Story by Becky Speere
The Sea House Restaurant at Napili Kai
When my friend Maria said, “OMG! Her food reminds me of [a certain Top Chef’s] creations,” I knew I had to taste chef Sam Basques’s dishes. And her steak crudo* and ‘ahi poke-tini (pronounced po-kay-tee-nee) definitely met the criteria for onolicious delight.
For the steak crudo, the New York strip was cooked rare then sliced thin and served with Guamanian finadene, a Chamorro sauce akin to salsa. With just the right amount of tartness steeped in umami, the sauce tastes of tamari, vinegar, jalapeños and onions, and the dish is finished with a seven-spice chili oil.* It paired perfectly with an ice-cold Bikini Blonde from Maui Brewing Company.
The poke-tini consisted of a martini glass filled with fresh ‘ahi, avocado and furikake — a sesame and nori-flaked condiment — which was embellished with white truffle oil and wasabi aioli. It definitely hit all the marks for freshness, flavor and fun.
Now imagine noshing on these dishes while admiring the expansive beachfront at Napili Bay. That’s a recipe for perfection.
Napili Kai Beach Resort, 5900 Honoapi’ilani Hwy., (808) 669-1500, IG @seahousemaui
*Go to MauiMagazine.net/steak-crudo for these recipes.
