by Carla Tracy
Dining Editor
LOVE FOR LAHAINA … Tony Bennett may have left his heart in San Francisco, but I definitely left mine in Lahaina. Fond memories include getting married at Puamana, judging a Lahaina Halloween contest under the stars near the banyan tree, joining Lahaina Yacht Club and fishing in a Lahaina Jackpot Wahine Tournament.
In the 1990s, the Navy even sent a pair of nuclear submarines into Lahaina waters specifically for a lifestyle piece I wrote about sailors on shore leave in the historic town. True story.
But keeping fond memories close is difficult when living in an almost unbearable reality after the Aug. 8 fire. So many lives lost, businesses and homes in ruins, and constant worry about brothers, sisters, aunties, uncles and other family first responders, like my nephew — a fire captain with the Lahaina ladder.
We have collectively suffered an unimaginable loss, which we are trying to wrap our minds around. After feeding survivors and support teams, which has been so critical, will the glass be half empty or half full with regard to West Maui restaurants in the coming months?
“Miraculously Old Lahaina Luau, Star Noodle and Leoda’s had minimum damage,” said Kawika Freitas of the Na Hoaloha Ekolu restaurant group. “Sadly, sister company, Feast at Lele, was completely destroyed. All together, nearly half of the combined 402 employees lost their homes and belongings, many are traumatized, and everyone knows someone who perished from the fire.”
“It does not seem we will be able to operate the luau for a while,” Freitas continued. “our guess is that we won’t be opening earlier than February 2024”. Star Noodle and Leoda’s will likely reopen before the end of the year, he added. While Leoda’s is in Olowalu, much of its food production is in a Lāhainā commissary kitchen that was affected by the fire.
Hana Hou Hospitality Group also shared details: Down the Hatch Maui and Breakwall Shave Ice Co. were destroyed in the fire as was the rest of Wharf Cinema Center, but Mala Ocean Tavern and Duckine near Safeway still stand. Their Pizza Paradiso in Honokowai Marketplace was already open for lunch three weeks after the fire.
Mala Ocean Tavern and Duckine co-owner Ashley Davis confirmed that out of nearly 200 employees, more than 100 lost their homes. “The group has been assisting employees in finding shelter and jobs, while supporting them in whatever else they might need,” she added. “Even with losing everything, many still show up to volunteer and support others.”
Although the zone where Mala Ocean Tavern is located recently opened, Davis said that due to infrastructure damage, they will have to wait to reopen the restaurant. “Right now, we continue to pause as events unfold,” she continued. “We are taking this time to focus on our teams and to assess their individual situations, in hopes that we can help. Mahalo nui loa for your support, prayers and donations. We continue to pray for the people of the Lahaina community and keep hope in our hearts.”
Chef Lee Anne Wong of Papa Aina at the Pioneer Inn lost her job and place of residence (but not the parrot!), yet still tirelessly volunteered at University of Hawaii Maui College with the Chef Hui Maui Fire Relief group following the disaster.
“We are witnessing a true testament to the power of unity and community action; however, our local resources are struggling to keep up with the island’s hardships,” said Wong, an “All-Star” on the televisions show Top Chef and head chef of Koko Head Cafe on Oahu. “We are urging our community and nation to please make donations to our partnering agency Chef Hui.”
Collaborating chefs include Isaac Bancaco of PacificO, which was destroyed in the fire, along with Sheldon Simeon of Tiffany’s, plus Tin Roof in Central Maui, Greg Shepard of Paia Bay Coffee Bar, Taylor Ponte of Kamado Maui, Madame Donut of Donut Dynamite, Mike Lofaro of Fairmont Kea Lani, Perry Bateman of Mama’s Fish House, Grey Rollins of Left Coast Kitchen in Santa Rosa, Calif., Sunny Savage of Savage Kitchen, Zach Sato of Havens and Kelii Heen of Argex Beverages.
Owner Denise Black of Lahaina Loft event venue on Front Street watched flames engulf her business repeatedly on TV, as it was part of the now iconic Lahaina fire footage. “I was horrified by what I was seeing of our quaint town, not registering the actual location,” Black said. “I was numb and in utter disbelief with the ferocious flames. My mind then went to people, our Lahaina families, the team that works in CocoNene and Tabora, and the Lahaina Pizza Co.”
Nevertheless, Black redirected her pain into volunteering with Operation BBQ Relief. Working out of Fat Daddy’s in Kīhei, Operation BBQ Relief has been making chicken, pork loin, pork butt and brisket while providing volunteers and food at places like Sugar Beach, Merriman’s and Leilani’s on the Beach.
TS Restaurants lost Kimo’s on Front Street, but Leilani’s and Hula Grill in Kaanapali survived, along with other restaurants. In the weeks following the fire, it provided employees with thousands of breakfasts, lunches and dinners that were said to be quite tasty.
To assist restaurant, bar and hospitality workers affected by the devastating wildfires, the Hawaii Ag and Culinary Alliance resurrected the Kōkua Restaurant and Hospitality Fund for Maui. “Our hearts go out to all who have been impacted by this disaster, and we are committed to supporting the island’s recovery,” said James Beard Award-winning chef Roy Yamaguchi on Good Morning America.
Yamaguchi owns a number of restaurants, including Roy’s in Kaanapali, which reoponed after the fire. He also is the co-founder of the statewide Hawaii Food & Wine Festival that will present related Kaanapali events in spring 2024.
Signs of recovery, such as West Maui restaurants reopening, offer much-needed hope. However, West Side restaurant woes likely will continue for months, possibly years, making continued donations, volunteers and visitors vital over the long haul.
SOUTH SIDE STORIES … Over the summer, Gannon’s: A Pacific View restaurant in Wailea morphed into Gather on Maui under the expert guidance of General Manager Kris McMillan. The expansive 13,000-square-foot Maui restaurant boasts panoramic views and amazing private event spaces from the lower pond to the wedding knoll.
Part of a brand owned by Graeme and Mara Swain, which also includes Upcountry Maui’s renowned Haliimaile General Store, Wyoming’s Gather & Palate in Jackson Hole, and Gather in Omaha and Gather Urban Farm in Nebraska, Gather on Maui has been completely renovated. Look for the beautiful new bar manned by craft mixologists concocting weekly specials such as Caribbean Coffee Punch with Cane Rock spiced rum, pineapple rum, lemon simple syrup and coffee concentrate.
Carrying on the culinary tradition of former owner and celebrity chef Beverly Gannon, Gather on Maui boasts a mouthwatering menu with reimagined dishes including adobo-braised pork shank with Israeli couscous, sweet-pea puree, cherry tomatoes and pea tendrils; and mojo-roasted chicken with sour-orange mojo sauce, papaya salad and confit of fingerling potatoes.
Salad lovers are pouncing on hearts of palm with citrus segments, arugula, toasted palms and citrus vinaigrette. A luau dinner show is swaying its hips in anticipation of future fun in South Maui.
According to owner Graeme Swain, the word “gather” signifies a belief in the power of coming together, which takes on even greater meaning on Maui.
“Gather on Maui is a new name for fresh beginnings, and our team has carefully curated a new menu featuring fresh ingredients,” Swain said. “Locals and visitors alike will love our new bar while enjoying panoramic views from Haleakala to the deep blue waters of the Pacific Ocean out to Molokini [Crater].”
Check out Gather on Maui for an experience that captures the essence of fresh starts and shared moments.
Another restaurant that debuted in South Maui during the summer was Olivine, situated oceanfront in the former Molokini Bistro at Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort. Cool pumpkin-colored cushions complement vibrant artwork and teal tables illuminated by chic Italian lamps in hues inspired by Positano on the Amalfi Coast of Italy — all by Tihany Design. Olivine specializes in coastal Italian cuisine prepared with local ingredients, as well as craft cocktails and an expansive wine list, each pairing seamlessly with views of the Pacific Ocean.
“The resort’s property-wide refresh has given us the opportunity to reimagine the Grand Wailea experience, and Olivine is a perfect example of how that will manifest in our food and beverage programming,” said Grand Wailea Managing Director JP Oliver. “We’ve been highly meticulous during this process to ensure that every change we implement aligns with our commitment to a retreat grounded in harmony, and we couldn’t be happier to see it come to life for our guests.”
Executive Chef Ryan Urig added, “Bringing the best of Maui ingredients to the art of Italian cuisine resulted in a menu that beautifully showcases our island’s sustainably sourced seafood while evoking a sense of place. We can’t wait for guests to experience the best of Maui and beyond at this new concept.”
Seafood is sourced from Hawaii-based, sustainable aquaculture operation Blue Ocean Mariculture at Kona on Hawai‘i Island. Herbs grown on property by the resort’s Head Landscaper Jim Heid are infused into menu items, olive oils, cocktails and more to reflect the resort’s lush bounty.
Signature menu items include Molokai sweet potato ravioli with lemon-almond pesto, cacio e pepe prepared with tonnarelli, Parmigiano Reggiano, pepper and caviar; Hawaiian kampachi crudo plated with aged pancetta, smoky Romanesco, candied kumquats and ogo, and a selection of woodfired pizzas topped with seasonal ingredients. And handmade pastas by Chef Michele di Bari of Sale Pepe — Maui’s beloved Italian bistro destroyed in the Lāhainā fire — have been featured on the menu.
Grand Wailea also recently launched its Aloha Sunshine juice created in partnership with Erewhon, the iconic Los Angeles grocer and wellness cafe. A refreshing combination of all-organic ingredients including Maui Gold Pineapple, ginger, fresh lime juice and mint, the juice is available exclusively at Grand Wailea’s artisanal cafe-market concept, Loulu, and at Erewhon markets throughout the greater Los Angeles area.
Those with a penchant for things gourmet should head over to Lanai, where Alvin Dela Cruz has been appointed executive chef at Four Seasons Resort Lanai. (Expeditions Ferry is operating regular service to Lāna‘i from Maalaea Harbor until further notice).
Born in the Philippines and raised in the San Francisco Bay area, Chef Dela Cruz brings a wealth of operational knowledge from Montage Los Cabos, Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills and The Ritz-Carlton properties across the United States.
A CrossFit coach on the side who likes to host culinary workshops and demonstrations, Chef Dela Cruz oversees the resort’s culinary program, including the American-Hawaiian steakhouse and seafood restaurant ONE FORTY, in-room dining and extensive catering offerings.
Maui Ocean Center in Maalaea and its Seascape Restaurant invite island visitors to view boats in the harbor and the waters beyond, with complimentary binoculars provided during whale season. However, it may be hard to tear your eyes away from, say, the fresh island catch enhanced with Maui Nui avocado, heirloom tomato compote and pickled Kula red onion or the Pua’a bowl filled with soy-glazed pork belly, calamansi lime and free-range, six-minute egg served with curried pea salad.
Executive Chef Henry Tariga was born in the Philippines where his family raised livestock and grew their own produce. On Maui, he’s a James Beard Foundation award-winner who hand selects fresh fish from Maalaea Harbor fishermen, grass-fed meats from island ranches and canoe crops (coconuts, taro, etc.) from local farmers.
Tariga’s obsession with things “local” propelled Seascape to be deemed platinum award-winner by the Surfrider Foundation and voted Best Restaurant of the Year by Pacific Edge magazine.
Maui Ocean Center General Manager Tapani Vuori offered a deep-felt mahalo for the donations and support delivered to those who suffered so much on Maui, adding that an employed Maui is a resilient Maui.
“Many of our local businesses depend on the visitor community. As such Maui welcomes respectful, thoughtful tourism,” Vuori said. “While respecting Lahaina and its residents, we welcome you to visit the rest of our large and diverse island.”
