that they don’t know about

Other Reviews: ^{*ordered by accuracy}

Sarento’s On The Beach

Mark — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 10:00:13 +0000

Sarento's on the Beach

Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars
^{*how we rate restaurants}

Rated #1 Italian – South Maui

In a nutshell: Fine dining on the beach in Kihei.
Minuses: Five-star fine dining ain’t cheap!
Sound-bite: [the sound of waves breaking]

Location:		2980 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei, HI 96753
Phone:		808-875-7555
Website:		www.sarentosonthebeach.com
Menus:		Menu Wine List Breakfast

Hours:		7:00 – 11:00 AM & 5:00 PM to Midnight
Price:		Fine Dining
Credit Cards:		Yes
Views:		On the beach
Outdoor Seating:		Open Air
Entertainment:		No
Booze:		Yes
Reservations:		Required for Dinner

Description:

Update 8/28/2011 - I just heard that Sarento’s on the Beach is now serving breakfast.

Update 8/31/2011 - Duty to readers always comes first, so I wasted no time facing the daunting shoreline commute and the horrors of valet parking with steely resolve. (Readers first, my only focus!) Anyway, I went off the deep end describing my out-of-body experience with Bananas Foster French Toast.

Sarento’s on the Beach offers incredibly romantic dining beachfront on Keawakapu Beach in Kihei.

Maui may not be a place many people expect to find world-class Italian fare – but we actually have some stuff competition – and Sarento’s comes out on top.

Five-star Italian cuisine with a wine list to match.

Check.

Humpback whales breaching into orange-gold Pacific sunsets.

Check.

Romantic music playing in the background.

Check.

A seasoned team of waitstaff at your beck and call.

Check.

Yeah, what a checklist!

Now the only warning I have is to be prepared to pay for that world-class checklist – on location alone you can’t expect a meal here to be inexpensive.

PS – The deserts will blow your mind.

Other Reviews: ^{*ordered by accuracy}

Maui Masala

Mark — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 01:29:15 +0000

Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars ^{*how we rate restaurants}

Location:		2395 South Kihei Road, Kihei, HI 96753
Phone:		808-875-9000
Website:		www.mauimasala.com
Menus:		Menu

Hours:		Wed-Mon 11:30am - 2pm; 5:30 - 8pm
Price:		Affordable
Credit Cards:		Yes
Views:		No
Outdoor Seating:		Yes
Entertainment:		Yes
Booze:		No
Reservations:		No

Description:
Full review to come soon. In the running for best Indian.

I originally hail from a city that has a significant Indian population, and loads of awesome Indian restaurants to choose from - one of my few complaints about living in Maui has been very few choices for good Indian food. Let me tell you this simple counter-service place serves among the best tasting Indian food on the island. Yeah, I said that.

That said, this is a very small counter-service mom-and-pop takeout joint with only a few selections to choose from. There are tables just outside with live music to entertain. Simple and good. If you're looking for fancy, well, sorry...

If you aren't looking for fancy ambiance, but have a hankering for great Indian food, this is your best choice in South Maui.

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Bananas Foster French Toast

Mark — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 06:55:14 +0000

Resistance is futile.

As I’m accustomed to from my dinner experiences at Sarento’s On The Beach, I was quickly seated at an oceanfront table by the friendly hostess who left me with what would turn out to be my nemesis (the menu!)

While I’ve come to expect a spectacular sunset here, dining here in the morning was also quite remarkable. The way the Maui sun sparkles and reflects off the ocean while an ethereal mist hangs on for its last minutes…well, I can try and conjure words to evoke that oh-so-Maui-morning feeling – to those of you who have been blessed to know it, you get me. (The rest of you planning your first visit will understand soon enough

Now, I should take a moment aside to share that middle age snuck up on me quite unexpectedly, and I have been on a health kick intended to reclaim my lost youth. I’ve been doing a good job (pat-pat), and have been fairly disciplined with diet & exercise (can you see where this is going!?!)

The spectacularly stunning beachfront scene, the deep blue ocean, the rhythmic surf, our neighbor islands standing tall, crowned with halos of wispy clouds in the distance. My defenses were quickly being eroded. I swear to you that I looked at that breakfast menu with the best of intentions. (For real!) But suddenly my mind unceremoniously relieved itself of work, and was instead thrown into full-on Maui Vacation Mode (or MVM – an occupational hazard known to practitioners of this selfless profession!)

Flash forward to the point at which I shifted my gaze from the scenery to the menu.

Right at the top of the menu was something that Shoulder-Devil immediately identified and wasted zero time in delivering the hard sell: “just treat yourself”, “what is the point in working so hard if you can’t enjoy it?”, “you definitely deserve it!” were injected between the competing angel’s sweet whispers of “Oh Mark, doesn’t home-made granola sound good?”, “mmmm…fresh fruit!” and “I bet the yogurt is delicious!”

But S.D. had an unanticipated co-conspirator in the menu design. Now you can’t really see it in the link to the PDF of the menu above (which the management claims is identical… whatever…) Be forewarned that there is, in reality, a much more forceful box around the below mentioned banana breakfast that quite effectively isolates the attention.

A trusting person would call it coincidence, but it is about this very time of inner conflict that the waiter appeared. Then, a quite matter-of-fact (and obviously less conflicted) man’s voice clearly states: “I’ll have the Bananas Foster French Toast.” Astounded, I reeled around to see who the ventriloquist was. Had that been me? No way.

I tried to play it cool by casually returning my head and fixing an indifferent gaze to that possessed box on the menu. The waiter replied “would you like that a la mode?”

The waiter was long gone before the angel was permitted to meekly protest. (“…excuse me, sir, but I’m quite certain Mark would actually prefer the granola, fresh berries and yogurt…”)

Fast forward about ten minutes when a monster of indulgent decadence hits the table.

Wow! This was an absolutely sinful thing of beauty sitting before a not-so-long-converted healthy eater. Oh so syrupy, perfectly and Frenchly-toasted Hawaiian sweet bread, piled in a bowl accompanied by large slices of exquisitely caramelized bananas. Over-the-topped with that scoop of a-la-mode, starting to melt its ice-creamy vanilla goodness all over and into the bread.

Now, it appears that I may still come across a bit more experienced in the obscenely indulgent breakfast department. I say this, because to the side of this already perfectly excessive breakfast was placed a shiny silver gravy boat containing more syrupy-buttery-sweet-and-Fosterey-nom-nom-nom-ness than any human could possibly consume to start off his day. (This would also be my high point in self control, as I swear to you that I did not touch the gravy boat!)

All thoughts of consequences had melted way before the ice cream, and, needless to say, this is the point at which all conflict ceased and I consumed the whole obscenely indulgent thing with gusto.*

Anyway, I’ll spare you how the rest of my morning went after that – but let’s just say the plan to work it off with a run on the beach didn’t exactly pan out as expected!

(*Author’s Note to Wife: Technically speaking, I was being truthful with you when I returned accompanied by the guilty look and “…of course I didn’t eat the whole thing honey!” – I did, in fact, leave two small corners of bread in the bowl AND, you will note the entire gravy boat went untouched as well.)

Amigo’s Kihei

Mark — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 02:41:11 +0000

Rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars

This must be the location the owners spend the most time at…because it shows!

Top-rated authentic taqueria. Affordable, fast and made-to-order tacos, flautas, carnitas, chile verde, chimichangas, taco salads, egg burritos, huevos rancheros, chicken mole and al pastor – among other authentic dishes.

Grab a couple Mexican beers or margaritas to go along with your meal.

Also in Kihei, avoid their Lahaina location.

Menu: Menu

Location: 41 E. Lipoa St., Kihei, HI 96753
Phone: 808-879-9952
Rating source: Google &

Web:

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You may also be interested in:
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Maui Tacos (S. Kihei Rd.)
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Sushi Paradise

Mark — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 21:26:18 +0000

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars ^{*how we rate restaurants}

Location: 1215 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei, HI 96753

Phone: 808-879-3751

Website:

Menus: Not Available

Hours: Thu - Sun 6pm - 10pm

Price: Moderate

Credit Cards: Yes

Views: No

Outdoor Seating: No

Entertainment: Karoke

Booze: Yes

Reservations: A must for table seating.

Description:
Top in the running for #1 sushi in South Maui.

You don't come here for the ambiance or fast seating/service. You also don't come here for rolls or cooked Japanese food. You come for the best raw sushi in Maui - and you're prepared to wait for it!

Sushi Paradise is located in a strip-mall storefront, and it is always crowded. If you want a table, call ahead and make a reservation, and expect to wait for your food - nothing is going to be fast here. Have no fear, if you're a sushi aficionado it's all gonna be worth it!

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Matteo’s Pizzeria

Capische?

Mark — Tue, 10 May 2011 10:00:43 +0000

Capische?

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars ^{*how we rate restaurants}

In a nutshell: Among the top romantic dining experiences on Maui.
Minuses: Not for the value conscious.
Sound-bite: “Capische has given us such wonderful memories. I cannot wait to go back!”

Location: 555 Kaukahi Rd.., Wailea, HI 96753

Phone: 808-879-2224

Website: www.capische.com

Menus: Appetizers & Desserts
Menu
Wine (New World)
Wine (Old World)
Wine (by the Glass)
Champagne
Martini Menu
Libations

Hours: Nightly 5:30pm - 9:30pm

Price: Expensive

Credit Cards: Yes

Views: Sunset & Ocean

Outdoor Seating: Yes

Entertainment: Yes

Booze: Yes

Reservations: Strongly Suggested

Description:
An all-around spectacular dining experience. Impressive culinary artistry, extensive wine selection, romantic ambiance, spectacular views, and stand-out service - on every one of these points, Capische stands tall among the very best restaurants on Maui.
Capische Cioppino overlooking thegarden seating.
The Food:
Northern Italian fare with Southern French influence. Prepared with the freshest locally-sourced food; award-winning Owner/Chef Brian Etheredge's creations absolutely stand out. Etheredge is both an artist and a craftsman; foodies consistently appreciate every bite.
The appetizers here shine. In fact, it's impossible to pick just one stand-out. Mushroom truffle risotto is definitely the the most talked about - but the pumpkin gnocchi, quail saltimboca, carpaccio, and ahi bruschetta are all equally worthy of special mention.
The most notable entree is the Capische Cioppino (Kona lobster tail, shrimp, scallops, clams, local fish, saffron tomato broth, & capellini.) The herb crusted opakapaka is also a spectacular choice among a menu full of winners.
Wines: Multiple wine spectator awards and a decent cellar mean that you're guaranteed a knowledgeable staff capable of delivering perfect pairings.
Definitely save room for desert - and the ordering is simple: one of you orders the creme brulee, the other the tiramisu (just trust me on this one!)
Location & Ambiance:
Capische sits on the mountainside overlooking Wailea and the deep blue Pacific Ocean. The views are expansive and breathtaking. The sun sets dramatically over the island of Lana'i accompanied by the islands of Kaho'olawe, Molokini and leaping whales (in season.) After the sun sets, the lighting is dim, and the seating intimate.
Il teatro - "The theater"
Capische is not a large restaurant and seating is intimate. Since sunset is the most dramatic time to be here, be sure to make your reservation well ahead of time. Your best choice is to make reservations timed to coincide with sunset. 17 tables are on the lanai, which provides unobstructed panoramic views of Wailea and the sun setting over the Pacific - what a backdrop for a romantic dinner!
If you prefer to dine later in the evening, forget the balcony and ask to be seated in the garden - the eight tables there are private and even more romantic after the view has faded.
Capische is located in the Hotel Wailea (previously Diamond Resort), an all-suite garden-villa-style resort originally focused on Japanese clientele. The Diamond Resort was built around impressive koi ponds, streams and waterfalls. One pond sits in front, flowing into a waterfall that cascades beneath the raised restaurant to emerge as a stream on the other side. Extend your romantic evening by taking a stroll around the manicured tropical grounds.
Service:
Service here is in line with the more leisurely island attitude, but most definitely attentive; Ample and knowledgeable waitstaff deliver well paced service throughout your meal.
Il Teatro:
Capische also offers a private dining experience where the chef will cook exclusively for your party. Seating for up to 20 is available in Il Teatro. See the photo above for a peek.(I'm just going to have to imagine how awesome this is!)

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Ferraro’s Bar e Ristorante

Mark — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 22:05:03 +0000

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars ^{*how we rate restaurants}

Location: 3900 Wailea Alanui Dr., Kihei, HI 96753

Phone: 808-874-8000

Website: www.fourseasons.com/maui/dinin...

Menus: Lunch
Dinner

Hours: Daily 11:30am-9pm

Price: Expensive

Credit Cards: Yes

Views: Sunset & Ocean

Outdoor Seating: Yes

Entertainment: Yes

Booze: Yes

Reservations: Strongly Suggested

Description:
Remarkable Italian cuisine overlooking Wailea Beach at the Four Seasons.

Service, quality and ambiance that go hand-in-hand with the highly polished Four Seasons.

The wine list featuring Italian wines is also notable.

Make reservations to time with the sunset and you won't regret it!

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Bistro Molokini
Mala Wailea

Stella Blues Cafe

Mark — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 20:25:19 +0000

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars ^{*how we rate restaurants}

Location: Azeka II, 1279 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei, HI 96753

Phone: 808-874-3779

Website: stellablues.com

Menus: Breakfast
Dinner
Salads
Vegiterian
Kids
Drinks

Hours: 7:30am - 10pm (7am Sat/Sun)

Price: Moderate

Credit Cards: Yes

Views: No

Outdoor Seating: Yes

Entertainment: Yes

Booze: Yes

Reservations: Suggested

Description:
Stella Blues has morphed over the years from a unique, small funky cafe toward a more polished restaurant.

Stella Blues is a Grateful Dead themed restaurant, and they pull that off in a classy way that won't turn-off your grandma. Framed photographs, artwork and memorabilia adorn the walls - and if there is a Deadhead on your vacation gift list, a tie-dye "Stella Blues Cafe" T-shirt from Maui is a guaranteed winner.

They offer regular live music - which, although we have some spectacular musicians, can be quite difficult to find paired with decent ambiance in Maui. Stella Blues offers a very popular "Supper Club" which melds a delicious meal with live entertainment. These usually sell out, so plan ahead. (You can check their Facebook page for current info.)

With all the improvements and growth with their entrees in recent years, I must say that I still think breakfast is their strongest offering, and if you're staying in South Maui, sample breakfast on one of your first mornings, you may find yourself here again (and again!)

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Humuhumunukunukuapua’a

808 Bistro

Mark — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 23:15:56 +0000

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars ^{*how we rate restaurants}

Location: 2511 S Kihei Road #A Kihei, HI 96753

Phone: 808-879-8008

Website: www.808bistro.com

Menus: Breakfast
Apps & Salads
Dinner
Keiki & Desserts

Hours: 7am - 12pm; 5pm - 9pm

Price: Affordable

Credit Cards: Yes

Views: Ocean

Outdoor Seating: Yes

Entertainment: No

Booze: BYOB

Reservations: Suggested

Description:
Expanding on the great food and success at the 808 Deli, when the Greek Bistro next door closed their doors, the 808 guys saw an opportunity.

This place is every bit as spectacular and affordable as the 808 Deli, and is contending for a #1 rating from us as well.

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