By Becky Speere
I live in a lush green rain forest on the north shore of Maui, surrounded by dense tropical foliage. Idyllic as that is, there are times when I crave sunshine, an ocean view, and having someone else cook for me. When that feeling overcomes me, Maui provides many options. Here are five of my favorite Maui restaurants with a view.
Humuhumunukunukuapua‘a
My husband, Chris, sounds like a talking mynah bird (albeit a cute one) as he says, over and over, “Chef Mike really knows what he’s doing. His food is so good!” I have to agree. Michael Lofaro’s mouthwatering carpaccio is a playful execution of Japanese hamachi drizzled with yuzu aioli and celery ginger shaved ice. It pairs tightly with Botero Bar’s signature cocktail, the Tropical Cosmo, made with vodka, rum, lime and a splash of cranberry juice. A watermelon, prosciutto, and herbed-goat-cheese salad adds salty, crunchy, chewy and sweet attributes.
Humu perches over a manmade lagoon; it’s a serene spot for watching the setting sun paint the sky in shades of red and orange — backlighting that transforms the coconut palms into dancing silhouettes. Although the restaurant seats nearly 200, it feels expansive, with a wide, overhanging thatched roof supported by native ‘ohi‘a hardwood posts that remind me of a Hawaiian legend I heard while growing up, about ‘Ohi‘a, a strong warrior who was transformed into a tree.
While the Korean-style fried-chicken entree and eye of prime rib with sauce Perigourdine tempt me, I’m won over by the seared ono (wahoo) served on steamed mochi-coconut rice with a tangy coconut-lime emulsion and thinly sliced salted pink radishes. The creamy flavors coaxed from a dish with no cream have us doing double takes, and leaves us sated without the fat. We have to laugh when Peter, our server, quips, “Thanks for not scraping the pattern off the plate!” Gold-leaf-dappled chocolate-peanut-butter-crunch wafers with house-churned creme-fraiche ice cream create the perfect ending to our Wailea sojourn.
Grand Wailea: A Waldorf Astoria Resort
3850 Wailea Alanui Drive, Wailea
808-875-1234 | GrandWailea.com/Dine
