Category Archives: Upscale

Havens Haborside in Maalaea

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If you’ve spent time in Kihei over the past several years, you might have had an opportunity to grab a burger at a small window in a Shell station out on Piilani Highway, near Ohukai Road. That would have been at Havens, and you may have thought, hey, pretty good burger for a gas station. Or you may have gone there with intention, knowing that something was up at that Havens in the Shell station. And probably you were glad you went.

Well, Havens has grown up. In a BIG way. I’m not sure exactly what part of the original burger stand crew is part of this new large high-end Havens in Maalaea, but the emphasis on good food is most definitely there.

Raw Bar special

What you’re looking at there is the special appetizer. Four oyster shooters, four big and juicy and springy shrimp with cocktail sauce, and some ahi poke. Liked it a lot. It could maybe use some fine-tuning as there was no real way to get that oyster shooter to shoot, but the flavors where there and the presentation was fun and the $65 was gone. So here’s a good place to mention: Havens is not cheap. Is $65 too much for this reinvented, low-brow seafood plateau? Yeah, probably. But this Maui.

Really, most everything we had here was pretty excellent. The Caesar was surprisingly good actually – I’d have another one of those right now. I was a little less enthused with my cioppino but maybe I should have ordered something more on the fresh side. We didn’t try the steaks (also quite pricey). Brussels sprouts: two thumbs up. And the fried chicken (Bucket List) was definitely a winner (especially the side of mashed!).

I’d go back. I will. And I’ll update this post when I do. I left feeling like yes, very good food, but two issues:

-pricing – maybe they just started high out of the gates so they wouldn’t have to raise prices again soon? I mean, this was pretty much Wailea hotel pricing (but for better food)

-location – I guess you take what you can get, and they have a lot of space, both inside and out. But it’s Maalaea, so it’s windy AF and that doesn’t really make for a relaxing meal. But it might be OK for a quick burger? If you’re weather-sensitive, consider an inside table

They deserve another shot and I will give them that for sure when I’m ready for another high-end meal.

Havens Harborside

Address:

300 Maalaea Rd

Wailuku, HI 96793 (note, this is really in Maalaea despite the USPS address in Wailuku)

+1 808 214 6503

Monkeypod Kitchen (Wailea)

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Let me start by saying that I am really not the target audience for a restaurant like Monkeypod. I’m not a big drinker, I don’t like super-loud places, and I don’t like to wait. No hate for anyone who disagrees with me, but just so you know where I’m coming from when I throw some shade on Monkeypod in Wailea.

This is a busy, bustling, loud affair of a restaurant, just up the hill from most of the Wailea hotels and resorts. It’s actually a nice walk if you’re staying down there.

Monkeypod has a big bar area with live music most nights, both indoor and outdoor seating and also bar seating, naturally. And if you want to eat there at any reasonable time, there’s also a wait. No reservations. If you like to hang out and wait with a drink, this is the right place. And the drinks might be the best part.

Monkeypod is justifiably famous for their Mai Tai. Besides the six or seven liquids in the drink (very strong) they top it with a lilikoi-honey foam. So, sure, a sweet drink with that pretty delectable passionfruit foam on top – what’s not to like? It really is tasty. And alcoholic. And probably caloric, but who knows. It’s a thing, and I agree it deserves recognition as a thing, so if you’re up there, just get one. Consider it a down-payment on dessert maybe.

Monkeypod Kitchen in Wailea’s Mai Tai with Lilikoi Honey Foam

OK – so here’s the bad news. It’s kinda downhill from the Mai Tai. So one option is, just get the Mai Tai! Short or no wait for the bar, great drink, and then bolt. I think that’s the right move. Just don’t drive after that! Walk. Or nap.

I don’t mean to say that the food here is bad, it’s just that it’s mediocre, and it’s expensive. I know, Wailea is expensive. But usually you get better food for you money. The pizzas are not well crafted. The salads aren’t really like a good healthy salad full of local veggies. The fish – and on Maui, how can the fish not be excellent? – is not excellent. Best bet is really the hamburger in my estimation.

I think you get the picture. Loud, raucous, food like from TGI Friday’s. And you get to wait and the overpay for the privilege. That is all.

Website: https://www.monkeypodkitchen.com/

Address:

10 Wailea Gateway Pl
Suite B-201
Kihei, HI 96753

+1 808 891-2322

Lineage – Maybe the best food in Wailea

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Let me start by saying that I’m not really into hotel dining. Yes, I’ve had great meals at Morimoto (although that seems to be slipping) and yes, I enjoy a long meal with great wine and then a short slow walk back to a nice hotel room. But really, for the food itself, hotels just never really rank up there.

Lineage is right smack in the hotel zone of Wailea, just not in a hotel. It’s in the uber-fancy Shops at Wailea mall. But it’s not quite in the main mall – it’s just off to the north side abutting the Island Gourmet Markets, and upscale ABC store with the same ownership as Lineage – ABC Stores.

I think I’m making Lineage sound bad. It’s in Wailea. It’s in a mall. But not quite. And it’s owned by the parent company of ABC Stores. So even with all of that going against it, I’m going to tell you that Lineage is most definitely in my CGW (Can’t Go Wrong) club, which means that you can really truly order anything on the menu and you’ll be in at least very good shape, if not truly excellent shape.

The menu does change over time, but it was originally designed with Sheldon Simeon, a local Maui celebrity chef. And his touch is still evident in the food coming out of the kitchen.

I’d say highlights are the egg and croquette appetizers, and the fish of the day (generally offered steamed or fried – fried wins hands down, but steamed is still great), the mountain veggies over whatever crisp starched they’re serving, the fried chicken, and the noodles (usually two options – one with lobster and the other without). I will say that I kinda hate getting Maine lobster on Maui because Maine is more than 5,000 miles away and we’ve got everything you could want living in the water right here, but I get it. And it’s good.

Bottom line on the food though: get what looks good to you on the menu, and talk to your server about what they like. You will -not- be disappointed.

Further, their drink list is excellent, they usually have a fine and local beer selection, and their desserts are another surprise altogether.

Make reservations for this place pretty far ahead of time – it gets booked up weeks if not months in advance. And get a table outside. I don’t see any reason to sit inside here ever, frankly.

Lineage is heavenly.