GROUND HOG DAY: This week, you’ve got a pass to pig out

Chee hoo–Ground Hog Days are here again, bu! Gotta love one holiday wea–according to ancient supahstitions–if you eat plene kine ono pork grinds on Feb. 2, da winter surf going las’ six weeks longah. Plus, your team going win da Super Bowl. Guarans ball bearin’s, brah!

So in honor of dese events (but really, jus’ one excuse fo’ ham it up), dis little piggy’s penned-up some tasty info jus’ fo you. Enjoy!

Translation: Friends, rejoice! With this weekend sandwiched between Groundhog Day and the Super Bowl, I’d say The Man’s giving us license to party n’ pig out. (No worries, the six percent of Americans who call in sick on Super Bowl Monday have got our backs.) But let’s have a little foodie fun with the folklore (I’m sure Pennsylvania’s Germans won’t mind), seeing as the closest thing Hawaii’s got to marmots are mongoose–and if winter lasts longer, mo’ bettah. Hey, we’ll make any excuse to exalt good grinds…

TEN HEAVENLY PLACES TO PORK IN PARADISE

“NUMBER ONE”
ICHIBAN RESTAURANT AND SUSHI BAR (47 W. Kaahumanu Ave., Kahului; 871-6977). Tonkatsu with rice and miso soup ($Market)

“OUT OF THIS WORLD”
STAR NOODLE (286 Kupuohi St., Lahaina; 667-5400; starnoodle.com). Steamed pressed pork buns with hoisin, shiitake and cucumber ($10)

“OH-SO ONO”
SOUTH SHORE TIKI LOUNGE (1913 S. Kihei Rd.; 874-6444; southshoretikilounge.com). BBQ kalua sandwich with fries, side salad, coleslaw or rice ($10)

“NOW WOULDN’T YOU, BORICUA”
DA PUERTO RICAN FOOD TRUCK MAUI (“bright white truck with the silver back driving around the island”; dapuertoricanfoodtruck.com / @daPRFT on Twitter). Pulled “boricua” pork marinated in traditional herbs and spices with rice and beans or arroz con gandules ($8.95)

“HAWAIIAN STYLE HAM”
OLD LAHAINA LUAU (1251 Front. St., 1-800-248-5828; oldlahainaluau.com). Kalua pua’a is the centerpiece of their huge buffet menu, alongside all the essential local fixins like lomi lomi salmon, pahole (fern) salad, ahi poke, poi and haupia ($98 general / $68 kama’aina)

“TREAT YOURSELF”
MONKEYPOD KITCHEN (Wailea Gateway, 10 Gateway Pl.; 891-2322; monkeypodkitchen.com). Bulgogi pork tacos with pickled carrots, handcrafted kim chee, jalapeno and Asian pear aioli ($14.95)

“AIN’T NOTHING LIKE THE REAL THING”
MAIN STREET BISTRO (2051 Main St., Wailuku; 244-6816; msbmaui.com). Lightly smoked roasted pork loin with pork gravy risotto ($15)

“BOAR SNACKS”
KAHULUI ALE HOUSE (355 E. Kamehameha Ave.; 877-9011; alehouse.net). Three kalua pork sliders on toasted buns with tropical slaw and BBQ sauce ($7.95)

“SO SMOKIN’ IT SHOULD BE ILLEGAL”
FAT DADDY’S (1913 S. Kihei Rd.; 879-8711; fatdaddysmaui.com). Smoked pork spareribs ($25 full rack / $14 half rack)

“BROKE DA MOUTH”
DA KITCHEN (Triangle Square, 425 Koloa St., Kahului; 871-7782; da-kitchen.com). Kalua pork plate lunch with side salad and scoop rice ($12.49)

PIGSKIN PAGEANTRY

THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT FOOTBALL THAT MAKES U.S. HUNGRY
Move over baby Jesus and the American Revolution–Thanksgiving’s the only food consumption event that tops Super Bowl Sunday. Last year the big game had more than 111 million viewers (an all-time record, reported by The Nielsen Company), which means about 43 percent of our countrymen tuned in–and chowed down.

AS FOR THE OTHER WHITE MEAT
We live on a planet where the National Chicken Council’s 2012 Wing Report is a real thing–and it projects that Americans will eat 1.25 billion wings (totaling 100 million pounds of wings) on Super Bowl Sunday, saying, “If the wings were laid end-to-end they would circle the circumference of the Earth more than twice–a distance that would reach approximately a quarter of the way to the moon.”

ANOTHER KIND OF CONSUMPTION
The National Retail Federation (NRF) recently released results from its 2012 Super Bowl Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey (conducted by BIGinsight, Jan. 4-11 with “a margin of error plus or minus 1.0 percent”), which projects that Americans will spend $11 billion on Super Bowl-related stuff. The NRF’s senior vice president, Mike Gatti (in an audio interview with MarketWatch.com) says this $11 billion figure includes TVs, home furnishings, team apparel and trinkets “like football shaped ashtrays.”

PS (PORKSCRIPT)

PORK THIS IN YOUR PIPE AND SMOKE IT
Got the munchies? Bacon flavored rolling papers ($2) are available at Maui’s only record store, Requests (10 N. Market St., Wailuku; 244-9315; requestshawaii.com) ■

Phoebe Tu and Dion Navarro

The Wharf Center in Lahaina Town was once the newest retail structure by the harbor. As kids we loved the triple decker maze it offered and the “basement” level fun factory. This little retail and theater center was built without a centralized food court, but food it definitely has.

My most recent food exploration was at Blue Lagoon in the Wharf’s ground floor (it’s actually one story below the Front Street sidewalk) where they have a waterfalls and a koi creek. There is a lot of foliage down there, and you can find a kind of peacefulness below the bustle of Front Street.

The Blue Lagoon and has been reviving its nightlife and food scene with menu changes, daily specials and entertainment since transforming back into the Blue Lagoon. See, a little over two years ago Phoebe Tu and Dion Navarro got the lease on the restaurant and ran it as the West side’s Da Kitchen – a popular food outlet on Maui known for its great local food, huge portions and Kahului and Kihei locations. But Tu says it wasn’t taking off like they thought it would, and kept hearing from her customers how great the location was back in the Blue Lagoon days.

“We listened to what they said about Blue Lagoon, the fun nightlife, the bar, but they weren’t saying anything great about the food,” Tu says. “So that is what we focused on. I wanted a solid menu with it. My Lahaina burger is soaked in sugar cane juice and topped with pineapple, and people rave about it. Also our fried oysters are amazing, our fish and chips are incredible and we have a lot of seafood.”

Those words had no sooner come from her lips when a couple who just had lunch walk across the dining room to tell Phoebe how perfect her pineapple burger was and how it was so juicy and delicious. It’s true: the hand-patted burger is very juicy, with a touch of sweetness and their pineapple crushed topping was also quite good. I liked how they avoided the teriyaki thing but still produced a Hawaiian-inspired sandwich, and served it with a generous amount of crinkle cut fries for just $10.

The menu offers a bountiful variety of food. Local plates, burgers, tacos, appetizers, soups, catch of the day, but it’s their seafood specialties that stand out in their selection and fried goodness. I don’t know the forces that urge us take succulent pieces of sea life, dredge them in wheat and then fry them in burning hot vats of oil, but the results are amazing. The delicious contrasts of juicy salt water-raised flesh against the crumbling exterior of fat infused crunch lubed up with spicy and sweet cannot be denied.

Their menu offers shrimp, fish, chicken, calmer, oysters, coconut prawns, opakapaka, garlic shrimp, rangoon, crab balls, onion rings, garlic fries, just to name a few in the fried department. Their coconut prawns are the jumbo sized, crisped to perfection, drenched with plenty of shredded coconut among the panko and served with a fusion of garlic aioli and sweet thai chili sauce to swill them down with.

“We use fresh medium size oysters from Fresh Island Fish,” says Tu. “We bread it with flour, egg, panko and best of all we toss it with Furikake [a mixture of dried and ground fish, sesame seeds, chopped seaweed, sugar, salt and more…] and we offer a sweet and spicy dipping sauce. Many of my customers who never liked oyster, tried our oysters and ended up liking it very much.”

The seafood specialties can be ordered as pupu or as a meal with fries and coleslaw. The fish and chips is good, Tu says, because they tempura batter it with Maui Brewing Company beers. Sometimes they use the Coconut Porter, which adds hints of coconut to the fish.

Blue Lagoon also serves delicious Kalbi, Korean short ribs which are thinly sliced slabs of beef that are marinated and grilled. The marinade is key to tenderizing and adding a colossal caramelization to the grilled meat – pretty much what Kalbi is known for. Blue Lagoon mixes their marinade with plenty of ginger zing, caramel, garlic, orange and soy, creating a pull-apart Kalbi that disappears fast.

They also serve Cajun-rubbed catch of the day teriyaki salmon. Blue Lagoon offers daily specials and a $5 late night menu.

As for beverages, Tu likes to design drinks, and the Blue Lagoon has a few of her special concoctions. The Pineapple bomb is a hollowed-out pineapple in which its flesh is blended with ice and rum. It’s a popular visitor drink, as is their stiff orange-colored Hurricane, an amalgam of juices, Bacardi rums and Captain Morgan.

But when Tu made me her pink “Cotton Candy,” I was a bit skeptical of the creamy, Barbie pink cocktail. Yet I was pleasantly surprised with a well-balanced chick drink. I couldn’t help finishing it, even at the risk of my full stomach. It tastes better than its namesake, and is made from butterscotch, Stoli vanilla and grenadine. It’s a perfect dessert or nightcap.

The Blue Lagoon is doing their thing in the waterfall grotto of the Wharf on Front Street from Mon-Sat., 11am-1:30am and Sun., 11am-10pm. I hear that on Friday nights, Whiskey Pimps is a blast, Wednesdays feature Na’au and Monday is Open Mic Night. Flash your IDs for 15 percent off for kama’aina and 50 percent off county staff. Check their Facebook for daily updates.

Blue Lagoon
658 Front St., Lahaina
661-4900

https://www.facebook.com/BlueLagoonLahaina

The Meta Given’s Modern Encyclopedia of Cooking, published in 1959 and given to me by my late maternal grandmother, says of pastry and pies, “There is every reason why modern pies should be even better than those (of tender memory) which Grandma used to make. If there is any Great American Dessert, it’s probably pie.” Pie never really goes out of fashion–in fact, our beloved American Pie is a descendant of the “pye” cooked and enjoyed hundreds of years ago in the west.

Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop in Olowalu has made this crusty confection of wheat and fat as their signature offering, and whether they use recipes of old or new I can’t tell, but either way they romance your mouth with flaky, crisp pastry that’s engulfed by sweet, baked fruit or floaty cream filling or savory rich meat and gravies. The flavors on the menu at Leoda’s may remind us of our grandmothers’ era, and the decor offers a sweet combination of old warmth and charm with modern touches, but the presentation and interpretation is all fresh.

Many will probably be surprised at the three-inch single serving pie or the five-inch regular pie. It’s really quite brilliant: who among us can’t eat an entire three-inch diameter pie? That way you can avoid messy uneaten slices that flop over and ruin the beauty of the moon shaped disc of goodness. If you are a purist and need a larger size it’s yours–you just have to order ahead of time.
Leoda’s location, smack dab in the middle of the pali, could be a death sentence or stroke of genius. It’s an oasis of good food, a bakery worth popping in for, or just a place to grab lunch or dinner along your way in and out of the Westside.
The food is also something unique. Leoda’s casual, hand-held pies can be a coffee paired baked treat of fruit or a one-handed snack stuffed with sautéed mushrooms, zesty corn or tender pork. There are also burgers, hot dogs and sandwiches, all served on fresh baked breads. The more adventurous will try the fried mac and cheese, Reuben lumpia, pot pies, and scalloped potatoes.

But it’s the pies that get all the attention. They sit in the glass case when you come in the door; it’s difficult to escape without taking one to go. The fresh baked loaves of bread are less ostentatious, but just as important. Fickle yeasts have foiled my own attempts at creating fluffly clouds of bread so I hold these in high regard. Leoda’s artisan bread loaves can take me back to even more rustic days of food but their undeniable perfection of crumb and flavor only leaves me craving carbs on a whole new level.
They serve all of their sandwiches on this bread. Meats, cheeses and vegetables can be found in all kinds of combinations on the fresh butter white, hapa wheat, rye and seasonal whole grain. The Ham’n stood out with an intense merging of sweet apricot tomato jam with premium savory cured swine, Jarlsberg, local basil pesto and garlic aioli. I was also pleasantly satiated by my cheese steak take home leftovers in the fridge after a spell in my toaster oven.
It’s easy to fall in love with Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie shop’s pies, breads and sandwiches, but here’s a secret: try the Fried Salad.

Now chef Sheldon Simeon has a way with Brussels sprouts. His Brussels ala Star Noodle served with bacon and kim chee paste created a makeover for the wall flower veggie. But the fried salad at Leoda’s dominates that dish with delicate fried Brussels sprouts leaves, celery and radish, a tad of local mint and a burnt orange dressing. While I ate the diaphanous browned green curls I wondered who got the job of peeling the sprouts apart to fry their tiny leaves.
I salute you, whoever you are. You have toiled to bring me this surreal salad, a modern wonder among blasts from the past.

Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop
20 Olowalu Village Road, Lahaina, HI 96761
leodas.com
@leodasmaui
662-3600

Molokai Shrimp is the best, and whenever I visit Kaunakakai I pick up a bag from John Austin, proprietor of Keawa Nui Farm. My mom hates cleaning them, so I do the work of de-shelling, but it is so worth the feast we have after. I take the shells and make a shrimp broth, it is fantastic.

The shrimp are popular among chefs, you can get them on David Paul’s menu in Lahaina, and Roy’s serves them too.

They are antibiotic free. Hawaii has an Aquaculture Disease Prevention program, the only one in the U.S. This program tests for viruses that are common in farmed shrimp. Austin’s shrimp are always sold fresh.

http: keawanui.nexcess.net

- Posted using MobyPicture.com

Wondering what to do for Christmas Dinner?

If you have no intentions of firing up the oven, and no plans to make house calls on other kitchen slaves: I have scanned my emails to find the most mouthwatering christmas day offerings. Enjoy!

Dog and Duck, 808 879-9669

They have got an amazing line up for dinner and its just $18 bucks! Bonus: they have Yorkshire pudding, I absolutely adore that stuff.

Menu:

Potato salad or asparagus soup

rost beef and yorkshire pudding or roast pork and stuffing or turkey with sausage and bacon

fruit trifle or apple crumble and ice cream

all dinners include: roast potato, mashed potato, vegetables, gravy and sauces

Served from 11 am to 10 pm

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KAANAPALI BEACH HOTEL

Bring the ‘ohana (family) together and come celebrate this holiday season at Hawaii’s Most Hawaiian Hotel, Kaanapali Beach Hotel.

CHRISTMAS EVE: Saturday, December 24

Worship Service

On Christmas Eve the Living Ministry, with Reverend Laki Kaahumanu will host an evening service under the stars in the courtyard starting at 9:30 p.m. This is a non‑denominational Christian service and all are welcome. There will be special worship performances in song and hula.

CHRISTMAS DAY FEAST: Sunday, December 25

Reservations 667-0124

Reservations are a must for this extravagant Christmas Buffet with over 60 items prepared by Executive Chef Tom Muromoto. Highlighting the menu are Macadamia Nut Crusted Roasted Leg of Lamb, Rotisserie Roasted Goose with Poha Berry Chutney, Kiawe Smoked Pepper Crusted Prime Rib, Roasted Turkey with Shiitake Mushroom and Corn Stuffing, a Cold Seafood Buffet with all-you-can-eat Crab Legs, and lots more including a special keiki station complete with hourly visits from Santa himself.  And remember the fabulous array of favorite holiday desserts.

Seating for the Christmas Buffet luncheon starts at 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. with pricing of $42.95 for Adults and $22.00 for children (ages 6-12). Dinner seating is from 3:00-7:00 p.m.  The price for adults is $46.95 for adults and $22.00 for children (ages 6-12). Children 5 years and younger dine free (one child per paid adult).  For reservations call: 667-0124. Holiday parking charges apply. 

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Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort Villas

XMAS EVE:

Ocean Pool Bar & Grill

Three-Course Prix Fixe

5:00PM-9:00PM

First Course

duck terrine with pistachios, port wine

gelee, brioche toast

Second Course

filet mignon and lobster tail,

braised endive, gratin of potato,

green peppercorn sauce, saffron

hollandaise

Third Course

kula strawberry success

$48.00 per adult

Complimentary – children 3 and under

Pulehu, an Italian Grill

Four-Course Prix Fixe

4:30PM-9:00PM

Insalata

haiku baby greens, roasted beets, surfing goat

dairy mousse, honey tangerine vinaigrette

~cascinetta vietti, moscato d asti, piedmont, ttaly 2010

Zuppe

cream of arugula with molokai prawn

~sonoma-cutrer, chardonnay, russian river ranches 2009

Classico

grilled filletto di manzo, porcini mushrooms,

balsamic jus, three cheese potato gratinee

~decoy cabernet sauvignon, napa 2009

Dolci

chocolate zabaglione cake, amarena cherries

For the Keiki

turkey, stuffing, mashed potato, gravy

$53.00 per adult

$25.00 additional for wine pairings

$15.00 per child (ages 4-12)

Complimentary – children 3 and under

XMAS DAY

Ocean Pool Bar & Grill

Delightful Buffet

3:00PM-8:00PM

Island Seafood & Starters

chilled dungeness crab legs, yuzu aioli

oysters on the half shell, asian pear

mignonette

chilled shrimp, guava cocktail sauce

island ahi poke

spicy tuna & california sushi rolls

watercress goma ae

brussels sprouts kimchee

domestic & international cheese

rustic bread and crackers

Salads

honey roasted fennel, orange and

quinoa couscous salad

candied macadamia nuts, lilikoi

dressing

haiku organic greens, kula tomato,

sesame crusted goat cheese, herb

vinaigrette

baby romaine, caesar dressing,

foccacia croutons

thai lime chicken salad, baby spinach

Carvery

slow roasted prime rib of beef

horseradish, rosemary jus

hoisin lime bbq rack of pork

ginger apple chutney

Entrees

broiled miso citrus island catch,

cilantro butter

roasted turkey, giblet gravy,

sourdough and sage dressing

macaroni and cheese with shrimp

and truffles

wilted local greens, apple wood

smoked bacon

rum glazed sweet potato

whipped potato

shiitake scallion fried rice

Desserts

pumpkin pie

crème brulee

coconut cake

chocolate mousse

fresh fruits tart

holiday cookies

tropical & seasonal fruits

$48.00 per adult

$24.00 per child (ages 4-12)

Complimentary – children 3 and

under

Pulehu, an Italian Grill

Delectable Four-Course Dinner

4:30PM-9:00PM

Primo

carpaccio of beef, shaved grana padano, hamakua mushrooms and shallot slaw, horseradish aioli

~innocent bystander, pinot gris, south australia 2010

Secondo

hirabara farm spinach, candied marcona almonds, chopped egg, warm pancetta dressing

~borsao, grenache, spain 2009

Terzo

rosemary roasted turkey, porcini stuffing, mashed potato, broccoli rabe with prosciutto, roasted garlic jus

~3 saints, pinot noir, santa maria valley 2006

Doci

christmas registro tiramisu

For the Keiki

turkey, stuffing, mashed potato, gravy

$53.00 per adult

$25.00 additional for

wine pairings

$15.00 per child (ages 4-12)

Complimentary – children 3 and under

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Westin Maui, Kaanapali

December 31, Saturday- New Year’s Eve

Let’s Celebrate!
Tropica Restaurant & Bar 10pm to 1am (dinner opens from 5 to 9.30pm)
Ring in the New Year with a live DJ, delectable hand crafted cocktails and a fabulous 2012 count down including a champagne toast. Tropica diners will gain free entrance to the celebration with proof of a receipt otherwise cover charge will be given. Late night event is reserved for guests ages 21 and over.  A la carte menu available with a prix fixe menu including Braised Pork Belly and House-Made Gnocchi served with a New York Steak and Prawns finished with a Maui Pineapple Tarte Tatin.

Reservations are recommended.  Call 808-667-2525 or visit westinmaui.com for details.

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Stella Blues

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Buzz’s Wharf:

HOLIDAY TASTING MENU 

CHRISTMAS DAY 2011 

 $65/person

(Regular Menu also Available)

APPETIZER Choices

Coconut panko prawns

Prawn & Crab Claw Cocktail

Buzz’s Baby Back Ribs w/ Mango BBQ Sauce

SALAD Choices

Buzz’s Signature Caesar Salad

Buzz’s House salad

Prawn & Mandarin Orange Mixed Green Salad

ENTRÉE Choices

Petite Filet grilled to perfection & Savory Lobster Tail

Ginger Steamed Snapper w/ Baby Bok Choy & Shitake Mushrooms

Flame Broiled Ribeye Steak & Tahitian Prawns

DESSERT Choices

Fresh Strawberry or Chocolate Sundae

Mango Upside-down Cake

Banana Lumpia

Make your reservations today 808.244.5426

The Melting Pot opens its doors today with a new concept layered over their fondue dining experience. The new menu will feature a more casual dining area with 100 value priced wines and a world kitchen featuring entrees in the $15 to $25 range.

Their Big Night Out menu the combination of fondues and sides designed to take you through their whole fondue experience. This menu changes every 6 months with a new theme and ingredients. The Big Night Out will feature Americana this month. This is a 4 course dinner influenced by some great American flavors: Featuring: A Boston Lager Cheddar cheese fondue, Wedge Salad, the entree includes Old Bay Shrimp, Buffalo chicken, Memphis style BBQ pork tenderloin and more, followed by a Milk chocolate wildberry fondue. You may get a wine flight or craft beer flight that features Maui Brewing Co. beer.

The Melting Pot will still be offering great promotions through this month. With every purchase of the Big Night Out dinner now through Jan. 9 you will receive 2 tickets to the final round of golf at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions! Buy $100 Get $100 Gift Card Promotion: Buy $100 worth of gift cards receive 4 $25 gift certificates that can be used throughout 2012.

The Kama’aina special is 15% off any 4 Course dinner package. The different nightly special will continue Sunday through Thursday, including the great 50% off all entrees on Wednesdays 5-6pm. Call for more information or reservations at (808) 661-6181.

Sammy Hagar and Mark Nigbur, Photo courtesy of Dave and Derek, Shook on the Go!

When a rock star launches a liquor you know there will be a great party and gorgeous marketing, though it rarely happens in Maui. So when I the invitation (packaged in the form of a parchment titled “There’s going to be a RUM-ble” and rolled into a glass bottle with a cork), I knew it was going to be fun.

With Sammy’s Beach Bar Rum, we got lucky. Not only does Sammy Hagar love and live on Maui, but the product is actually distilled here, too. The Hard Rock Cafe Lahaina hosted the private party, which included lots of fancy pupus Ive never seen the Hard Rock do before, and plenty of cocktails that showcase the new rum. (Read here about the Honolulu Hard Rock Party by NonStop Honolulu.)

There were shots of Sammy’s Beach Bar Rum served neat lined up all over the bar. I took a quick lesson from James Shoemaker, distiller intern and Maui qualifier for the Don the Beachcomber MaiTai contest, on tasting a fine distilled rum (Dan Beaudry of Haui’s Life’s a Beach helped, too). “Hold it deep in the back of your throat for a few seconds, and breath through your nose,” Shoemaker said. With a side glance at Beaudry, we downed the white rum and savored the flavors. It was incredibly smooth.

I'll take a shot of Sammy's Beach Bar Rum neat please...

Next up was my celebrity photo op. Not used to such appearances, I was a little shy, but some quick coaxing from the photographers told me not to miss my chance to get my photo with Sammy Hagar. Hagar is a character, as smooth as his rum. He was happy to chat with us and sip Beach Bar rum “rocktails.” Hard Rock was serving the rocking daiquiri, the Maui Mai Tai and the Maui Libre, all from the rocker’s own Beach Bar library of drinks.

Hagar is no freshman when it comes to making liquor. His Cabo Wabo is the number two selling tequila in the U.S., and he cashed out for $80 million. But Hagar is looking at this new rum project a little differently.

Right now Beach Bar Rum is only available in Hawaii. The proceeds from his launch party went to the Hana Youth Center’s “Walk in My Shoes” fundraiser campaign, and Hagar continues to stay close to the community of Maui by donating to many non profits that focus on kids.

Cory and Mark Nigbur, Haliimaile Distillery

The magic behind the Beach Bar Rum begins with the Maui turbinado sugar, obtained from Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar. It ends at the hands of Master Distiller Mark Nigbur at his Hali’imaile distillery. Nigbur designs his own stills and developed the rum for Hagar. Nigbur could also be Hagar’s doppelgänger, and after their chance meeting a few years ago it was an instant friendship (check out this video of Mark talking about their meeting with Melissa Chang). Nigbur and his son Cory handle the creation of the rum from the mash recipe, to his unique one-of-a-kind stills, as well as bottling and boxing.

“The product is exactly to Sammy’s specifications,” said Nigbur. “He is very hands on in the process.”

Nigbur was already a few years in to creating his Pau vodka at his distillery from Hali’imaile pineapples, but was excited at the new prospect of creating a brand new rum for Hagar. “I thought, how can I make a pure silver sipping rum but not take the soul out of it?” Nigbur said. “I wanted to keep that rum feel, but we weren’t out to make a Bacardi. When I got the samples ready to send out to Sammy, I had a feeling that we had something really good here.”

Sammy Hagar with a Machete

In a blind tasting Hagar chose Nigbur’s rum sample, and the rest is history. You can sample some of this Maui distilled spirit at Hard Rock Maui, David Paul’s Island Grill, Royal Lahaina and Castaway Cafe on the Westside. You will find it at Sarento’s, Haui’s Life’s a Beach and the Marriott Wailea Pool Bar in South Maui, and the Hali’imaile General Store. It’s also available at Foodland, Walgreen’s and Cash and Carry.

Suzi Tucker shows off the undersea goods-Grilled Octopus

When was the last time you wanted to hop on a plane and head to San Francisco for a seafood cocktail, or grab a po’ boy from a New Orleans shrimp shack, or dig into some Dungeness crab at Seattle’s Waterfront Park? We don’t really have the luxury of doing that, but we can head to the Mark Ellman’s newest oceanside restaurant Honu, Seafood and Pizza where they have captured those seafood traditions and brought them to Maui. It’s a family business where you will find Mark and his wife Judy and their daughters Ariana and Michelle running the show.

Its a family affair: Ariana, Judy, Mark and Michelle

“I enjoy eating seafood more than any other item and it was missing in our marketplace,” Mark told me. His menu creations are not only better than those found elsewhere, but he’s also accommodated gluten free diets, vegetarians and localvores.

When the old Local Motion clothing store decided to give up their Front Street location next to Mala Ocean Tavern, the Ellman’s other restaurant, Mark and Judy decided to open Honu. They jumped into their new project with vigor: they gutted the clothing store, then built a kitchen, bar and dining room. The outside of the building remains much the same, save for a new sign that says “Honu Seafood and Pizza.” Blonde wood accentuates the dining room interior, which is open to the sea. The late Captain Kenny Neizman’s art adorns the walls and some are available for purchase, paying homage to his love for drawing the Honu and other undersea creatures.

The bar features an unique and extensive beer selection. “Its a big commitment,” says Ellman. “It’s not easy keeping 55 beers in stock. We have 12 on draft and we focused heavily on U.S. microbrews. Our Flying Dog Imperial Stout is a well-sought-out beer.” Their handcrafted cocktail list contains lots of locally sourced fruits and liquors. I have to admit it was love at first sip with their smoked julep, which features Devils Cut Bourbon and Lagavulin Scotch.

The seafood menu at Honu really is extensive in the seafood department, though they also offer rich lamb rib lets, crispy fried pig ear, braised meats and burgers. The Naples style pizzas pair perfectly with their beers, and the Hamakua mushroom pizza with micro greens is phenomenal.

Dungeness Crab Cocktail

My own seafood festival began with Dungeness crab cocktail. These beautiful hard shell crabs caught in the Pacific Northwest are known for their delicate, sweet meat. Honu takes the hard work out of eating one and serves it over ice and garnished with a bit of avocado salsa.

Next up was the octopus. This is one of my favorite sea creatures. Intelligent, beautiful like an alien and uniquely adorned with suction cups. This dish does the creature justice: the simple grilling makes the thick, sinewy chunks come out firm but juicy. A pile of edamame hummus, drizzling of buerre blanc and sliced garlic and mojo verde finish the flavors. Served with flax seed toast, it’s quite a treat.

Steamed Mussels

The steamed mussels are irresistible in their white wine and tomato broth and served with batter-fried lemon. The black shells are perfect scoops for simultaneous bites of broth and mussel. Another tasty starter was the rock shrimp with asparagus. Bite-sized shrimp and tender, chopped asparagus topped with a salsa and served with bread make it a hearty appetizer.

With new found vegetarians and vegans in the family, eating at Honu turned out to be easy. The Gado Gado Salad and the Kale Salad are both filled with plenty of plant-strong ingredients to keep veg heads happy: dates, pomegranate, nuts, grape tomatoes, edamame, tofu and cucumber all make for interesting and complex vegetarian fare.

I finished the evening with the Fresh Fish Dore preparation. It was Kampachi egg-battered and flour-dredged. Turkish quinoa rounded out the grain; the haricot verts and white corn made an amazing succotash. The butter lemon and dill pollen sauce with capers was topped with edible petals. It was gorgeous to look at, but this work of art still disappeared quickly.

Honu just started their gourmet holiday cookie sale housemade by pastry chef Liz McDonald. Order a box of their assortment of Chocolate Chip, Almond Raspberry Thumbprints, Ricotta Biscuits, and Chocolate Hazelnut Lava cookies or the vegan gluten free chocolate brownies with macadamia nuts and fudge topping for $19 each. The Honu bake shop needs 48 hours notice, you pick up at the restaurant.

Honu will host a beer festival on Dec. 19. “The beer festival is meant to introduce the eclectic beers that we carry,” says Ellman. “We are focusing on Italy, Belgium and Germany. We will even have a gluten-free beer from Belgium. We are going to serve ahi bruschetta, pizza, shrimp cocktail, fried oysters. Even fried pig’s ear, too.”

It’s Honu’s version of bar food, with 13 beers from around the world. The cost is $49. Call 667-9390 to reserve a seat. Honu Seafood and Pizza also offers 10 percent to kamaaina all the time, and 25 percent off for kamaaina eating at the bar.

List of Beers for Beer Festival

Belgium – Greens Quest Tripel Ale & Westmalle Dubbel Trappiste Dubbel Ale

United Kingdom – Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale, Porterhouse Oyster Stout, Old Engine Oil Black Ale

Japan – Hitachino White Ale & Red Rice Ale

Germany – Aecht Schlenkerla Maerzen, Spaten Oktoberfest, Pinkus Munster Alt

Italy – Birrificio Le Blaldin Nora Ale & Noel Ale, Oro di Milano Doppio Malto

 

Chef Zaire describes his new cookbook ‘Moorish Fusion Cuisine’ as part coffee table book and part cookbook. His inspirational story and journey as a chef is reflected on in this book that features amazing full page photos all shot in his kitchen and property in Kula.

Grab one and get it signed as a gift for the foodie in your home. You won’t be disappointed at the recipes, they are exotic, organic and fresh, ranging from apps to mains. Plenty of new ground to cover for culinary adventurists.

Book signing starts at 2pm.