Trilogy’s Sunset Dinner Sail
A late afternoon cruise is one of my biggest joys in life. As the sun drifts toward the sea, the catamaran launches and the breeze gently caresses my face and catches my hair in its fingers. Haleakala and the West Maui Mountains rise toward the clouds, the sunset draping the landscape in pink. As we settle into our cozy seats at tables where everyone has a view, orders for Maui Mules and Lana‘i Tais precede platters of passed appetizers served by the happiest boat crew on the planet. We feast on smoked salmon crispini with cucumber and cream cheese; crostini topped with thinly sliced, delicately seared tataki-style beef tenderloin and caramelized Maui onions; and freshly baked rosemary breadsticks sprinkled with local ‘alaea (salt) and served with a fresh liliko‘i butter.
Captain Gabe helms tonight’s Captain’s Sunset Dinner Sail, but as the orange ball of light says aloha, a different captain is on my mind: Jim Coon, whose family launched Trilogy in the 1970s — and whose family recipe for salad dressing flavors the fresh Maui green salad I dispatch with delight. Meat lovers can choose from two entrees: sliced sirloin with cabernet demi-glace reduction, and mahimahi with lemon caper butter sauce, served on a bed of buttery garlic mashed potatoes with a side of sauteed Kula zucchini (the sweetest I’ve ever eaten), carrots and bell peppers. Both are cooked perfectly — quite a feat, considering the distance from Chef Will Bailey’s Maui Flavors Catering kitchen. For dessert: a trio of berries, creamy liliko‘i cheesecake, and chocolate fudge truffle is a delightful end to the meal. In the fading light of the day, we offer up a final toast to the evening as the catamaran cuts a path back to Ma‘alaea Harbor.
Ma‘alaea Harbor | 808-874-5649
SailTrilogy.com/tours
