MAUI- Thai Food In Lahaina

Pad Thai Lahaina Wharf Cinnema Center has the spicy food you want, that Thai thang! Noodles, and stir fries, soups, salads, and egg rolls, if you are wanting to delve in food not in the hotels, and want some exotic in your life, check out Pad Thai in the Lahaina Wharf Cinnema Center, it's located on the Luakini Street side of the center. If you go to the Lahaina Harbor, you'll see the huge Banyan Tree, the center is right across the street on the mountain side.

It's a small  dig, but the food is excellent, and the workers and owners treat you like family, if you love Thai noodles or curries, I do suggest Pad Thai to the visitor here on Maui for the first time or whatever, because food can get boring at the resorts, well, get out of your comfort zone and experience the smells, the textures of Thai Cuisine, and it's pretty healthy too.

Maui- Organic and Healthy Meals, Chef Ann Marie Burtell

Sometimes eating a great healthy dish may be hard to find, my chef friend Ann Marie Burtell can whip you up something really good, she's one of my favorite healthy chefs. Call her to have an awesome healthy meal. Visit her website: http://www.mauifreshchef.com/ and experience a person that loves to help people, I for one love her Mahi soft shell tacos with all the  fixings.

Me and Chef Ann Marie in Kihei after an awesome meal.
You won't be disappointed for sure!

I've known Ann Marie for several years now, anyone visiting the island that wants a real healthy treat should definitely give her a call, she pays attention to detail, and serves her clients with the utmost respect and class, your Maui trip will be a blast when you get to know her, her energy is real, and she's such an honest person, do business with Chef Ann Marie, you'll tell your friends about her because she's an awesome chef, person, and most importantly a friend that loves food and people, it's hard to find true beings like her these days. Visit her site http://www.mauifreshchef.com/

Mahi Mahi Recipe

MAHI MAHI in the oven for a dinner of more than one. Let's say you got 8 peeps comin for din din, and you want to impress them, maybe they're from the office, or the shelter, or just hook ups ha ha. Get about 8- 7 oz. Mahi filets from your seafood monger "Larry", why bother cleaning the fish, I know how to do it, but heck if the guy at the shop can skin it, and weigh it out for me that's really a no brainer. Shit if he could cook it for me also... well... let's do it ourselves shall we?

Preheat your oven to 325 deg. f.
Get a baking sheet and spray some Pam or other nonstick spray so the fish filets won't stick.

Season the filets with sea salt and some white pepper on both sides and place them on the sheet.

Meanwhile, in a sauce pan, warm up 3 cups of heavy cream, over low heat.

Then add in 1 cup of white wine and cook it over low heat for several minutes, then turn up the heat so it begins to bubble slightly, continue to cook for about 10 minutes.

In a bowl, place a stick of unsalted butter and melt it a tad, then add to that about 4 tbsp. of flour and mix it together, this is to make the cream sauce thicker.

Add the butter and flour mixture to the sauce pan and wisk until it thickens, stir a tad, then off the heat. 

Bake the Mahi for about 12 minutes, or more, but you do not want it to be hard, if you preheated the oven right, 12 minutes should be just right, or a little longer to your liking. Plate each filet on a plate with your fave veggie and starches. Dress each filet with some of the cream sauce, top it with some capers, and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL OPENING DAY 2011 HOME FOOD

Photo is copyright of Major League Baseball and not intended to profit off of the logo but to give viewers an effect of the real look of the sport of Major League Baseball. From www.ubethecritic.com
Opening Day 2011 MLB, Home Food Ideas Baseball Fanatics- As I sit at the house watching opening day 2011 for the MLB season, what a time of the year, my fave, my sport of choice any time baby! Oh I love football don't get me wrong, my team in the NFL, da Rams! NBA? Da Lakers! But the Dodgers is my favorite of all sports teams, and MLB my favorite sports league, and steroid usage doesn't bother me none, hey it's more entertaining if guys can rope more dingers over center field. But right now I got the ESPN on and the Yanks are hitting on the bottom of the 6th at Yankee Stadium facing the Tigers. CC is on the mound for the yanks.


But let's talk about eating shall we? For those of us that live thousands of ocean miles from the nearest MLB ballpark, can we replicate a stadium kind of food? Sure we can.


1. Preheat your oven to 325 deg. f.
2. Get a package of 1/4 pound dogs all beef and Kosher ones if you can.
3. Chop up about 2 large round onions.
4. Chop up some celery.
5. Grate some Cheddar cheese
6. Get some sliced pepperoni
7. Get some smoked bacon.
8. Buy some ready made chili.
9. Buy some fresh hot dog buns
10. Place a dog in the bun, and fill it with all of the ingredients within reason on the dog and bun, and then bake it for about 10 minutes or so until all of the ingredients are cooked through and hot, it may take a little longer, but do the whole bag of dogs and buns, since you no doubt will have some buddies up at the abode. Or you can eat it all yourself.

Spring and Summer Grilling

I got a question the other day, the guy says to me "Ron, what kinda grill should I buy, a gas one or a charcoal one?" And I gave him this answer, maybe a charcoal grill, because since we live on Maui, there's nothing like the flavor of charcoal, be it is briquettes, or flavorful guava wood with Kiawe, or well.. gas would do too, but I like charcoal better.

But if you get a gas grill, there's ways to add that smoky flaves, and this is how you do it, get some wood chips, and soak them in some water, don't douse it too long, but just get em wet. Then get some foil, and wrap them up, but leave a small opening, when the wood chips get hot from the gas flames, it will produce smoke. Lay the wood chips on the bottom of the grill close to the flames, and use the cover on the grill so the smoke stays trapped inside.

Local boys love the smoky flavors of meats, veggies, fish that comes off of the grill, grilling is not barbequeing, it is quick cooking on the grill. So make sure your slices aren't too thick, whatever you are cooking, you want the heat to quickly cook it, and I've found that grillling steaks that are too thick on the grill can be a task, some people want theirs cooked on the well side, and because of the thickness of the meat, it takes too long to cook, and you end up taking up valuable space on the grill for other items. If you are grilling thick cuts and people want it on the bloody side, no prob. Best to use Flank or Flaps, or 1/2 inch cuts of steaks. Score your chicken pieces so the heat penetrates it for quick grilling. Pork chops shouldn't be too thick, and not too thin also, you be the judge eh?

Marinate most of your grilling items, oilve oil for veggies with dashes of salt and pepper and other spices and herbs, soaking meats and chicken and fish with soy sauce and sugar and garlic, or whatever you want before grilling gives it some flavor. I like to use Hawaiian salt on all the meats, chicken, pork, or fish, that simple salt brings out the best in grilling.

Tips On Quick Soups

Tips on quick soups: Soups don't need to be cooked a long time to be good soup, and you can make a quick soup from almost scratch. Let's do a chicken soup, and if you're pressed for time, this is what you should have in your cupboard.

Cans of chicken broth (low sodium)
Cans of tomatos sauce (low sodium)
Canned tomatoes

Preheat a stainless steel pot over medium high heat (medium size)

3 tbsp. of vegetable oil
2 cloves of garlic smashed
1 inch if ginger smashed
1 whole chicken 2-3 1/2 lbs. chopped up into pieces
1 can of tomato sauce
1 can of chopped tomato
6 cans of chicken broth
1 stalk celery sliced thin
1/2 lb. of chopped kale
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Saute the garlic and ginger for about a minute.
2. Add in the chicken pieces and cook until all the pieces are brown and juices come out.
3. Add in the tomato sauce and chopped tomatoes, and cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Add in the chicken broth, bring to a boil, then lower to simmer and covered, cook for about 1 hour.
5. Add in the celery and kale, off the heat, season with salt and pepper to taste.

You can add herbs and spices if you like, this is just a general idea for a simple soup, from almost scratch.

Good Foods on Maui

There's good food on Maui, you just need to look real hard. What are the good places to find certain foods, or grines as we like to say. Look for these places for local food.

Da Kitchen: Local and Hawaiian plates, with locations in Kahului, Kihei, and Lahaina

Sam Sato's: Located in the Mill Yard in Wailukui Town.

Pukalani Superette: In Pukalani town, on Makawao Ave. on the way up to Haleakala, this place is a true local stop, drinks, and hot lunches.

Mana Foods: On Baldwin Ave. in Paia Town, this is an all natural dig, groceries, organics, vegetarian.

Paia Fish Market: Corner of Baldwin Ave. and Hana Hwy, great fish like Mahi, Ahi, Ono, make it a sandwich, or fish and chips, or a nice salad.

Eskimo Candy: Fresh local fish and seafoods, awesome plates. Located in Kihei.

Nagasako Okazu Ya: Located in the Lahaina Shopping Center, ono foods local style, I like the simple chow fun noodles with the hamburger steak and mac salad.

Ichiban Okazu Ya: Local style Japanese food, in the Kahului Shopping Center.

Pearl's Korean BBQ: Great quick Korean style local plates, great veggie sides. Meat Jun is great, Kalbi Ribs great too.

Minit Stop: Get gas, and their famous Maui Style Fried Chicken with the Potato Wedges, located in Kahului, Wailuku, Pukalani, Kihei, Makawao.

Down To Earth Natural Foods: Located on Dairy Road in Kahului near the airport, all vegetarian and vegan, Tofu Dynamite, Mock Chicken, Teri Tofu, all good stuff, Spring Rolls, Sweet and Sour Setan all great.

Pizza Paradiso: Maui Style Pizza located in the Times Supermarket mall in Honokowai, north of Kaanapali.

Broke Da Mouth Cookies: Located on Alamaha Street, in Kahului, see my friend Chef Loyd Yokoyama and get some of his killer cookies and cakes, and pies.

L&L Drive Inn: Locations in Honokawai, Lahaina Cannery Mall, Kahului Maui Market Place food court, Kihei Piilani Shopping Village, this is a local favorite, can't go wrong here for a local taste, also Chop Stix is their to go Chinese style at most stops.

Aloha Deli: Local style hot dogs at the Maalaea Shopping Village, get their different toppings on the best dogs on Maui. Say hello to my friends, Steve and Howard Canastra.

Aloha Mixed Plate: Nice setting right on the water in Lahaina, local Hawaiian plates.

Mala Ocean Tavern: Fresh foods, great fish, beef, and more, in Wailea it's a little upscale looking, in Lahaina it's really a local dig at its finest, my favorite is the Ahi Burger.

Amigo's Mexican Restaurant: In Kihei, Lahaina, and Kahului, one of my favorite Mexican digs on the rock, fresh and good quality.

Olowalu General Store: About 10 minutes south of Lahaina off of the highway, good bentos.

Ilocandia: Filipino foods, great fried crispy pork, and groceries, Pinacbet is the best too.

Paradise Food Mart: Filipino dishes, large selections located on Wakea Ave. Kahului.

Tokyo Tei: An icon in Wailuku, the best tempura around.

Dragon Dragon Chinese Restaurant: In the Maui Mall in Kahului, Canton style, can't go wrong.

Fu Lin Chinese Restaurant: Located in Lahaina on Front St. next to Safeway, very good Chinese food.

Black Angus Steak House: Kahana Gateway, minutes north of Lahaina and Kaanapali, get your steak fix here, and full bar open later in the evenings.

The Gazebo: Great breakfast, a hidden jewel, smack on the beach in Napili, north of Kaanapali, great Macadamia Nut Pancakes and Fried Rice, the lines go out the door so go early.

Flatbread: In Paia, fired pizzas, the best in creative pizzas and killer salads.

The Village Cafe & Sweet Shoppe: Home cookingz in Kapalua's Adventure Center building, great brisket, sliders, fish n chips, and great sweets. Go for breakfast and start your day in a beautiful setting.

Isana Sushi: Located on lower Kihei Rd. I think their sushi is great, while everyone goes to Sansei which is good too, Isana has a better feel. Sansei gets to chaotic.

Kobe Steakhouse: Tepanyaki and Sushi, located in Lahaina on Luakini St. off of Front St. nice dig.

Penne Pasta: Local style Italian, small and quaint, good food, located on Dickenson St. Lahaina.

No. 1 BBQ: Korean style local grines, inexpensive plate lunches, the Mochi Chicken is great, 2 scoops of rice, and mac salad, you'll be sleeping afterwards. Located in the Lahaina Square.

Well there's more, but if you are visiting, check these digs out and be one of us, and some of these places sells t-shirts, get one as a present.