Maui Nō Ka ʻOi Magazine - May-June 2023

contents features

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THE MAGICAL NAI‘A OF LĀNA‘I

By Kristina Rau

Explore the nuances of spinner dolphin behavior in this photo essay shot off the Lāna‘i coast.

30

26

TRAIL OF BAYS

By Lisa Schell

Photographs by Jason Moore

The Kapalua Coastal Trail gives access to a portion of West Maui’s ruggedly beautiful coastline.

ALL ABOARD!

By Carla Tracy

Trilogy Excursions celebrates 50 years of sailing and cinnamon buns in the waters off Maui.

36

FENCING HALEAKALĀ

By Judy Edwards

The odyssey of fencing Haleakalā Crater, one of Maui’s greatest conservation accomplishments.

44

OCEANFRONT OASIS

By Heidi Pool

Photographs by Greg Hoxie

An outdated beachfront unit is transformed into an award-winning luxury condo in Kīhei.

JUNE 28 - JULY 2, 2023

JUNE 28 - JULY 2, 2023

JUNE 28 - JULY 2, 2023

5 Nights of Cinematic Diamonds at the Stardust Cinema

5 Nights of Cinematic Diamonds at the Stardust Cinema

8 of 13 Maui Premieres Revealed Above. Festival Tributes, Live Music, Kahiko Style Hula and Much More!

5 Nights of Cinematic Diamonds at the Stardust Cinema

8 of 13 Maui Premieres Revealed Above. Festival Tributes, Live Music, Kahiko Style Hula and Much More!

8 of 13 Maui Premieres Revealed Above. Festival Tributes, Live Music, Kahiko Style Hula and Much More!

STARDUST CINEMA

STARDUST CINEMA

MAUI ARTS & CULTURAL CENTER

STARDUST CINEMA

MAUI ARTS & CULTURAL CENTER

MAUI ARTS & CULTURAL CENTER

MAUIFILMFESTIVAL.COM

MAUIFILMFESTIVAL.COM

MAUIFILMFESTIVAL.COM

ON

Peer into the world of Lāna‘i’s spinner dolphins through the eyes of a marine naturalist.

Story page 22.

departments

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Contributors

Here are some of the talented folks who make Maui Nō Ka ‘Oi the magazine it is.

14

Editor’s Letter

Stories and lessons from life on Maui by editor Chris Amundson.

16

52

58

Talk Story

Tales of Hawai‘i fresh off the coconut wireless.

Craving Maui

Discover what’s new and exciting in Maui’s dining scene.

68

Hanana Calendar of Events

Looking for something to do? Here’s what’s happening.

76 A Hui Hou

A fisherman reels in his line during a golden sunset.

78

In Their Own Words

Photo by Jason Moore

CYNTHIA SWEENEY

Cynthia Sweeney is a writer, editor, and journalist who first moved to Hawai‘i in 1990. She has written for Hawaii Business Magazine, Hana Hou, Fodor’s Travel guidebooks and was a writer and assistant editor for Ke Ola Magazine . She also spent many years in Napa Valley, California, as editor of The Weekly Calistogan and as a reporter for North Bay Business Journal . When not writing about the people and places of Hawai‘i, she practices qigong, hones her stand-up comedy routine and dreams about traveling the world.

JUDY EDWARDS

Judy Edwards has worked in conservation, public lands advocacy, environmental education, and freelance writing in Hawai‘i since 1994. Many of her pieces are in Maui Nō Ka ‘Oi Magazine, on the Hawaiian Airlines website, in the anthology A Mile In Her Boots, and in Hana Hou.

She spent 17 years on Maui, then moved to Hawai‘i Island in 2011 to work with a nonprofit that supports national parks. Maui, however, remains no ka oi in her heart. Heralding the unsung heroes of conservation is her passion. The story of the fencing of Haleakalā National Park by dedicated, relentless, young conservationists is one that is close to her heart.

LISA SCHELL

Originally from Kailua, O‘ahu, Lisa Schell is a journalist with more than 30 years of experience in print and broadcast journalism and government communications. Her coverage of environmental, political, health and arts issues won her recognition from myriad outlets like the Associated Press and the Society of Professional Journalists. Today, Waikapūbased Schell is the managing editor of Paddlemoster.com, a web publication serving the paddle sports community. In her spare time, she can be found painting, surfing and paddle boarding.

MAY-JUNE 2023

VOL. 27, NO. 3

Maui Nō Ka ‘Oi is an international magazine dedicated to exploring the life and culture of Maui Nui. There’s a saying known in the islands: Maui nō ka ‘oi, Hawaiian for “Maui is the best.” We hope you think so, too.

Publisher & Executive Editor

Chris Amundson

Associate Publisher

Angela Amundson

ED ITO RIAL

Group Photo Editor Amber Kissner

Photo Editor Jason Moore

Dining Editor Carla Tracy

Staff Writer Serene Gunnison

ADVERTISING SALES

Skyler Narvaez, Brooke Tadena, Marilyn Koponen

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Karlie Pape, Hernán Cortez, Edie Mann

SUBSCRIBER SERVICES

Lea Kayton, Katie Evans, Janice Sudbeck

DIGITAL MEDIA

Alexa Springer

SUBSCRIBE

Call 1-844-808-6284, visit MauiMagazine.net or return a subscription card from this issue to subscribe: 1 year (6 issues) for $25 or 2 years (12 issues) for $44. Call or email subscriptions@mauimagazine.net for fundraising opportunities and bulk rates.

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CONTRIBUTE

Send queries, stories, photos and letters to the editor to editor@mauimagazine.net.

COPYRIGHT

All text, photography and artwork are copyright ©2023 by Flagship Publishing, Inc. For reprint permissions, email editor@mauimagazine.net.

Maui Nō Ka ‘Oi Magazine 220 Imi Kala St, Unit 204 PO Box 1450 Wailuku, HI 96793 (808) 242-8331

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Maui Nō Ka 'Oi Magazine is printed on acid- and chlorine-free paper from Sappi, an environmental leader whose paper products comply with the Forest Stewardship Council and Sustainable Forestry Initiative.

Here are some of the folks who make our magazine nō ka ‘oi (the best).

Chris Amundson Publisher & Editor chris@mauimagazine.net

E mālama i nā holoholona lōhiu (Care for wildlife)

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY is a business of long hours and patience. As legendary Maui-based whale photographer and co-founder of the Whale Trust, Flip Nicklin, told me over lunch recently, on his dozens of National Geographic photo shoots, his published photos often came from just one lucky day in a 30-day assignment – the benefit of showing up and being ready.

Also renowned and legendary is our magazine’s photo editor, Jason Moore, an accomplished underwater photographer and videographer, 100-ton U.S. Coast Guard Certified Captain, FAA certified drone pilot, SCUBA instructor and freediver.

Jason was freediving off the southern coast of Lanā‘i when he capture this issue's cover image of a pod of spinner dolphins on the ocean floor. A resident pod of 100 spinner dolphins to passed by Jason as he swam near the water's surface.

Jason clutched his camera, took a deep breath, descended 45 feet to the ocean floor and waited. Within minutes, nine dolphins broke away from the larger pod and swam down to investigate him. Dolphins are curious animals; they have a similar brain-to-body mass as humans. If dolphins could talk, Jason believes we might discover they know humans can't hold our breath very well. “So, when we do for a long time, they get curious," he said.

As Jason waited on the ocean floor, the pod made one low pass from left to right, then disappeared from his sight into the sapphire blue waters.

One dive, one pass, one photo. Like Flip, Jason showed up and was ready.

Here at Maui Nō Ka ‘Oi Magazine, Jason reviews thousands of photos every month submitted by photographers from around the world who explore and document human-life and wildlife in Maui Nui. He looks for captivating and beautiful photos. But for wildlife, he also looks for shots made ethically and according to state and federal laws.

It is illegal, for example, to pursue or approach

dolphins and humpback whales without a research permit from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Flying a helicopter or airplane within 1,000 feet (or a drone within 300 feet) also is illegal.

So, when we get ready to publish a story like the spinner dolphin feature in this issue, we research our selected images to ensure our photographers created the photographs legally and ethically. For us, ethically means photographing animals in their natural course of life – no chasing, baiting or setting up artificial situations, which “cheat the art of photography,” Jason says.

With brains no larger than the mass of peanut, the honu (Hawaiian green sea turtle) deserves our respect, too. It is a federal offense to harm, harass or even touch a sea turtle. Though endangered, spend any time snorkeling many of Maui’s beaches and you’re bound to come across a honu.

Such was the case one night at my neighborhood beach, Waihe‘e Beach, when I emerged from the water following an after-work snorkel. Tuckered from a day of foraging on the coral, a green sea turtle had pulled itself up onto the beach for a nap. But instead of resting, two people where standing a few feet way shooting photos and videos with their cell phones.

The turtle was agitated and beginning a retreat to the water. I immediately walked over to the couple and told them that the honu is protected. According to the law, they need to stay at least 10 feet away. Please, let the tired creature rest, I told them.

The couple had just landed on Maui for their first trip here (a “vacation of a lifetime”). After a long flight, they were excited to be here and just wanted to put their feet in the water. Seeing a turtle was a bonus. They were grateful, truly, that I interceded; they took no offense.

We walked together on the beach and back to the parking lot, talking the whole way about their trip, their plans for the week, and about the importance of the land and animals to our island culture.

Maui is a beautiful place: paradise. Enjoy it, but don't consume it. Respect the land and the animals.

These lessons are deeply entwined with the island culture and shared wisdom. We at the magazine know when we share these lessons with visitors from around the world – in person and in photographs – little by little, the world becomes a better place.

Legacy Oceanfront Estate • Kahana Plantation Estates • Kapalua

Oceanfront Estate • Mahinahina

Lanikeha • Kaanapali Golf Estates

Oceanfront Residence • Kahana

Makawao Through the Ages

With a storied plantation and paniolo past, Makawao’s flavor is distinctly Upcountry.

By SERENE GUNNISON

If you were to travel back in time to the Makawao of the 1930s, you might notice parallels to the Makawao of today. Many of the building facades on Baldwin Avenue, Makawao’s main drag, remain unchanged – save for new paint jobs and updated signage. Families of wild chickens still strut through town. The former Yoshizu Fish Market, now Rodeo General Store, is still the go-to for Makawao residents to buy vegetables and other grocery essentials. And although Komoda Store is no longer a popular hangout for drinking coffee and talking story, it has grown into one of Maui's most beloved bakeries and remains a Makawao focal point.

Makawao began to emerge as Upcountry’s social and business center in the late 1800s, as ranching operations and sugar plantations opened in the area. By the 1930s, Makawao was a full-fledged township, home to billiard parlors, a movie theater, two service stations, general stores and a diverse population. Most non-Hawaiian residents during this time hailed from Portugal, Asia, the Philippines and Spain, making Makawao a model Hawaiian melting pot.

World War II brought a flood of troops to Makawao. Tam Chow Store – now Casanova Italian Restaurant – was converted into Crossroads USO, and provided recreation for the thousands of service members that lived and trained down the road at Camp Maui. Post-war,

Makawao became a desolate place. Job opportunities pulled people to Central Maui, but Makawao’s paniolo (cowboys) remained.

Surrounded by sprawling ranch lands, Makawao has long been known as a paniolo town. (For perspective, paniolos were wrangling cattle on the slopes of Haleakalā while most of the Midwest was still being settled – the first Upcountry ranch was established in 1845). But Makawao’s legacy as a cowboy hub was cemented in 1955, when Kaonoulu Ranch manager Harold “Oskie” Rice founded the Maui Roping Club and the esteemed Makawao Rodeo a year later. The Makawao Rodeo – now called the Makawao Stampede – still takes place every July and is the largest rodeo competition in the state. The rodeo is preceded by a parade through town, honoring the Upcountry community.

Makawao remained a sleepy paniolo town until the 1970s, when a renewed interest in rural living drew residents back to the area. Modern Makawao began to take shape as newcomers flocked to the town, opening restaurants and art galleries.

The Makawao of today blends new age with country spirit – an amalgamation that might typically mix like oil and water. But this combination gives Makawao its distinct flavor. After all, where else on Maui can you find old hitching posts alongside Chinese herb shops?

The Makawao Rodeo has been a tradition since 1956. Now called the Makawao Stampede, this year's event is June 30-July 2 at Oskie Rice Arena. The Makawao Parade is June 24. Above, The Maui Cookie Lady and The Dragon's Den are mainstay businesses on Baldwin Avenue.

Oskie Rice Event Center

Jason Moore

Jason Moore

Pollinator Paradise

By ASHLEY PROBST

Things are abuzz at Maui Honey Bee Sanctuary in Kanaio, a small community a few miles south of Ulupalakua This off-grid organic farm overlooks the Pacific Ocean and Maui’s lava fields from the western slopes of Haleakalā. It is on this expansive property that owner Erica Erickson lives and works as a beekeeper, educator and artisan.

“Maui – and Hawai‘i, in general – is an amazing place to keep bees. It’s one of the more ethical places to get honey from because they’re producing all the time,” said Erickson, who has been

Erica Erickson (all)

passionate about ethical and organic beekeeping methods since starting her Upcountry operation in 2015.

Another major part of Erickson’s mission is providing education about bees, especially for children. She hopes this will inspire them to become beekeepers themselves. “They are the future, so they’re gonna have the most impact on the world,” she said.

This education also extends to volunteers who work for the farm and, in exchange, receive housing and hands-on beekeeping experience.

For everyone working at Maui Honey Bee Sanctuary, a typical day includes opening the roadside farm stand; hosting educational tours; maintaining eight on-property beehives; and making artisanal beeswax products like lotions, lip balms, food wraps, and candles. Erickson also offers workshops to teach others how to make these all-natural goodies.

In addition to working on her own property, Erickson manages hives for other local farms on Maui and Hawai‘i Island. This has allowed her to curate a collection of varietal honeys like kiawe, lavender, macadamia nut, ‘ōhi‘a lehua, and more.

“The honey I produce on my property is called Liquid Gold honey. It’s essentially a wildflower honey, but it’s precious to me, so it’s like gold,” Erickson said. She also makes specialty infusions with the likes of homegrown Hawaiian chili pepper as well as cacao, which she calls honey fudge. Visitors are welcome to stop by for a free tasting.

All of Erickson’s creations are sold at the on-property farm stand as well as Da Beehive in Pā'ia, which she also owns and operates. Pop in and you may be lucky enough to chat with Erickson and meet her dog, Franklin, who serves as the company mascot – and visitors often point out that he is, serendipitously, the color of honey.

Maui Honey Bee Sanctuary in Kanaio is open 10:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m., and Da Beehive in Pā'ia is open 10:30 a.m.6:30 p.m. every day.

@mauihoneybees

Kapalua Bay | Original Oil | 18”x 30”

Upcountry Tryptic | Original Oil | 30”x78”

Turning into Art

By CYNTHIA SWEENEY

Victor Holmes and Sandra Bailey have been creating handturned works of art for more than 20 years out of their studio in Makawao. Inspired by the beauty and variety of Hawaiian trees, their story is rooted, one might say, in a love of nature.

It’s not often one finds husband and wife, both artists, and that work in the same medium. Bailey says when she first moved to Maui, she was awed by “all the beautiful wood,” and a desire was sparked to get into woodworking. Then, “When we we decided to get a lathe, it was like a dream come true.”

Holmes was the first to try his hand at turning wood, with Bailey helping by sharpening tools, and soon beginning to apprentice. After learning to turn traditional bowls, vases and calabashes, Bailey and Holmes ventured “off the beaten path,” creating wood sculptures that are sometimes abstract in nature, more art than utilitarian.

“Each piece of wood has its own essence and tells us what it wants to be,” Bailey said.

The duo finds inspiration in nature, on walks with their dogs in the mountains, and in the ocean; Bailey is also an amateur free diver, and Holmes is a surfer.

While each has their own separate style of wood-turning, they also collaborate on many pieces. Bailey will sometimes add color to Holmes’ works with resin inlays and paint, and they also incorporate natural elements like pine cones.

The wood they use for their artwork comes strictly from trees that have already been downed. “I call it tree-cycling,” Bailey said. “It’s wood that probably otherwise would have

gone for green waste.” Their studio is also made from recycled material.

Their work is displayed and sold at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, and they also see people by appointment at their studio. They frequently ship pieces around the world to people who visit from places as far away as Saudi Arabia and India.

“When people come here they are looking for something to take home, to remind them of Hawai‘i and their experience,” Bailey said. “It’s especially satisfying when a piece finds its person, when someone really has a connection to your work and enjoys it. That’s why we do what we do, to spread some beauty into the world, and a reminder of Maui.’ ”

Find their work at instagram.com/turningintoart.

Couple inspired by beauty of Maui wood

Dan Cesere

Jason Moore

DOUBLE R GIFTS

Conveniently located inside the Wharf Cinema Center, you’ll find unique gifts to take home from Maui. From handcrafted crochet items, ornaments, and island figurines – this is your one-stop-shop for kids and adults.

658 Front St, Lāhainā 808-667-6808

FOREVER H AND A MAUI

Owner Romela

Agbayani designs and sews these adorable Hawaiian dresses and accessories for 18-inch American Girl dolls, as well as matching dresses and accessories for girls of all ages.

658 Front St, Lāhainā foreverhandamaui.com

IG/FB @foreverhandamaui

808-661-1760

808-276-0960

808-276-3838

features original designs, artwork and photography on products such as caps, watches, leggings, T-shirts and accessories. We use all-natural materials and encourage adventure and exploration of the outdoors.

3494 Old Haleakalā Hwy, Makawao 808-633-2328 |

alphamaui808.com IG @alphamaui808

The

Nai‘a Magical Lāna‘i of

Peer into the world of Lāna‘i’s spinner dolphins through the eyes of a marine naturalist.

by KRISTINA RAU

Cody Roberts Jason Moore

The waters off Lāna'i are a preferred habitat for Hawaiian spinner dolphins, which travel in pods of up to 300 individuals. The dolphins are often seen playfully leaping alongside boats and showing off their distinctive stripes.

in the sapphire blue waters off southern Lāna‘i, my snorkel charter guests, my crew and I are keeping an eye out for telltale signs of the Hawaiian spinner dolphins while we search for a good snorkel spot. We scan for clusters of dark gray, shiny, triangular blades – their dorsal fins breaking the surface – and small splashes of white from playing individuals, not yet resting for the day after a long night of hunting in the deep pelagic waters, often miles offshore from the islands. The dolphins,

called nai‘a in Hawaiian, usually travel in pods, like big extended families. Sometimes you can encounter pods with up to 300 individuals, which is precisely what we’re hoping to see today.

A few hundred yards ahead, I see numerous little splashes. It’s them! We slow down and keep our distance of at least 150 feet per approach regulations and before we know it, some of them excitedly speed over to the boat for a good ‘ole surf session just below the bow. Some even seem to get so excited that they peel away from the main

Kristina Rau (above, opposite)

group so fast and jump fully out of the water to race up to the front of the boat. This is one of my favorite behaviors to witness. How can one not see the fun in a dolphin’s spirit when such exuberance is portrayed to catch a pressure wave provided by a boat?

As we slowly coast to a stop, we start to hear the many “pfoof!” breaths from members of the group. I love that sound. I explain to the guests that a lot of the group are in or will shortly be in a kind of “sleep mode” throughout the day.

Spinner dolphins don’t get to stop everything and zonk out on a fluffy underwater mattress like we do every night. They go into what is called unihemispheric sleep because they must think about every single breath from the time they are born to the time they perish, which can be about 20 to 30 years.

One hemisphere of the brain powers down while the other side stays wide awake so they can come up to the surface and breathe, watch out for their main predators (tiger and mako sharks), and stick with the rest of the group.

When spinner dolphins “sleep”, they often pair up, get into little groups, or if the entire

After a long night of hunting in offshore waters, spinner dolphins go into "unihemispheric sleep." One hemisphere of the brain sleeps while the other is alert in order to regulate breathing and watch for predators. Because of their unique rest system, federal law prohibits approaching spinner dolphins within 150 yards.

Kristina Rau

Jason Moore

Jason Moore (above)

Kristina Rau (above and bottom of page)

group is going to rest together, they pack close to one another and act like one giant animal. They all come up to the surface together as one and all descend together towards the reef or sand and slowly swim over it, resting. We watch and listen, enjoying the sounds of their fast breaths, trying to guess where they’ll come up next after a few minutes underwater.

During this time, we can see that some of the dolphins are not interested in sleeping but rather playing and wrestling with

each other. Others are jumping and even doing what gave them their name, spinning! Adults and calves both do it for many reasons. They spin to communicate, dislodge parasites and dead skin and maybe get a look around.

They can get up to seven rotations in one jump. While adult spinner dolphins are notably smaller than other dolphin species found in Hawaiian waters like the bottlenose (five to seven feet long versus 12 feet long, respectively) it’s still mesmerizing to

see the twister of water surround and jet away from a dolphin that is spinning.

One of the dolphins is a calf that jumps very high and is not spinning. It is wiggling in midair and landing on one side, one jump after another. After a couple jumps at different angles, we can all see that the little dolphin is trying to remove a parasite, and it’s a big one, a remora fish. The little dolphin tries over and over to jump as high as it can and orient its body so it lands directly on the fish to dislodge it. The remora, on

the other hand, wants to stay stuck on the dolphin because it gets a free ride by doing so and therefore gets to eat the scraps of the dolphin’s meals. After 10 to 15 jumps, the calf runs out of steam, but it is successful in getting rid of the pesky remora. After our observation, we move on to the snorkel spot.

As the sun goes down, well after I have put the boat away for the day, the spinners move away from the shallow waters close to the cliffs of Lāna‘i and into deeper water to hunt for squid, small schooling fish like

lanternfish and shrimp during the night. They don’t have to dive very deep because their prey comes up from the depths in what is called a diel vertical migration. This is the daily, synchronized movement of marine animals between the deep layers of the open ocean and the surface.

The dolphins hunt all night and as the sun rises, they make their way back towards the shoreline so they can rest, socialize and get ready for the next night’s hunting in the sapphire blue waters off Lāna‘i.

A spinner dolphin leaps off the coast of southern Lāna'i in an attempt to rid itself of a pesky hitchhiker: a parasitic remora fish. A small pod of dolphins cluster together in shallow sandy waters, likely during a period of "unihemispheric sleep." During sleep, the pod acts as one, rising and descending through the water together.

Kristina Rau Jason Moore

bays trail of

Kapalua Coastal Trail gives access, protection to West Maui’s rugged coastline

story by LISA SCHELL

photographs by JASON MOORE

With its wide sidewalks through luxury properties, the Kapalua Coastal Trail could be mistaken for simply a lovely resort amenity. But don’t let its proximity to Maui’s westside golf and tennis Mecca mislead.

The 1.76-mile out-and back trail gives easy access to some of Maui’s most stunning and rugged views. It also plays a vital role in protecting the island’s natural ecosystem and cultural history.

The Kapalua Coastal Trail cradles the coast between Kapalua Bay and Honokahua Bay. The trail opened in 2010 and is a large part of the Kapalua Resort’s commitment to conserving and protecting the West Maui coastline.

The Kapalua Bay trailhead is at a small tunnel that connects the trail to public parking at Bay Club Place off of Lower Honoapilani Road.

Glare from sunlight and beach sand is blinding after the tunnel’s darkness. It feels like entering a tropical theme park – the lava rocks set against the turquoise and aquamarine ocean are too perfect to be real. It is tempting to stop, sit and spend the rest of the day here.

The view beyond the sand is compelling. At 9 miles to the northwest, neighbor Moloka‘i island seems close enough to touch. The desire to climb the short way up the hill wins out, if only to see what’s on the other side.

The top of this first gradual incline offers a complete view of the smaller Namalu Bay and The Cliff House, a 500-square-foot event venue nestled onto the cliffside at Montage Kapalua Bay resort. From this vantage, it is easy to spot swimmers in the water below the house.

The paved trail continues for 9 miles. Families carrying loads of gear to the beach scurry by. Runners jog past golfers coming in from a round. But then, a man wearing board shorts and soaking wet basketball shoes with fishing gear slung over his shoulder ambles by. Clearly, adventure must be ahead. In fact, it’s right across an access road, where the pavement gives way to dirt.

The 1.76-mile Kapalua Coastal Trail traces a coastline of warm-hued beaches and rugged lava points, where hikers can admire views of the island of Moloka‘i.

Hikers begin by trudging across Kapalua Bay’s cream colored sands before reaching more rugged territory near the Kapalua Cliff House. Calm, sunny days yield glimpses of brilliant turquoise waters in Namalu Bay. Hāwea Point, the most isolated area on the trail, invites hikers to stop and enjoy the otherworldly landscape, watch for marine life and gaze across the windswept Pailolo Channel to Moloka‘i, situated some 9 miles to the north.

This is where the true magic of the Kapalua Coastal Trail begins.

The resort setting gives way to a wide clifftop covered in low grass at Hāwea Point. Easily identifiable trails wind through the open space, inviting exploration of this twoacre conservation easement. The beachgoers are long gone. In their place are hikers with trekking poles and binoculars – people who look to be on a mission.

The object of the mission: whales, sea birds, or both.

Hāwea Point offers a panoramic view of the Pailolo Channel that separates Maui and Moloka‘i. Humpback whales come to the islands between December and April to birth calves and breed.

Even without binoculars, from the trail it is easy to see spouts, breaches, and even a glimpse of a newborn calf. Joyful squeals from fellow hikers signal a whale sighting.

When the whales start to leave Maui Nui and head north, the ‘ua‘u kani, or wedgetailed shearwater, return to land. Hāwea Point is part of a sprawling bird sanctuary designed to protect nesting ‘ua‘u kani.

These medium-sized, sooty-colored pelagic birds spend most of their life at sea. They return to terra firma in bonded pairs to nest one egg a year in ground burrows or cliff crevices. The Kapalua Coastal Trail skirts the edges of the nesting area with about 500 nesting pairs annually. Cordons protect the nesting habitat from accidental intrusion.

The ‘ua‘u kani is a culturally important

species. Hawaiian voyagers watched for the ‘ua‘u kani to determine their distance from land. Fishermen also followed flocks of them in hopes of finding large schools of fish.

Three separate pathways lead beyond and around the nesting area. The one to the left leads to a light that warns mariners of the rocky point. From there, the trail becomes overgrown and can be muddy. Rocks hide beneath the tall grass. Eventually, the trail descends to a ledge, and the going might be tough and intimidating for some.

The path splits left and right. To the left lies the rocky platform that has been a literal jumping-off point for local cliff divers.

To the right, the path leads to tidal pools recessed into the cliff. It’s a fascinating place to explore and can provide a respite from the sun and wind. Be mindful of tides and the ocean, though, as areas can be wet, slippery and dangerous.

The only way out is back the way same way. Reconnecting with the main trail and staying to the left catapults hikers onto a lunar landscape. The ground is now jagged, sharp grey and black lava. The terrain is uneven, and the closer the trail comes to the cliff’s edge, the wetter it gets.

The tip of Hāwea Point is the most remote, desolate, and exposed part of the hike. Waves crash against the cliffs. Salty spray lingers in the air and on the skin.

In prehistoric times, lava flows from the volcanic eruptions that created this end of Maui came to a violent halt here. The molten lava curled into petal or tooth-like shapes when it met the large ocean waves and cooled. The result is a garden of rock dinosaurs. Fans of all-things Jurassic will have a field day trying to see how many shapes they can imagine in the lava.

Those same volcanic eruptions created peninsulas that divide this stretch of coastline into a series of bays: Namalu, Oneloa, Honokahua and Honolua. The trail traverses the ironwood cliffs of Oneloa Bay. At the bottom is a windswept, romantic beach with a definite From Here to Eternity feel.

Perfect rows of Norfolk pines pull the eye mauka, or toward the slopes of the West Maui mountains. They are a reminder of West Maui’s agricultural past as they mark the location of the Honolua Ranch.

During the early-1900s, the ranch raised cattle and food crops, then became the center of West Maui’s pineapple operation. Long before that, though, native Hawaiians cultivated taro, sweet potatoes and other

crops in this area.

A boardwalk protects the beach dunes from erosion and provides an easy way to get to the far end of Oneloa Beach. To complete the entire trail as marked on the official map, turn right.

From this point on, the trail is once again paved. It goes between The Ritz-Carlton Maui and the Honokahua Burial Site, the final resting place of more than 2,000 Hawaiian

kupuna (ancestors) buried here between 850 and the early 1800s. Contractors building the hotel in 1987 unearthed remains – prompting the resort to relocate. More importantly, it led to the passage of laws to protect and preserve wahi pana (sacred places) across the state. Today, Honokahua Burial Site is encircled by a tall hedge of naupaka, and entry is reserved for native Hawaiians.

Follow the path just a bit farther and it

ends at D.T. Fleming Park in Honokahua Bay, a popular spot for swimming and boogie boarding. It’s a perfect place to take a dip before making the trek back to Kapalua Bay.

Out-and-back hikes like Kapalua Coastal Trail allow a second chance to see things missed the first time. Maybe another rock dinosaur shape or a whale breach. Bigger, more powerful swells might be surging through the Pailolo. Watching them recalls

the courage of Hawaiian voyagers who followed the ‘ua‘u kani to shore.

Back to the start, the crystal blue waters of Kapalua Beach are as irresistible as they were at the beginning.

The temptation to stop and stay there for the rest of the day is familiar. Take in the sunset. Let the images and experiences of the Kapalua Coastal Trail imprint on your memory.

Starting near Kapalua Bay, the coastal trail runs northeast to Honokahua Bay (D.T. Fleming Beach Park). The trail takes a variety of shapes, from paved walkways to uneven dirt paths, and leads hikers past a variety of historical and cultural landmarks, such as the Kapalua Cliff House and the Honokahua Burial Site.

D.T. Fleming Beach/Park

Honokahua Burial Site LOWER HONOAPIILANI ROAD

LOWER HONOAPIILANI OFFICE ROAD RIDGE ROAD LOWER HONOAPIILANI ROAD RIDGE ROAD BAYDRIVEBAYDRIVE 30 HONOAPIILANI HIGHWAY

Fencing Haleakalā

by JUDY EDWARDS

Fencing Haleakalā

Battling the elements, goats and bureaucracy to protect the ecosystems at the top of Maui

Koa

Andrea Buckman (both)

It was the cusp of the 1980s and somebody had to fence the entire top of Maui’s Haleakalā Volcano, over 30 miles of it, immediately.

Feral goats were destroying swathes of one of the most precious landscapes in the world. These unchecked ungulates churned up delicate cindery soils and crushed Hawaiian petrel nesting burrows. They defecated aggressive, invasive weed seeds far and wide, and they grazed the iconic Haleakalā silverswords down to scraggly nubs – threatening the species’ very survival.

For those in the science and conservation

community paying attention, things looked grim, very grim. At this rate, the rich, utterly unique wilderness at the summit of Haleakalā National Park would soon be a showpiece of dust, goats, broken ground and weeds.

THE VOLCANO’S TRUE crater is long gone, washed down the flanks of the mountain to the sea – year after year, storm after storm. Erosion over the millennia scraped a gaping basin into the summit – 2,500 feet deep and seven and a half miles long. The northwest and southeast corners of the basin are marked by cavernous valleys: Ko‘olau Gap – which spills northward to become Keanae Valley and Kaupō Gap, respectively.

Isolation and evolution in the Hawaiian archipelago created an exquisite quilt of ecosystems on every island. Birds, plants

and insects evolved from ancestor species that the wind, waves and wings of birds carried. Sheer distance kept land mammals and reptiles from arriving and establishing here. Rare forms of life arose, fitted exactly to their ecological niches.

High up in the cold air and ruthless sun on Maui’s Haleakalā, an ancestor of the sunflower gradually evolved. It became a fuzzy, silver, spiky ball that shot up one massed spike of flower clusters in its life, scenting the wind with the dusty fragrance of honey, cinnamon and oranges: the Haleakalā silversword.

The first people to come to Hawai‘i were Polynesians who settled in the coastal areas, farming and fishing. They brought small pigs and chickens with them, and likely rats as well. They gathered a bit in the forests,

It was audacious. It was called impossible. It had to be done.

mindful of overharvesting and enacting strict protocols to keep the watershed healthy.

The summit of Haleakalā was the wao akua, the realm of the gods, and few approached it. Navigators and astronomers trained there, close to the heavens and the stars, then descended again into the warm world of daily life. The lower reaches of the islands were undeniably changed, but the upper forests and highlands remained relatively untouched.

Then the West found the islands in the late 1700s. British ships brought goats and pigs, cattle and horses. Many went feral. The 1800s saw the development of cattle ranches. By the 1900s many of the lower and middle slopes of East Maui were profoundly impacted – trampled and desiccated, grazed and depleted. Cattle ran wild, but goats ran

wilder, breeding readily and eating everything they could find – right up Haleakalā’s slopes to the summit valley floor.

One traveler in 1913 wrote: “The steep slopes in the upper part of the Kaupō Gap are covered with this most beautiful plant (the silversword). Wild goats are doing great damage to it, as they devour it eagerly, and so also do cattle.”

Fourteen years later, in 1927, botanist Otto Degener reported that “barely 100” silversword plants remained on Haleakalā.

But a new era of protection sparked in 1916, when large areas of Haleakalā Volcano were joined with Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes on Hawai‘i Island to form Hawaii National Park. In 1961, this park would split to become Haleakalā National Park on Maui and Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on

Hawai‘i Island.

Some help arrived in the 1930s and 1940s, when the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) came to Haleakalā to help with work projects, like fencing. They built goat fences, but then moved on. Those fences eventually aged and failed.

Fencing the summit of Haleakalā was mentioned in national park memos in the 1950s, but no source of funding was available. A 1967 study reported that goats overgraze, disturb the soil and strip it, start landslides, and in some cases were responsible for more than 6 feet of erosion – the soil was stomped, degraded, and eventually washed away.

Meanwhile, an experiment was under way at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Fenced exclosures – plots of land where native forest was fenced in and feral animals fenced out

Employees with Uhiwai O Haleakalā/Leeward Haleakalā Watershed Restoration Project construct erosion barriers above the boundary fence on the leeward side of Haleakalā. Above, by helicopter, managers inspect the growth of deschampsia native grass planted in an erosion scar.

Andrea Buckman (both)

– showed native plants could recover once goats were removed.

In 1971, a fiery new leader roared into Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Superintendent Bryan Harry called the “goddamn goats” a “national issue.”

Harry, now in his 90s and living on O‘ahu, said recently in an interview for this story that without the fences, the native ecosystems at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park were “going to hell in a hand basket.”

Harry began to push Washington for fence funding. If he couldn’t get the money, he was prepared to “steal it” from the other park projects: “Not to paint the houses, not to cut the weeds, but to build some fences,” he said.

When fences were built at Volcanoes, they concentrated the goats and made them simpler to remove. A multi-skilled and multi-tasking park ranger named Don Reeser became the first person to inhabit a new department Harry created called Resources Management to care for the natural resources of the park.

Soon, the new department became a model throughout the National Park Service. “It turned out to be contagious,” Harry said.

WHILE THINGS WERE looking hopeful at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park in the mid-1970s, the outlook for Haleakalā was bleak. Feral goats and pigs had pushed up the Ko‘olau and Kaupō gaps. Left unchecked, soon they were on track to destroy the delicate summit ecosystem.

By 1975, the University of Hawai‘i Cooperative Park Studies Unit under Dr. Cliff Smith initiated research at Haleakalā National Park. The findings provided the scientific background that supported the removal of goats and pigs.

In 1976, the first group of fencing volunteers – led by then-Sierra Club volunteer Ron Nagata and with the blessing of Haleakalā National Park Superintendent Hugo H. Huntzinger – started testing a barbed-wire electric fence. Two years later, the park hired Nagata to work as a backcountry ranger and to manage park’s fencing program. By 1980, however, it was clear the electric fence was not working.

The real work then began: methodically replacing the barbed-wire electric fence with hogwire mesh fencing and continuing all around the mighty elongate bowl of the summit.

It was absolutely grueling work at high altitude, on steep slopes, in wildly erratic weather. It sometimes required flying in and out by helicopter to remote field camps, hard handwork, hauling heavy gear like rock drills and pole pounders, and a willingness to work very hard in the determined service of a specific ideal: no goats in the summit wilderness.

The fence line had to first be brushed – a term that means hand-clearing a swath wide enough on which to unroll the fence. Next came post holes every 10 feet, often drilled into rock.

The hogwire mesh was 4 feet tall, with two strands of barbed wire over it. Every foot had to be stretched and clipped by hand down the faces of valleys, along slanted slopes, in muddy forest, and in unrelenting sun beating down on rocky, gritty volcanic terrain.

Fence funding was tenuous. “After Hugo hired me,” Nagata said, “I asked him who was going to maintain the fence, and he said, ‘That’s what I hired you for. Just keep building it and hopefully we’ll get funding later.’ ”

Nagata recalls taking Huntzinger and Harry to survey goat damage at the Kaupō Gap around 1980. They had never seen that

Volunteers in 1978 constructed hogwire enclosure fencing across the Kaupō dryland forest to protect the park’s best remnants of endangered dryland trees, including olopua, halapepe, naio and pāmakani. Above, the same year, Sam ‘Ohu Gon III inspects a completed section of the west boundary.

Ronald Nagata (both)

Clockwise from top-left: Eric Lincoln pilots a helicopter while Ted Rodrigues culls feral goats, 1989; Terry Quisenberry and Ross Hart build a silversword enclosure at Kalahaku, 1982; Inspecting work-in progress at Manawainui boundary fence, 1988; Terry Quisenberry measures fence into Kaupō Gap, 1984; NPS Area Director Bryan Harry and Regional Director Howard Chapman, 1984.

Ronald Nagata (all)

kind of environmental devastation. The visit spurred the funding they needed, with priority on Kaupō Gap and the South Slope of Haleakalā.

Nagata secured more funding in 1983 and immediately hired seasonal employees to tackle Kaupō Gap – by all accounts the most difficult place to fence and the area most damaged by goats.

In 1982, Chris Alexander came to volunteer at Haleakalā. He came back the next summer as part of the seasonal fence crew, often flying with the workhorse machines of conservation: helicopters and their brilliant, and sometimes eccentric, pilots.

Tom Hauptman, in particular, was a pilot with uncanny skills for picking up and delivering 100-pound repair bundles of wire, clips and tools. He would pick up the bundles using a mirror mounted on his skids,

positioning himself to clip the load onto the belly of the helicopter without getting out of the helicopter, Alexander said.

Hauptman became famous in conservation circles for inventing a way to deploy a 330-foot roll of fence from the helicopter with an A-frame contraption akin to a toiler paper roller. With one end of the fence anchored on the ground, the hogwire unspooled itself as the helicopter slowly lifted away. Before Hauptman’s invention, crews unrolled spools by hand on the rocky, jungly and rough terrain.

Alexander remembers one trip that didn’t go as planned. Hauptman dropped a repair bundle from his helicopter along a steep fence. Instead of staying put, the bundle started rolling and bouncing downlope.

“All of a sudden, we go straight up in the air and then he starts turning, drops us downhill, and he stopped the bundle with his

skids,” Alexander said. “He was like a sheepdog herding sheep with a half-million-dollar piece of machinery.”

THE WORK CONTINUED under Nagata through the 1980s. In 1987, Nagata became the first chief of resources management and put Ted Rodrigues in charge of the fence. In 1988, Don Reeser (previously of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park) became Haleakalā National Park superintendent, bringing his fencing expertise with him and staying on through a legendary career until 2005.

Over the following years, the visionaries who dedicated themselves to the Haleakalā summit boundary fence would shake out as some of the foremost heroes, movers and achievers in Hawaiian conservation, including botanist Betsy Gagne, Terry Quisenberry Jr., Mike Ing, Cathleen Bailey, Randy Bartlett,

At the west boundary fence near Science City, a love for Haleakalā and pride in their work lights up the faces of four retired national park stewards: Ross Hart, resources management park ranger; Ron Nagata, chief of resources management; Mike Ing, law enforcement officer; and Ted Rodrigues, resources management park ranger.

Dallas Nagata White

Joel Lau, Scott Rowland, Dr. Sam ‘Ohu Gon III, biologist Dr. Art Medeiros and Dave Lassner, the current president of the University of Hawai‘i.

According to the National Park Service, “By 1991, the last of some 17,000 goats had been cleared from the park. Today, more than 85 miles of fencing protect the summit and Kīpahulu (District), and the work continues.” Silversword populations rebounded to 65,000 by the same year, though numbers have slipped to between 30,000 and 40,000 today.

Ron Nagata retired from the National Park Service in August 2009, in the middle of a major fence replacement program managed by Ted Rodrigues. The day before he retired, he ceremonially connected one last bit of fence to a cattle guard on the park road just below the summit.

The work is far from over. Since the summit was enclosed, further legs of the fence have been built, and the summit fences always need repairs. Like the CCC fence of the 1930s and ’40s, the current fence is degraded by the sun, wind and freeze-thaw cycles. Determined goats, relentless pigs and axis deer find ways to push through to greener pastures on the protected side.

The mantle of fencing responsibilities today falls on Timmy Bailey, who is also the park’s aviation manager. The grueling work of pounding posts, unspooling wire and mending holes goes on.

One of the many wonderful outcomes of having the fence in place is that Hawaiian petrels began to nest successfully again, their burrows no longer crushed by goats. Their love-struck seasonal mooing in the cliffs above Hōlua Cabin is a highlight of the Haleakalā camping experience.

Bryan Harry, reminiscing, said, “Once we figured out how to do the impossible, we made it possible.”

In remembering their monumental fencing efforts, Harry likes to reference what he calls “The art of muddling through.”

The steps of which go as follows: One, figure out where you are. Two, define where you want to be.

“And you don’t know how to get there,” he said, “you embark, and you monitor your progress, and you modify, and keep modifying your muddling through until eventually you get there.”

Then he added, “Keep your fences mended.”

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Set overlooking the water at Keawakapu Beach, an outdated restaurant-turnedcondo gets a luxurious facelift by one of Maui's most ambitious design firms.

OASIS oceanfront

by

When Les McClure, of Mill Creek, Washington, engaged Maui interior designer Valorie Spence to assist with remodeling his oceanfront condo on Maui, winning a prestigious international design competition was the last thing on both of their minds. But that’s exactly what ultimately occurred: the project earned Valorie’s firm, Interior Design Solutions, the 2020 ADEX Platinum Award for Superior Design and Innovation.

Les and his wife Judy acquired Unit D1 at The Hale Pau Hana resort in Kīhei in 2017. The unit’s 1970s-style décor featured smallscale white ceramic tiles, a dim and dated kitchen, an overabundance of koa wood, and front windows that were sorely inadequate given the extraordinary view.

“I decided to gut the entire condo and start from scratch,” Les said. “I wanted it completely open to the ocean, and to carve out a third bedroom.”

An important consideration for Les was selecting an interior designer he could work with side by

side to achieve his vision. An industrial contractor by trade, Les wanted to be directly involved in all facets of the remodel. When interviewing prospective designers, he told them, “I’m fairly innovative, and I’ll take thirty to fifty percent of your ideas, then add some of my own.” Upon hearing this, two candidates immediately opted out. But Les found the perfect partner in Valorie. “She said, ‘As long as you’re paying the bills, I’ll do anything you’d like,’ ” he said, smiling.

“Les and I worked synergistically throughout the entire process,” Valorie said. Her overall design concept was based on two themes: transparency and floating elements. “I knew immediately we should convert the entire front wall into sliding-glass doors that fully disappear when opened,” she said.

They also decided to replace the solid front door with diaphanous etched glass mounted in a mahogany frame, and expand the narrow entry hall, so the view is fully visible the moment you approach the condo. On Les’ wish list were a floating

Heidi Pool photographs by Greg Hoxie

The unit's entire front wall was replaced by disappearing sliding glass doors to lighten up the space and highlight the extraordinary ocean views out front. Some of the unit's original koa wood features were retained, like the dropleaf koa dining table, now paired with Brazilian cherry-wood chairs.

bed in the primary bedroom and illuminated etched glass in the primary bath’s sink basin.

Les and Valorie retained some, but not all, of the unit’s original koa features, while incorporating a couple of new elements. In addition to relocating a koa desk from the kitchen to the primary bedroom, Les asked Valorie to salvage the classic drop-leaf koa dining table. She paired it with highly sculptural Brazilian cherry-wood chairs that are comfortable, durable and most importantly low profile, allowing for an unobstructed ocean view from the adjacent living area and primary bedroom. Les designed and engineered a pair of dramatic koa arches, one of which graces the entryway, while the other magnificently frames the fireplace.

Fireplace? Yep. Unit D1 is one half of the building that originally housed the Hale Pau Hana’s Anchor Cove restaurant. When it closed, the new owners of the space converted it into side-by-side duplex units. Les and Judy’s side still boasts the former eatery’s wood-burning fireplace, an unusual feature given Kīhei’s sub-tropical climate. Les and

Valorie maintained its cozy ambiance by installing red and orange LED lights inside the firebox to resemble flames, without radiating unwanted heat.

Les and Valorie are delighted with the condo’s remodeled primary bathroom. Standout features include dazzling lemurian blue granite countertops and a stunning etched glass sink basin with a humpback whale motif that is fully illuminated from underneath. Quarried in Madagascar, lemurian blue granite is a mélange of rich blue, green, black and turquoise hues, punctuated with luminescent labradorite crystals. “When we spied the blue granite at a stone yard in Seattle, it was among the best I’d ever seen,” Valorie said. She convinced Les to purchase it – despite the hefty price tag – and “still gets goosebumps thinking about that moment.” Knowing exactly what he wished to achieve with the sink, Les took his concept to four different craftspeople. “They all said it couldn’t be done,” he said. Undaunted, Les designed it himself, and asked his own team of construction professionals to build it.

With his extensive industrial resources, Les was able to overcome the project’s most difficult engineering challenges. Installing a steel support beam for the 40-foot floorto-ceiling windows required a hefty dose of ingenuity. When the 3,000-pound beam arrived from California, “we used a palletjack system I devised, coupled with two layers of plywood, to drag it across the grass.” They employed additional heavy-duty jacks to lift and support the condo’s roof while they slipped the colossal beam into place.

Les’ desire to incorporate a floating bed into the primary bedroom’s design also required him to don his engineer’s thinking cap. “Many of the floating beds you see online actually have clear Plexiglas legs,” he said. Les designed and built a fully cantilevered platform anchored by another massive steel support beam – this one extends downward into the building’s basement.

Custom-made bedspreads, pillows, and shams bring elegant pops of bright color to the condo’s three bedrooms. “Here in Hawai‘i, you need to incorporate bold tones into interior designs to counterbalance our brilliant blue ocean and sky, and lush green landscapes,” Valorie said. She aims for a “collected” look, where print fabrics may not exactly match, but rather complement one another, much like furnishings a person acquires over time.

Construction lasted a total of six months. Les brought a team of 10 professionals from

The primary bedroom features a floating bed, which is supported by a cantilevered platform anchored by a steel support beam that extends into the building's basement. In the primary bathroom, etched glass with ocean motifs complement the lumerian blue granite counter tops, which needed to be shipped in from Seattle.

his industrial contracting firm to remodel the condo to his and Valorie’s specifications. “My workers brought their wives with them, and they stayed in a couple of houses and apartments I had rented,” he said. “They all had a wonderful time on Maui, while still getting the job done as quickly as possible.”

Les and Valorie’s synergism paid off handsomely. In bestowing the ADEX award, the judging panel gave high praise to the unit’s redesigned entryway, glass door wall, cantilevered bed and exquisite etched-glass panels.

Although their sumptuous, awardwinning condo is available year-round as a vacation rental, Les and Judy reward their key employees from time to time with a stay in Anchor Cove D1, named to honor the building’s history. “For Judy and me, the best part of owning this unit is sharing it with our employees. They’re the ones who helped build our company and made it what it is today.”

Anchor Cove D1's disappearing doors allow a cohesive flow from the indoor to outdoor spaces, where South Maui's brilliant blue seas are on full display.

Craving

Paukukalo’s newest eatery, Tails Up Maui, is making waves with its fresh, locally sourced seafood dishes like Nom-Yum Seafood Soup and house poke (pictured).

Maui

New eatery, bartender showdowns and epic wine festival on isle agenda

By CARLA TRACY Dining Editor

THE SEA PROVIDES... I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many haole gathered in one place in Paukukalo before. Then again, hordes of hungry and curious locals were there, too. I’m talking about the new Tails Up Maui: The Sea Provides restaurant that is a “dining-fine” anomaly in the unassuming and uber-local surfing hamlet near Wailuku.

Running the ship is owner Brian Etheredge, who rose to acclaim as Best Chef

on Maui at the former Capische? He’s also known for his prowess at Cutting Edge Catering and Private Maui Chef. His new Tails Up Maui opened in the spring.

Savor the Nom-Yum Seafood Soup brimming with coconut milk, lemongrass and kaffir lime; the Like Sample of all house poke accompanied by crispy tortilla and won ton chips; and the Captain’s Plate with fresh catch such as ono, rarely served at

restaurants anymore due to its delicate nature and tendency to be overcooked. Etheredge slays it to a perfect doneness.

“My partner Chimo Shipp owns Fresh Fish Maui and he’s been a commercial fisherman here for 30 years,” Etheredge said. “All the fishermen know him. He’s created this network, this dayboat collective, and we get the best fish.”

The inimitable Madame Donut bakes

Jason Moore (opposite, above)

gourmet desserts daily and sells her own brand of donuts at Tails Up on Saturdays. “She was my pastry chef at Capische? for years,” Etheredge said.

Diners will delight in the monkeypod tables, hewn from a giant tree on Kauai as well as the artwork by Brian Heustis. The walk-up counter eatery is BYOB. This is a mom and pop on steroids. I say run, don’t walk, there... open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. TuesdaySaturday at 372 Waiehu Beach Road in Wailuku.

CHINESE AND THEN SOME... Situated in the Shops at Wailea, Lineage is on the route to be serving the tastiest Chinese cuisine on Maui. Founded by Top Chef fan favorite Sheldon Simeon of Filipino heritage, it has segued with subsequent chefs and now has a decidedly Cantonese and Szechuan slant to the menu.

“I would call it Asian fusion with a heavy emphasis on traditional Chinese flavors,” said Chef Emmanuel “Emman” Eng, who moved here in 2020 from San Francisco where he was chef at the well-known institution Bix Bier.

“I feature Chinese flavors with nods to Korea, Japan and Indonesia. I’m Chinese

ethnically,” he said. “I pull inspiration from my childhood. It’s a big place and a lot of distinct cuisines. Right now, most of the style of food is Cantonese.”

Seafood lovers rave about the crispy shrimp and scallop croquettes made with taro, Facing Heaven chili sauce and XO lemon aioli, Cantonese lobster noodles with leeks, ginger and XO butter; and the honey-garlic shrimp and sugar-snap peas. Vegetarians will fly right with the Lapa‘au Oyster Mushroom and Vegetable “Birds Nest” with local mushrooms, baby bok choy, carrot, daikon, charred eggplant all served on a bed of taro.

“We run specials from Taiwan to Shanghai to Xi’an to the northwest,” said Eng. “It’s a lot of fun to explore these cuisines – very unique to the island. Sets us apart from what is typical here.”

Handcrafted cocktails include the Buddha Belly and Thyme to Burn.

“We don’t have a great ambience or a great view, but we make up for it in great service and great craft cocktails,” said GM Melanie Wicker. “Our lead mixologist April Leslie has a farm up in Olinda and what she grows is a big influence in our cocktails. We’ve been getting a lot of amazing

acknowledgements from customers about our service, too.”

Wolfgang’s Steakhouse is going to be Lineage’s neighbor in the Shops at Wailea in coming months in the former Longhi’s location. Exciting news, indeed.

PICTURE PERFECT... Named after acclaimed Columbian sculptor Fernando Botero, Grand Wailea’s impressive Botero Lounge boasts nine bronze statues restored to their original luster. It’s the largest private collection of Botero in the world, and now the voluptuous figures are even more picture worthy, more Rubenesque, than before. Click away!

Botero Lounge is drawing in diners with live nightly music, fresh sushi by Chef Mooney and occasional workshops such as “The Art of Sushi Making, “The Art of Whiskey,” and “The Art of Cocktail Mixing,” all taught by expert chefs or bartenders.

Sink your teeth into ultimate bar food of miso black cod wrapped in local butter lettuce and seasoned with kizami, yuba and chive; and Rainbow Roll sushi with crab meat, avocado and assorted fresh fish. Pair your pupu with Paolina’s Daisy craft cocktail with Casa Noble Reposado, pomelo juice

Lineage (both)

Chef Emmanuel “Emman” Eng of Lineage has shifted the restaurant’s menu to feature more Chinese dishes like Cantonese lobster noodles and golden fried rice, but favorites like kalbi remain.

and smoked shishito pepper – and meet new pals at the bar.

“We are thrilled to update the classic charm of Grand Wailea, while enhancing the luxury and heritage for which it is known, and to commemorate this new chapter with so many exciting activations and partnerships,” said JP Oliver, managing director. “We look forward to finalizing all redesigned spaces and ultimately offering guests an enriched product with authentic Hawaiian experiences in our idyllic Maui setting.”

MORE LIQUID LIBATIONS… Wanna witness an oceanfront cocktail showcase?

Mala Ocean Tavern set right on the water in Lāhainā invites you to its hugely popular series, Tavern Shakedown, on the last Saturday of each month. No cover. Doors open at 10 p.m.

“Each month two of Maui’s best mixologists and bartenders go head-to-head to find out who is the master of their craft, hosted by Mala Mixologist Dennis Day Each bartender is given a mystery ingredient box and faces off to craft a cocktail that highlights the ingredients in the box,

in partnership with Heaven Hill,” said Mala co-owner Ashley “Bad Ash” Davis

FYI: Heaven Hill is the largest independent, family-owned and operated distilled spirits supplier in the country, making from whiskey to rum.

“Each Shakedown, guests will have the opportunity to cheer on participants and sample the culinary delights. Drink tickets are available for purchase,” Davis said.

Mala Ocean Tavern also hosts daily Happy Hour from 2 to 4 p.m., with food and drink specials and live music by Max Angel on Tuesdays and Amber Fiedler on Fridays; Ladies Night on the first Saturday of every month with $7 rose champagne drinks; and Three Pounds of Kalo , one of Maui’s hottest bands, performing the second Saturday of each month.

Of course, the granddaddy of ’em all, the Kapalua Wine & Food Festival , aka the oldest event of its kind in the country, wines and dines oenophiles and regular old wine lovers June 8-10 at Kapalua Resort.

“Enthusiasts of all things of the good life join to sip, savor and share premium wines from around the globe and culinary specialties of Kapalua Resort chefs and friends,” said Event Director Karin Sagar, who knows if those champagne glasses could talk, they would tell some exciting tales from the many decades of the festival.

Sponsor wineries are Justin Vineyards and Champagne Louis Roederer, and dozens of other top vintners will be on hand. Handcrafted cocktails will be made by House of Suntory along with Makers Mark whiskey and OTR.

Wine dinners flow around Kapalua. The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua sets the elegant stage for wine seminars and the Grand Tasting, the latter lively with entertainment by local favorite Nuff Sedd and food by “Top Chef” guests Edward Lee and Kelsey Barnard Clark, along with top Kapalua restaurant chefs.

The Ritz’s General Manager Andrew Rogers sure knows how to throw a party,

Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort (above)

Kapalua Wine and Food Festival returned to the Kapalua Resort in June for a weekend of wining, dining and seminars led by some of the globe’s top vinters.

Voluptuous bronze sculptures by Colombian artist Fernando Botero are centerpieces at the Grand Wailea’s newly-reimagined outdoor lobby bar, Botero Lounge.

as evidenced by the successful Celebration of the Arts he presented there in April.

Speaking of the Ritz, its Alaloa Lounge just completed a huge renovation. Come check out the new all-weather deck, mesmerizing firepits, new sushi and cocktail menu and nightly entertainment. Tap your feet to Liz Morales and other performers in the lounge such as Jordan Soon and Joshua Kahula

Voted “Best Lobby Lounge” each year in MNKO’s ‘Aipono Awards, it entices with grilled shishito peppers with charred lemon; specialty sushi rolls such as Rainbow and the Spicy Tuna; and the best Smash Wagyu Burger this side of Tokyo. The Alaloa Lounge is also the perfect place to schmooze famous chefs, winemakers and the charming Ritz GM during the wine festival.

Speaking of the ‘Aipono Awards, this magazine’s 2023 event is deep in the planning stages and will be held in late October in Wailea. Want to attend this hugely popular and much anticipated event?

Rest assured that MNKO is gearing up to reveal the date and the location soon. Bon appétit, everyone!

Blistered shishito peppers, hamachi jalapeño, sashimi ceviche and specialty sushi rolls are just some of the dishes on offer at recently-renovated Alaloa Lounge.

The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua (previous page, above)

Dining Guide

B=Breakfast BR=Brunch L=Lunch H=Happy Hour D=Dinner N=Dinner past 9 p.m.

R=Reservation recommended $=Average entrée under $15 $$=Under $25 $$$=Under $40 $$$$=$40+ =Gold & Silver 2022 ‘Aipono Restaurant Award winners =Live music! Check venue website for information. Phone numbers are area code 808.

WEST SIDE

A‘A ROOTS Nāpili Plaza, 5095 Napilihau St., Ste. 3, Nāpili, 298-2499 Vegan cuisine made with the freshest Maui produce. Try the açai bowl, soba bowl with peanut sauce, or bagel sandwich with hummus, avo and veggies. International. B, L, $

ALALOA LOUNGE  The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua, 1 Ritz Carlton Dr., Kapalua, 669-6200 Creative farm-to-table cocktails, mocktails and an exciting selection of savory dishes from the dining menu, such as huli huli chicken, sushi and stone-oven pizza. International. D, $-$$

AMIGO’S 658 Front St., Lāhainā, 661-0210 Real Mexican fajitas, tostadas, flautas and their famous wet burritos. Kid-friendly. Mexican. B, L, D, $

AUNTIE’S KITCHEN The Westin Kā‘anapali Ocean Resort Villas, 6 Kai Ala Dr., Kā‘anapali, 667-3259 Saimin, burgers and fresh-fish plate lunches mingle with 2020 ‘Aipono Award-winning poke. Local Mixed Plate. B, L, D, $-$$

BANYAN TREE The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua, 1 Ritz-Carlton Dr., 665-7096 Start with an heirloom tomato salad with buffalo mozzarella. Then a Hawaiian cioppino full of treasures from the sea in a tomato-fennel broth, or lobster agnolotti. End with warm Valrhona chocolate cake. Great cocktails, too!

Italian/Hawai‘i Regional. D, $$-$$$$

BREAKWALL SHAVE ICE COMPANY The Wharf Cinema Center Shops, 658 Front St., #104, Lāhainā, 661-4900 Grown-up shave ice? You bet! Cool off with one of the best snow cones on Maui and discover your favorite flavor. Treats. $

BURGER SHACK The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua, 1 Ritz-Carlton Dr., Kapalua, 669-6200 Al fresco beachside joint serving burgers, milkshakes, cocktails and beer. Try the alcoholic milkshakes. American, L, $$

CANE & CANOE Montage Kapalua Bay, 1 Bay Dr., Kapalua, 662-6681 Try the avocado toast and mimosas for breakfast, and prime select steaks with horseradish crème fraÎche for dinner. Lunch at the in Hāna Hou Bar includes Wagyu bacon-cheddar burgers and vegetarian selections. Kid-friendly. Pacific Rim. B, D, $$$-$$$$

CHEESEBURGER IN PARADISE 811 Front St., Lāhainā, 661-4855 Wake up to oceanfront views with a cuppa joe and a luscious breakfast. For lunch, try the poke, wings, onion rings or a signature cheeseburger. For dinner: the Aloha Fish and Fries. International. B, L, D, $-$$

CHOICE HEALTH BAR 1087 Limahana Pl., #1A, Lāhainā, 661-7711 Second West Maui location: Whalers Village, 2435 Kā‘anapali Pkwy., Kā‘anapali All juices, smoothies, salads, soups and açai bowls are made with fresh ingredients. Daily specials. American. B, L, $

CLIFF DIVE GRILL Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa, 2605 Kā‘anapali Pkwy., Kā‘anapali, 661-0031 Order Hawaiian-style edamame, a juicy burger, or fish tacos to accompany your poolside mai tai or Black Rock Lager. Hawai‘i Regional. L, D, $-$$

THE COFFEE STORE Nāpili Plaza, 5095 Napilihau St., Nāpili, 669-4170 Stop in for coffee and a muffin and you may just end up staying for lunch – or longer. (They’re open until 6 p.m.) Great service, fresh-baked goods, yogurt-granola parfaits, chia pudding and to-go items. Coffee Shop. B, L, D, $

COOL CAT CAFÉ The Wharf Cinema Center Shops, 658 Front St., Lāhainā, 667-0908 Burgers, chicken, fresh fish, tacos and more in a ’50s diner atmosphere. Kid-friendly. American. L, D, $

DOWN THE HATCH The Wharf Cinema Center Shops, 658 Front St., Lāhainā, 661-4900 Mermaid fries with cheese and lava sauce, towering shrimp cocktails, fresh island fish and lots of aloha. Great shave ice, too! (See Breakwall’s listing.) Hawai‘i Regional. B, L, H, D, N, $$

DRUMS OF THE PACIFIC Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, 200 Nohea Kai Dr., Kā‘anapali, 667-4727 Enjoy a traditional imu ceremony and Hawaiian cuisine, plus the dances and music of Polynesia. Kid-friendly. Lū‘au. D, R, $$$$

DUKE’S BEACH HOUSE MAUI Honua Kai Resort & Spa, 130 Kai Malina Pkwy., Kā‘anapali, 662-2900 Imagine old Hawai‘i while dining on crab-and-macadamia-nut wontons or prime rib at this open-air beach house. Kid-friendly. American/Pacific Rim. B, L, D, $$

FEAST AT LELE 505 Front St., Lāhainā, 6675353 This classic beachfront lū‘au explores the cultural and culinary world of the Pacific Islands. Open bar. Lū‘au. D, R, $$$$

FLEETWOOD’S ON FRONT ST. 744 Front St., Lāhainā, 669-6425 (Yes, that Fleetwood!) Pacific oysters with tart apple mignonette, grilled Hawaiian shutome and a one-pound Harley Davidson Hog Burger. Bar opens at 2 p.m. American/British Pub Food. L, H, D, N, $$-$$$$

FOND Nāpili Plaza, 5095 Napilihau St., #115, Nāpili, 856-0225 Breakfast silog bowls with garlic fried rice, sammies for lunch, Wednesday night friedchicken special and Sunday Chef’s Table. Eurasian. B, L, D, $-$$

FRIDA’S MEXICAN BEACH HOUSE 1287 Front St., Lāhainā, 661-1287 Chalupas, fresh aguachile ‘ahi, short-rib tacos and great mixology are among the reasons this seaside restaurant won ‘Aipono Gold in 2022 for Best Mexican Cuisine. Latin-inspired. L, H, D, $-$$

THE GAZEBO Nāpili Shores, 5315 L. Honoapi‘ilani Hwy., Nāpili, 669-5621 Have breakfast for lunch, or lunch for breakfast! Fluffy pancakes, omelets, plate lunches with Cajun-spiced chicken or kālua pork, salads and seven burgers to choose from. Ocean views are free! International. B, BR, L, $

HONOLUA STORE 502 Office Rd., Kapalua, 6659105 Market in the Kapalua Resort with extensive selection of grab-and-go items like salads, sandwiches and sushi. Made-to-order pizzas, burgers, hot sandwiches and breakfast items are also available. Deli, B, L, $-$$

HONU SEAFOOD & PIZZA 1295 Front St., Lāhainā, 667-9390 Pizza, salads and awesome seafood entrees make this a go-to spot in Lāhainā. International. L, D, $$

HUIHUI Kā‘anapali Beach Hotel, 2525 Kā‘anapali Pkwy., Kā‘anapali, 667-0124 Chef Tom Muromoto’s menu features local flavors in an oceanfront setting. For breakfast, try poi pancakes with coconut syrup; for lunch, a Moloka‘i venison burger; and for dinner, lū‘au plates, seafood and pan-fried ribeye steak. Kid-friendly. Hawai‘i Regional. B, L, D, $-$$$$

HULA GRILL Whalers Village, 2435 Kā‘anapali Pkwy., Kā‘anapali, 667-6636 Dip your toes in the sand at the Barefoot Bar, and enjoy poke tacos, mai tais, homemade ice-cream sandwiches and live music. Kid-friendly. Hawai‘i Regional. L, H, D, $$

INU POOL BAR The Westin Nanea Ocean Villas, 45 Kai Malina Pkwy., Kā‘anapali, 662-6370 Inu means “drink” in Hawaiian, and this poolside bar serves up island-inspired cocktails, local beer and wine. Sip and snack on pūpū, burgers, wraps and salads Hawai‘i Regional. L, H, D, $-$$

ISLAND CREAM COMPANY Lāhainā Gateway, 305 Keawe St., Lāhainā, 298-0916 Classic flavors meet island fruit! Make your own Glacier Ice snow cone, or choose from 36 delicious flavors of ice cream. Can’t decide? Take home a few pints! Treats. $

ISLAND PRESS COFFEE 2580 Kekaa Dr., Kā‘anapali, 667-2003 Homey coffee shop in the Fairway Shops serving hard-to-find Maui grown coffee beans. Start your day with a cup of Maui Red Catuai and a breakfast croissant. Coffee, B, $

JAPENGO Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, 200 Nohea Kai Dr., Kā‘anapali, 667-4727 Great steaks and authentic sushi prepared with the finest seafood are among the reasons Japengo won ‘Aipono Silver for Best Asian Cuisine in 2022. Japanese. D, N, $$$

JOEY’S KITCHEN Whalers Village, 2435 Kā‘anapali Pkwy., Kā‘anapali, 868-4474 Second West Maui location: Napili Plaza, 5095 Napilihau St., Nāpili, 2145590 Start your day with macadamia nut pancakes or a kālua-pork omelet at Whalers Village, and end with dinner at the Nāpili venue. Pacific Rim. B, L, D, $-$$

KAPENA’S WOOD FIRED KITCHEN 505 Front St., Lāhainā , 727-2727 Stylish wood-fired pizza joint headed by the Coon family of Trilogy Excursions. Don’t skip a Cin-Bun Sundae with Trilogy’s famous cinnamon rolls for dessert! Pizza, D, $$

KIHEI CAFFE Lāhainā Gateway Plaza, 305 Kiawe St., Lāhainā, 868-2230 See South Shore listing.

KIMO’S 845 Front St., Lāhainā, 661-4811 Hula pie, anyone? Go for a poke and avocado stack followed by Kimo’s signature prime rib. Oceanfront dining. Pacific Rim, L, D, $$$

LĀHAINĀ GRILL 127 Lāhaināluna, Rd., Lāhainā, 667-5117 Treat yourself to a pecan-crusted goat cheese and arugula salad, sesame-crusted ‘ahi steak with jasmine rice, or their famous Kona coffee-roasted rack of lamb with coffee-cabernet demi-glace. Great wine selection and cocktails, too! American/Pacific Rim. D, R, $$$$

LĀHAINĀ PIZZA COMPANY 730 Front St., Ste. 2, 661-0700 Known for its killer deep-dish pies, this venue tied for the 2022 Gold ‘Aipono Award for Best Pizza. You can also enjoy sandwiches, salads, pasta and a great selection of libations. Italian/American. Pizza. L, D, $-$$

LEILANI’S ON THE BEACHWhalers Village, 2435 Kā‘anapali Pkwy., Kā‘anapali, 661-4495 Chef Ryan Luckey rocks island flavors with guava chicken wings, and ‘ahi poke with taro chips. Entrees include filet mignon with green onion gremolata or Parmesancrusted fresh catch. Don’t forget the Hula Pie! Kidfriendly. Steak/Seafood. L, H, D, N, $-$$$$

LEODA’S KITCHEN & PIE SHOP 820 Olowalu Village Rd., Olowalu, 662-3600 Try the house-made pastrami on fresh-baked bread with pineapple coleslaw and an ice-cold beer. The mac-nut chocolate cream pie and fresh-squeezed lemonade will make you want to dance! American. B, L, D, $

LOCAL BOYS SHAVE ICE 624 Front St., Lāhainā, 868-3476 This location also serves açai bowls, coffee and bagels. See also South Shore listing. Kid-friendly. Treats. $

LONGHI’S Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club, 100 Nohea Dr., Kā‘anapali, 667-2288. Try a crisp pinot grigio and a romaine salad tossed with lemon-feta vinaigrette and anchovies. Italian. BR (Fri-Sun), D, $$

MACADANGDANG 2580 Keka‘a Dr., Kā‘anapali 868-0929 Award-winning chef Joey Macadangdang serves a menu like no other! Try the braised duck kare-kare with eggplant in peanut sauce, the mahimahi in lemongrass-oyster cream or the ribeye steak with pepper demi-glace. Great cocktails, too! Filipino Fusion/Sushi. H, D, $-$$$

MĀLA OCEAN TAVERN 1307 Front St., Lāhainā, 667-9394 Māla delivers delicious food and killer cocktails. Start with an oyster shooter and some ‘ahi bruschetta. Then dig into seared scallops with truffle pesto, huli huli chicken with warm potato salad, or the daily catch with kabocha puree. Mediterranean. BR, H, D, N, $-$$$

MAUIGROWN COFFEE CO. STORE 277 Lāhaināluna Rd., Lāhainā, 661-2728 Running low on energy? Head to MauiGrown’s plantation-style hale for a boost. Pumpkin bread and other baked goods round out a great cuppa joe. Coffee Shop/Cafe. B, L, $

MERRIMAN’S KAPALUA 1 Bay Club Pl., Kapalua, 669-6400 Peter Merriman casts his spell on seafood, local beef and produce to create the most delectable fare. Pacific Rim. BR (Sun), L, D, R, $$-$$$$

MISO PHAT SUSHI Kahana Manor, 4310 L. Honoapi‘ilani Rd., #111, Kahana, 669-9010 See South Shore listing.

MOKU ROOTS 335 Keawe St., Lāhainā, 214-5106 This innovative vegan/vegetarian venue won the 2022 Gold ‘Aipono for Best Healthy Fare, as well as the coveted Excellence in Sustainability-Restaurant Award. Vegetarian/Vegan. B, L, D, $

MONKEYPOD KITCHEN Whalers Village, 2435 Kā‘anapali Pkwy., Kā‘anapali, 878-6763 See South Shore listing.

MYTHS OF MAUI LŪ‘AU Royal Lāhainā Resort, 2780 Keka'a Dr., Lāhainā, 877-273-7394 Enjoy all you can eat Hawaiian fares like kālua pork, Moloka‘i sweet potato and fresh fish. Menu also includes keiki friendly choices like chicken nuggets and baked mac and cheese. Lū‘au, D, $$$$

OLD LĀHAINĀ LŪ‘AU 1251 Front St., Lāhainā, 667-0700 This oceanfront venue has won the Gold ‘Aipono Award for Best Lū‘au 19 times – come see why! Begin with kalo (taro) hummus, then choose a traditional Hawaiian dish such as lomilomi salmon or imu-roasted pork. Save room for the mangococonut chcolate bombe! Open bar. Kid-friendly. Lū‘au. D, R, $$$$

PACIFIC’O ON THE BEACH 505 Front St., Lāhainā, 667-4341 Owner Louis Coulombe and managing partners Michele and Qiana DiBari (of Sale Pepe) reimagined this beachfront venue with a new menu by chef Isaac Bancaco. Try the cacio e pepe pasta, Kobe beef short ribs or herb-crusted ‘ahi. Pacific Rim. D, $-$$$

PĀ‘IA FISH MARKET RESTAURANT 632 Front St., Lāhainā, 662-3456 See North Shore listing.

PAPA‘AINA Pioneer Inn, 658 Wharf St., Lāhainā, 661-3636 Bravo’s Top Chef competitor Lee Anne Wong makes simple food from scratch using fresh, locally grown ingredients. Visit the new grab-and-go counter for early morning coffee and eats! Pacific Rim. B, L, H, D, $-$$

PIZZA PARADISO MEDITERRANEAN GRILL

3350 L. Honoapi‘ilani Hwy., Kā‘anapali, 667-2929 Juicy gyros, flavorful falafel in warm pita with a side of tabbouleh, kabob platters and pizza. Dine in or take out. Pizza/Mediterranean. L, D, $-$$

PRISON STREET PIZZA 133 Prison St., Lāhainā, 662-3332 East Coast-style pizza, Caesar salad, calzones and more. Italian/Pizza. L, D, $

ROY’S 2290 Kā‘anapali Pkwy., Kā‘anapali, 669-6999

Line up for the half-pound Maui Cattle Co. burger on a brioche bun for lunch. For dinner, try the blackened ‘ahi or the honey-mustard-glazed beef short ribs. Pacific Rim. B, L, H, D, $$$$

ROYAL OCEAN TERRACE RESTAURANT Royal Lāhainā Resort & Spa, 2780 Keka‘a Dr., Kā‘anapali, 661-3611 Breakfast offerings include loco moco and eggs Benedict, or go light with avocado toast topped with microgreens. Burgers and prime rib, too. Pacific Rim. B, L, D, $-$$

SALE PEPE 878 Front St., Lāhainā, 667-7667 Brick-oven-fired pizza and flatbreads highlight a menu that changes daily. Enjoy pancetta and ceci puree on grilled crostini and house-made strozzapreti pasta –just like chef Michele Di Bari’s mama makes in Italy. Good Italian wines and beer. Italian/Pizza. D, $$

SANSEI SEAFOOD RESTAURANT & SUSHI BAR

600 S. Office Rd., Kapalua, 669-6286 Small and action-packed, D.K. Kodama’s classy sushi bar draws lines late into the night. Try a Kenny G roll (snapper with shiso and ponzu sauce) with a sip of sake. Pacific Rim/Sushi. D, N, R, $$$

THE SEA HOUSE RESTAURANT Nāpili Kai Beach Resort, 5900 L. Honoapi‘ilani Rd., Nāpili, 669-1500 Start the day with oven-baked pancakes laden with fruit. Enjoy coconut-crusted shrimp as the sun sinks into Nāpili Bay. On Wednesdays, stay for Grammy Award-winner George Kahumoku Jr.’s Masters of Hawaiian Slack-Key Guitar. Pacific Rim.

B, L, H, D, $$$

SON’Z STEAKHOUSE Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, 200 Nohea Kai Dr., Kā‘anapali, 667-4506 Moroccan-spiced blackened ‘ahi with soy-mustard sauce will rock your evening. Sink your teeth into filet mignon carpaccio, rib-eye steak, or mahimahi in lemon-caper butter. Pacific Rim/Steak. H, D, N, $$-$$$$

STAR NOODLE 1285 Front St., Lāhainā, 667-5400 Big-city style and local flavors unite. Enjoy a Golden Star sparkling jasmine tea as you drink in the view of Lāna‘i across the channel. The ramen broth is extra smoky, the Singapore noodles bright and flavorful. Asian. L, D, $$

SUNSET LŪ‘AU AT KAPALUA BAY Montage at Kapalua Bay 1 Bay Dr., Kapalua, 662-6627 This twice-weekly lū‘au caps at just 40 guests for an intimate experience. Dig into plates of ‘ulu mac salad, ribeye and kanpanchi poke. Lū‘au, D, R, $$$$

TAVERNA 2000 Village Rd., Kapalua, 667-2426 House-made pasta, agrodolce-style fish of the day and Italian desserts stand up to the grand finale: espresso with grappa. Great wine, cocktails and craft beer. Italian. B, L, H, D, $$-$$$

TEDDY’S BIGGER BURGERS 335 Keawe St., Lāhainā, 661-9111 The staff hand-pat the burgers, charbroil them to order and serve them in a fun diner ambiance. Kid-friendly. American. L, D, $

THAI CHEF Old Lāhainā Center, 878 Front St., Lāhainā, 667-2814 This well-loved venue keeps diners coming back. Commendable curries, fresh prawn spring rolls and beef salad with tangy sauce. Thai. L, D, $

TOMMY BAHAMA MARLIN BAR 900 Front St., Lāhainā, 500-6204. Blackened mahimahi tacos, furikake and sriracha-aioli tater tots, and worldfamous coconut shrimp. Great drinks, too! Pacific Rim. L, H, D, $-$$

ULULANI’S HAWAIIAN SHAVE ICE 790 Front St., Lāhainā, 877-3700 and Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, 200 Nohea Kai Dr., Kā‘anapali Homemade tropical-flavored syrups such as liliko‘i and coconut set this shave-ice business apart. Kid-friendly. Treats. $

‘ŪMALU Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, 200 Nohea Kai Dr., Kā‘anapali, 667-4902 Head poolside for Kobe beef sliders or ‘ahi poke nachos. Knock back a “Mutiny on the Carthaginian” cocktail inspired by Lāhainā’s rowdy whaling past. American/Pacific Rim. L, H, D, $$$

WAIKIKI BREWING COMPANY 900 Front St., Lāhainā, 856-0036 Paddy’s Irish Stout and Waikele Wheat brew temper the heat of the jalapeño queso dip served with a giant pretzel. Try the smoked Kona-coffee-rubbed beef brisket and cheddar potato cake. American. BR, L, D, $ -$$

WAILELE POLYNESIAN LŪ‘AU Westin Maui Resort, 2365 Kā‘anapali Parkway, Lāhainā, 661-2992 Sunset lū‘au featuring Polynesian entertainment and fire dancers on Kā‘anapali Beach. Menu runs the gamut of traditional Hawaiian and contemporary island fares. Lū‘au, D, $$$$

SOUTH SHORE

AKAMAI COFFEE COMPANY 1325 S. Kīhei Rd., #100, Kīhei, 868-3251 and 116 Wailea Ike Dr., Wailea, 868-0003 Offering 100 percent Maui-grown coffee roasted locally for the highest-quality flavor. Espresso, French press and nitro brews available. Coffee Shop. $

AMIGO’S 1215 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, See also West Maui listing.

THE BIRDCAGE BAR HOTEL Wailea, 555 Kaukahi, St., Wailea, 874-8581 Elegant, high-ceilinged space in the Hotel Wailea. Tapas, small plates, wine and an extensive list of craft cocktails. D, N, $$$

BISTRO MOLOKINI Grand Wailea Maui Resort, 3850 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 875-1234 A casual, openair eatery serving organic Kurobuta pork, Hāna Bay fish and chips and grilled mahimahi made with fresh, local ingredients. Kid-friendly. American. L, D, $$$

BOTERO LOUNGE Grand Wailea Maui Resort, 3850 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 875-1234 Named for the surrounding Fernando Botero sculptures, this lounge offers nightly entertainment. On Thirsty Thursdays, a three-cocktail tasting is just $20. Lounge. L, D, H, N, $

CAFE O’LEI 2439 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 891-1368 Choose from macadamia nut-crusted chicken, seared ‘ahi tuna, tiger shrimp linguine and other favorites. See also Central listing. American/Pacific Rim. B, L, D, $$

COCONUT’S FISH CAFE  Azeka Shopping Center Mauka, 1279 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 875-9979 and 2463 S. Kīhei Rd. Kīhei, 875-4949 Dive into fresh fish tacos, a grilled fish burger or fish and chips. The cabbage slaw with coconut dressing and mango salsa sets this eatery apart. American. L, D, $$

Dining Guide

DA KITCHEN 1215 S. Kīhei Rd., Ste. E, Kīhei, 446-3486 Local food and good vibes meet! Spam musubi, chicken katsu, kalbi ribs, locomoco and da Hawaiian plate. Hawai‘i Regional. L, D, $-$$

DIAMONDS ICE BAR & GRILL 1279 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei 874-9299 Casual watering hole with live music, billiards, TVs and darts. Daily food and drink specials, outdoor seating and late-night offerings. American. B. L. D. $$

DUO STEAK AND SEAFOOD Four Seasons Resort Maui, 3900 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 8748000 Breakfast buffet or à la carte? Did someone mention chateaubriand? Four Seasons never disappoints. Pacific Rim. B, D, $-$$$

EKOLU KITCHEN1297 1279 S. Kīhei Rd. Ste. 201, Kīhei 793-3333 Craft cocktails and inventive international menu with fresh seafood, locally sourced smoked meats and wood roasted flatbreads. International. D, $$

FABIANI’S PIZZERIA & BAKERY South Maui Center, 95 E. Līpoa St., Kīhei, 874-0888 Gagels and lox, fresh croissants, caprese salad with local tomatoes, thin-crust and gluten-free pizza, and spaghetti with pork sausage meatballs. Italian/Bakery. HR, D, $-$$

FAT DADDY’S SMOKEHOUSE 1913 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 879-8711 Pulled pork, beef brisket and pork ribs smoked 15 hours over kiawe. Enjoy sides: cornbread, chili-garlic beans and two cabbage slaws: sweet/tart and blue cheese/apples. American. D, $-$$

FEAST AT MŌKAPU LŪ‘AU Andaz Maui Resort, 3550 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 573-1234 Upscale beachside lū‘au with an emphasis on Polynesian voyaging history. Known for its unique cocktails and artful, chef-crafted traditional Hawaiian plates served family-style. Lū‘au, D, $$$$

FERRARO’S BAR E RISTORANTE Four Seasons Resort Maui, 3900 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 8748000 For lunch, enjoy a veggie quesadilla or grilled tenderloin sandwich served poolside. For dinner, salumi and lobster tagliatelle. Italian. L, H, D, $$$$

FORK & SALAD 1279 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 879-3675 Chef/owners Cody, Travis and Jaron serve up green superfoods topped with pastrami-style seared ‘ahi, baked quinoa falafel, or ginger tofu. Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free options. International. L, D, $

FOUR SEASONS LOBBY LOUNGE Four Seasons

Resort Maui, 3900 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 874-8000 Impeccable service, a locally sourced menu, swanky cocktails and performances by local musicians. Pacific Rim. H, D, N, $$$$

GANNON’S 100 Wailea Golf Club Dr., Wailea, 875-8080 Order drinks at the Red Bar, then enjoy chef Bev Gannon’s fine comfort food: maple vinaigrette chicken salad, or venison atop Parmesan risotto. Pacific Rim. B, L, D, $$$

HAVENS 30 Manao Kala St., Kīhei, 868-2600 There’s a reason why this venue won ‘Aipono Gold for Best Burger in 2022: the smash burger and noodles. Eat it with chopsticks in one hand and burger in the other – local style! Hawai‘i Regional. B, L, D, $-$$ HOME MAID CAFE 1280 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei 874-6035 Family-owned hole-in-the-wall known for its madeto-order malasadas. Classic breakfast plates, saimin and sandwiches. American, Local. B. L. $

HONOLULU COFFEE 3750 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 875-6630 Hawai‘i's take on Starbucks, serving classic and creative espresso drinks and Kona coffee. Come for a cup of joe and a pastry, or purchase a bag of Kona coffee to take home. Coffee, B, $

HUMBLE MARKET KITCHIN Wailea Beach Resort, 3700 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 879-4655 Chef Roy Yamaguchi hits it out of the park with Hawaiian sweetbread French toast for breakfast, crispy calamari and a Magnum P.I. cocktail at happy hour, and Roy’s classic blackened island ‘ahi for dinner. Hawai‘i Regional. B, H, D, $-$$$

HUMUHUMUNUKUNUKUĀPUA‘A Grand Wailea Maui Resort, 3850 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 8751234 Idyllic restaurant constructed from Big Island ohia wood overlooking Wailea Beach. Menu features a balance of land and ocean sourced Hawaiian fares like Huli Huli chicken and miso butterfish. Hawai‘i Regional, D, $$$$

ISLAND GOURMET MARKETS The Shops at Wailea, 3750 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 874-5055 Sushi to go, deli sandwiches, plate lunches and more. Pacific Rim. B, L, D, $

KA‘ANA KITCHEN Andaz Maui Resort, 3550 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 573-1234 A Wagyu hangar steak on a green papaya salad, charred octopus with local goat cheese, Kona abalone risotto, and a modern take on chicken and waffles. Curated wine list and mixology at its finest. Asian Fusion. B, D, $$$$

KAMANA KITCHEN 1881 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 879-7888 Eye-catching art and Indian relics accent a menu highlighting exotic spices and dishes, all lovingly created from family recipes. Lunch buffet. Indian. L, D, $-$$

KIHEI CAFFE Kīhei Kalama Village, 1945 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 879-2230 Hungry at 5 a.m.? Head to this local hangout for banana-mac-nut pancakes, loco moco and a cuppa joe. Cafe. B, L, $-$$

KŌ Fairmont Kea Lani Resort, 4100 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 875-2210 Plantation Era cuisine takes the spotlight. Try the Kobe beef poke appetizer and “On the Rock” – three mouthwatering morsels of ‘ahi served with a 300-degree lava rock to sear them to perfection. 2022 ‘Aipono Restaurant of the Year. Pacific Rim. L, H, D, R, $$$

LEHUA LOUNGE Andaz Maui Resort, 3550 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 573-1234 Cocktails created with local seasonal ingredients, such as lychee, liliko‘i (passion fruit) and Hawaiian navel oranges, pair perfectly with Ka‘ana Kitchen’s award-winning menu. Lounge. H, $

LINEAGE The Shops at Wailea, 3750 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 879-8800 If Cantonese lobster noodles and leeks, ginger and XO butter, crispy Korean chicken with pickles made in house, and Wagyu Kalbi short ribs with garlic rice get your juices flowing, head to Wailea. Eat. Drink. Talk story. Pacific Rim. D, $-$$

LOCAL BOYS SHAVE ICE Kīhei Kalama Village, 1941 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 344-9779 Chill out with a mountain of fruity shave ice served with plantation era-inspired add-ons like haupia (coconut pudding) and macadamia nut ice cream. Treats. $

LUANA LOUNGE  Fairmont Kea Lani Resort, 4100 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 875-4100 This lobby lounge re-imagines happy hour in tropical surroundings. Try the kālua pork flatbread with mango barbecue sauce and lomilomi tomato, paired with an ice-cold passion fruit ale. Japanese. D, N, $-$$

MANOLI’S PIZZA COMPANY 100 Wailea Ike Dr., Wailea, 874-7499 Manoli’s believes in fresh, organic and sustainable ingredients. Order a pizza with organic wheat or gluten-free crust, or dig into authentic chicken scaloppine. Italian/ Pizza. L, H, D, N, $$

MATTEO’S OSTERIA Wailea Town Center, 161 Wailea Ike Pl., Wailea, 879-8466 Matteo’s meatball sandwich with Maui Cattle Co. beef and Italian sausage, or ‘ahi crusted with Calabrese olive tapenade. Italian. L, H, D, $$-$$$

MAUI BREWING CO.  605 Līpoa Pkwy., Kīhei, 201-2337 This off-the-grid brewery offers 36 craft and specialty beers, as well as burgers, pizzas, fish tacos and salads. Brewery/Pacific Rim. L, H, D, N, $-$$

MAUI BRICK OVEN 1215 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei 8757896 Gluten-free restaurant serving fish and chips, pasta and crispy thin crust pizza. Familyfriendly space with kids menu. GF Italian, American. D. $$

MAUI THAI BISTRO Rainbow Mall, 2439 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 874-5605 Thai food cooked by Thai chefs! Kaffir-scented tom yum fried rice, green mango salad with crispy fried-fish filets, and house curries. Beer and wine bar. Thai. L, D, $-$$

MISO PHAT SUSHI Azeka Shopping Center Mauka, 1279 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 891-6476 Sushi served on-site, to-go, or delivered. Sashimi platters, sushi rolls, nigiri and specialty rolls. Omakase heaven! See also West Side listing. Japanese. L, H, D, $$

MONKEYPOD KITCHEN Wailea Gateway Center, 10 Wailea Gateway Pl., Wailea, 8912322 Lunch at this Peter Merriman chain includes pizza, burgers, tacos and ramen. For dinner, Big Island rib-eye with chimichurri sauce, gnocchi with pork sausage and banana cream pie. See also West Side listing. Hawai‘i Regional. L, H, D, N, $$

MORIMOTO MAUI 3550 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 243-4766 Headed by celebrity chef Masaharu Morimoto, this sleek restaurant in the Andaz Wailea fuses Japanese and Western fares; wagyu steaks, sushi and sashimi. Japanese American. L, D, $$-$$$

MULLIGANS ON THE BLUE  100 Kaukahi St., Wailea, 874-1131 Guinness poured properly at Maui’s only Irish-owned pub. Enjoy fish and chips, bangers and mash, and shepherd’s pie. Great music and sports-bar action, too. Sláinte! Irish pub. L, H, D, $-$$$

NALU’S SOUTH SHORE GRILL  Azeka Shopping Center Makai, 1280 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 8918650 Generous portions made with local ingredients served with aloha. Try the ‘ahi club with smoked bacon, fresh fish ‘n’ chips and hearty burgers. American/Pacific Rim. B, L, H, D, $-$$

NICK’S FISHMARKET Fairmont Kea Lani Resort, 4100 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 879-7224 Enjoy classic seafood dishes beneath the stars. Woo your date with plump strawberries drenched in Grand Marnier and set aflame. Pacific Rim/Seafood. H, D, R, $$$$

NUTCHAREE’S AUTHENTIC THAI FOOD Azeka Shopping Center Makai, 1280 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 633-4840 Start with the ‘ahi laab tartare salad or crispy fish and mango salad, then dig into tender braised short ribs smothered in massaman curry. Don’t forget the spring rolls! Thai. L, D, $-$$

PĀ‘IA FISH MARKET RESTAURANT 1913 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 874-8888 See North Shore listing.

THE PINT & CORK The Shops at Wailea, 3750 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 727-2038 Mac ‘n’ cheese with black truffles, shrimp and grits with chorizo,

PEGGY SUE’S 1279 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 214-6786 Bright 1950s style diner with jukebox serving burgers, milkshakes and creative hot dogs. American. L. D. $$

PITA PARADISE Wailea Gateway Center, 34 Wailea Ike Dr., Wailea, 879-7177 Start with spinach tiropitas with caramelized onions, feta, mozzarella and tzatziki wrapped in phyllo dough, then move on to kabobs, pasta and gyros. Finish with baklava icecream cake. Mediterranean. L, H, D, $-$$$

PIZZA MADNESS 1455 S Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 270-9888 Classic pizza joint with thick-crust pies, salads and wings in the heart of Kīhei. Open for dine-in, takeaway and happy hour. American, L, D, $$

THE RESTAURANT AT HOTEL WAILEA Hotel Wailea, 555 Kaukahi St., Wailea, 879-2224 Produce from the hotel’s gardens, fish plucked from the sea, and a gorgeous outdoor setting are among the reasons this venue won ‘Aipono Gold in 2022 for Most Romantic Restaurant. European-inspired. H, D, N, R, $$-$$$$

ROASTED CHILES Azeka Shopping Center Mauka, 1279 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 868-4357 Ofir and Suki Benitez share family recipes like chicken mole, pozole verde and langostino enchiladas with tomatillo cream sauce. Giant margaritas! Mexican. L, H, D, $-$$

RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE The Shops at Wailea, 3750 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 874-8880 Steaks and homespun side dishes worthy of devotion, top-flight service and a superb wine list. American. H, D, N, R, $$$$

SANSEI SEAFOOD RESTAURANT & SUSHI BAR Kukui Mall, 1819 Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 868-0780 See West Side listing.

SEASCAPE RESTAURANT Maui Ocean Center, 192 S. Mā‘alaea Rd., Mā‘alaea, 270-7068 Adjacent to an award-winning aquarium, Seascape serves up harbor views with a hearty side of aloha. Mahimahi sandwiches with fresh cabbage slaw, half-pound burgers and fresh veggies. Save room for Maui Mud Pie! American. L, H, D (Sat & Sun), $$-$$$

SOUTH SHORE TIKI LOUNGE Kīhei Kalama Village, 1913 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 874-6444 Gourmet pizza, burgers, salads and vegetarian items round out the menu at this hip bar. American. L, D, N, $

SPAGO Four Seasons Resort, 3900 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 874-8000 Start with fresh poke nestled in crunchy sesame-miso cones, then enjoy the caramelized pork chop with exotic notes of anise, cinnamon and pineapple. Chef Peleg will have you singing his praises. Pacific Rim. D, N, $$-$$$

SUSHI PARADISE 1215 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 8793751 Small, sought-after sushi joint in Azeka Center. High-quality fresh sushi with generous portions. Reservations recommended. Japanese. D, $$

TANPOPO 1215 S. Kīhei Rd., #F, Kīhei, 446-3038 Lunch includes Japanese-style chicken curry, California rolls and beef burgers. Dinner fuses Italian and Japanese with pasta, flatbreads, sashimi, sushi and tempura. Japanese/Italian Fusion. L, D, $-$$$

THREE’S BAR & GRILL  1945-G S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 879-3133 Eggs Benedict six ways, including seared ‘ahi, smoked salmon and prime rib. For lunch, Peruvian pork tacos or signature ramen. For dinner, truffle-yaki marinated flatiron steak. Pacific Rim/Southwestern. B, L, H, D, $$-$$$

TOMMY BAHAMA RESTAURANT & BAR The Shops at Wailea, 3750 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, 875-9983 Who’d guess a clothing company could deliver such delish pork sandwiches and Caribbean-inspired libations? Caribbean/Pacific Rim. L, H, D, N, $-$$

THE TREEHOUSE HOTEL WAILEA, 555 Kaukahi, St., Wailea, 874-0500 A unique dining experience tucked in the branches of mango and avocado trees. Seven course private chef dinner with wine pairings for up to six people (seated). Private Dining, D, R, $$$$

ULULANI’S HAWAIIAN SHAVE ICE 61 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei See West Side listing.

VIETNAMESE CUISINE Azeka Shopping Center

Mauka, 1280 S. Kīhei Rd., Kīhei, 875-2088 Start with shrimp spring rolls served with tamarindpeanut sauce. Then the grilled pork with pickled root veggies; a traditional clay-pot dish; or pho, steak and noodle soup. Vietnamese. L, D, $-$$

CENTRAL

808 ON MAIN 2051 Main St., Wailuku 242-1111

Soup, sandwiches and salads in a stylish spot on Main Street. A Wailuku lunchtime favorite. American. L, $$

ALIVE & WELL (BROTH CAFE) 340 Hāna Hwy., Kahului, 877-4950 Alive & Well’s revamped Broth Cafe is known for its health-conscious wraps, bowls, smoothies, bahn mi and salads. Go for a green burrito with purple sweet potatoes or try taro bahn mi and tan tan International, B, L, $-$$

BA-LE 1824 Oihana St., Wailuku 249-8833 Vietnamese counter-service eatery with bahn mi, pho, plate lunches and fresh baked bread and croissants. Additional locations in Kahului, Kīhei and Lāhainā. Vietnamese. L, D, $$

BISTRO CASANOVA 33 Lono Ave., Kahului, 8733650 This downtown bistro serves paella for two, fresh-cut french fries and burrata caprese. Best pau hana (happy hour) in Kahului! Mediterranean. L, H, D, R, $-$$

CAFE O’LEI AT THE MILL HOUSE Maui Tropical Plantation, 1670 Honoapi‘ilani Hwy., Waikapū, 5000553 Fun, expanded menu at the restaurant group’s newest venue. The most beautiful mountain view in the Central Valley! Hawai‘i Regional. L, H, D, R, $-$$$

ESTERS FAIR PROSPECT 2050 Main St., Wailuku, 868-0056 Serving classic cocktails, tiki drinks, spirits, rum, mezcal, wine and beer. Local farm-to-tableinspired small lates. Rosé wine and daiquiries during happy hour. Open 2-10 p.m. Lounge/snacks. H, N, $

FORK & SALAD Pu‘unene Shopping Center, 120 Ho‘okele St., #330, Kahului, 793-3256 See South Shore listing

FUEGO ARGENTINIAN STEAKHOUSE 1333 Maui Lani Pkwy., Kahului, 633-4436 Cozy indoor and outdoor seating on the Dunes at Maui Lani Golf Course. Authentic Argentinian-style barbeque, pasta and sandwiches. Extensive list of cocktails and international wines. Latin-inspired. B, L, D $$-$$$

2050 Main St., Wailuku 244Bodega-style eatery with pizzas and homeItalian. L, D, $

HAVENS Plate Lunch Marketplace, 591 Haleakalā Hwy., 868-0555 Enjoy the same smash burgers and sushi at this gourmet food truck. Plenty kau kau! See also South Shore listing. Food Truck. L, D, $

KING’S CHINESE BBQ 197 N. Market St., Wailuku 242-8848 No frills, counter-service joint serving Chinese BBQ and local favorites like saimin and spam musubi. Additional locations in Kīhei and Ha‘ikū. Chinese, Local Mixed-Plate. B, L, D, $$

MARCO’S GRILL AND DELI 444 Hana Hwy, Kahului 877-4466 Family friendly Italian-American diner with homestyle eats like meatball subs, vodka rigatoni and shrimp scampi. Classic breakfast plates available before 12 p.m. Breakfast, Italian, B, L, D, $$-$$$

MAUI COFFEE ROASTERS 444 Hāna Hwy., Kahului, 877-CUPS (2877) Pastries, muffins, salads, sandwiches, wraps, and bagels and lox made to order. Fresh-roasted coffee beans set this experience above the rest. “Happy Cappy Hour” 2-6 p.m. Coffee Shop. B, L, H, $

MAUI FRESH STREATERY MauiFreshStreatery .com Kyle Kawakami, ‘Aipono’s 2019 Chef of the Year, also won for Silver for Best Food Truck in 2022. Imaginative poutine, ethnic dishes from around the world, and a modern take on local fare. Follow him on Facebook for locations. Food Truck. L, $

MAUI TACOS 58 Ho‘okele St. Unit #530, Kahului, 793-3931 Chef Mark Ellman founded this Maui franchise in 1993. Known for island-style fish tacos, heaping burritos and trademark salsas. Additional locations in Kīhei and Nāpili. Mexican. B, L, D, $

MIKO’S CUISINE 1764 Wili Pa Loop, Wailuku, 8682914 Small off-the-beaten-path eatery with Chinese, Korean and Japanese fares. Asian. L, D, $$

The Magic Returns!

CHEF’S TABLE

MIYAKO SUSHI 1883 Wili Pa Loop, Wailuku, 244-0085 Sequestered Okazuya style sushi joint also specializing in antiques and local snacks. Carryout only. Japanese. B, L, $

MOMONA BAKERY AND COFFEE SHOP 7 E Kaahumanu Ave., Kahului, 214-3589 Chic, spacious coffee shop serving fresh pastries, including cakes and Argentinianstyle croissants. Come early for best selection. Latin-inspired bakery. B, L, $

MY THAI MAUI 230 Hana Hwy, Kahului 877-8887 Hole-in-the-wall eatery serving authentic Thai plates like tom kha, larb and pad woon sen. Favorites like curry, pad thai and bao are also on offer. Thai, L, D, $$

ONLY ONO BBQ Heritage Hall, Pā‘ia, onlyonobbq.com, 777-9026 Crispy-skin Chinese-style roast pork and duck, bao pork buns, plate lunches, smoked brisket. Location varies (see website for schedule). Food Truck. Chinese/American. L, D, $

SAM SATO’S 1750 Wili Pa Loop, Wailuku, 244-7124 This beloved Maui restaurant sets the standard for dry mein, saimin and chow fun. Asian. B, L, $

SHIKEDA BENTO PATISSERIE 2050 Main St., Wailuku 500-2556 Japanese bento and patisserie shop located in the food court on Main Street in Wailuku. Get there early for a selection of bentos and colorful Japanese pastries like azuki cream puffs, matcha berry rolls and ube coconut shortcake. Japanese, B, L, $-$$

SIXTY-TWO MARCKET 62 N Market St., 793-2277 Part market, part brunch joint with artfully plated eggs benedicts, frittatas and omeletes. Lunch time offerings include soup, sandwiches and salads. Silver medal for Best Business Lunch at 2022 ‘Aipono Awards. American. B, L, $$

THAI MEE UP Plate Lunch Marketplace, 591 Haleakalā Hwy., Kahului, 2143369 Addictive fried pork ribs and luscious pad Thai noodles. Curry, too! Thai. Food Truck. L, D, $

TIGHT TACOS 349 Hanakai St., Kahului, 707-1221 Scratch great Mexican off your foodie bucket list! Get the three-taco plate lunch (braised beef, pork and shrimp) with corn, rice and salsa. Mexican. L, $

TIN ROOF MAUI 360 Papa Pl., Kahului, 868-0753 Sheldon Simeon of Bravo’s

Top Chef fame builds memorable kau kau bowls filled with mochiko chicken or garlic shrimp. Try the saimin, kale salad, or double-fried-chicken sandwich on a brioche bun. Pacific Rim. L, $

TJ’S WAREHOUSE 875 Alua St., Wailuku, 244-7311 Located in Wailuku Industrial Park, TJ’s serves plate lunch to go: chicken katsu, fried saba (mackerel), and a hot line of daily specials, like potato croquettes, nishime and poke. Asian. B, L, $

TASTY CRUST 1770 Mill St., Wailuku, 244-0845 A Maui mainstay since 1942 serving breakfast classics and island-style lunch and dinner. Cash or debit only. American, Local Mixed-Plate. B, L, D, $

THE EMPANADA LADY  2119 W. Vineyard St., Wailuku, 868-4544 Gardenlike eatery in the heart of Wailuku serving authentic Puerto Rican fares. Puerto Rican. L, D, $$

TIFFANY’S 1424 Lower Main St., Wailuku 249-0052 Revitalized local eatery helmed by celebrity chef Sheldon Simeon. Filipino, Japanese and local-style fares. Pacific Rim Open for lunch on weekends. Asian, Local. L, D, $$

TOKYO TEI 1063 Lower Main St., Wailuku 242-8848 Longstanding Wailuku staple with authentic Japanese fares in a family-friendly atmosphere. Japanese. L, D, $$

ULULANI’S HAWAIIAN SHAVE ICE 333 Dairy Rd., Kahului Second Central Maui location: 50 Maui Lani Pkwy., Wailuku See West Side listing.

UMI MAUI 1951 Vineyard St., Wailuku, 269-1802 and Food Truck, Maui Street Market, 150 Hāna Hwy., 500-8783. If a California roll topped with tuna, hamachi, salmon and unagi rocks your world, then chef Jayse Sato’s restaurant is your earthquake! Creative presentations, epic soft-shell crab bao buns. BYOB. Japanese. D, $-$$

WAILUKU COFFEE CO. 28 N. Market St., Wailuku, 495-0259 Espresso, salads and sandwiches in a relaxed and eclectic setting. Coffee Shop. B, L, $

UPCOUNTRY

CASANOVA ITALIAN RESTAURANT 1188 Makawao Ave., Makawao 5720220 Upscale Italian with fresh pastas, wood-fired pizzas and polished service. Italian. D, R, $$

GRANDMA’S COFFEE HOUSE 9232 Kula Hwy., Kēōkea, 878-2140 The eggs Benedict and baked goods made from scratch are worth the trek. For lunch, enjoy a hamburger with Swiss cheese and caramelized onions. Coffee Shop/ Cafe. B, L, $-$$

KULA LODGE 12500 Haleakalā Hwy., Kula, 878-1535 Come for the beautiful views and manicured garden, stay for a farm-to-table brunch and wood-fired pizzas. Now under 5 Palms management. American, Pacific Rim. B, L, D, $$$

KULAMALU FOOD TRUCK LOT Kiopa‘a St., Pukalani, (next to Upcountry Longs) An eclectic array of fare, including vegetarian, plate lunch, açai bowls, barbecue and more. Food Truck. $-$$

LA PROVENCE 3158 L. Kula Rd., Kula, 878-1313 Perfect croissants, fruit tarts, blueberry-mango scones and artisan breads baked fresh daily. Great coffee. Cash only. French/Bakery. B, L, (Weds-Sun), $

LUMERIA’S WOODEN CRATE 1813 Baldwin Ave., Makawao, 579-8877 Fresh, locally caught fish and healthy fare highlight a menu that changes daily. Produce grown on site is the foundation for many dishes at this charming retreat. Pacific Rim. B, L, D, R, $$-$$$$

MARLOW 30 Kupaoa St., A104, Pukalani, 8683366 Chef Jeff and Kaili Scheer know good food, and this family-owned restaurant serves wood-fired sourdough pizza, killer meatballs and rustic salads. Great wine menu, too! Italian. D, $-$$

MAUIWINE 14815 Pi‘ilani Hwy., ‘Ulupalakua, 878-6058

Enjoy wine tastings and light fare on the open-air lānai. Immaculate grounds surrounding the winetasting room. Winery. L, $-$$

POLLI’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT 1202 Makawao Ave., Makawao 575-7808 A Makawao cornerstone, this local watering hole is famous for its margaritas, Tex-Mex style fares and buzzy vibe. Mexican. L, D, $$

NUKA 780 Ha‘ikū Rd., Ha‘ikū, 575-2939 Izakaya food with flavor and style. Start with paper-thin fried gobo chips, then ‘ahi tataki with ponzu sauce. Creative lunch and dinner specials. Save room for black-sesame or green-tea ice cream! Japanese. L, D, $$-$$$

O‘O FARM 651 Waipoli Rd., Kula. Call Pacific’o for reservations, 667-4341 Learn about gardening and coffee roasting. Enjoy a breakfast veggie frittata, bread from the wood-burning oven and freshroasted coffee. Lunch includes chicken/fish entrees, veggies and dessert. American. B, L, R, $$$$

SATORI 3655 Baldwin Ave., Makawao 727-9638

Food truck serving healthy sushi hand rolls, ramen and inventive sushi specials. Cozy outdoor seating area in the heart of Makawao. Japanese. L, D, $$

ULUPALAKUA RANCH STORE & GRILL 14800

Pi‘ilani Hwy., ‘Ulupalakua, 878-2561 Deli fare, lamb burgers with tzatziki, and beef or grass-fed venison burgers. Plus, homestyle chili and rice, or kālua pork plate lunch. American. L, D, $

NORTH SHORE

CAFÉ DES AMIS 42 Baldwin Ave., Pā‘ia, 5796323 Savory crêpes served with wild greens and a dollop of sour cream. Lightly spiced curries come with chutney and raita (Indian yogurt sauce). Kid-friendly. Mediterranean. L, D, $

FLATBREAD COMPANY 89 Hāna Hwy., Pā‘ia, 579-8989 Big booths, a snazzy bar scene and organic flatbreads laden with maple-fennel sausage and roasted veggies. Kid-friendly. Pizza. L, D, N, $$

HANA HOU SURF CLUB 65 Hāna Hwy., Pā‘ia, 707-9752 Try a loco moco or açai bowl for breakfast, a poke bowl or burger for lunch. International. B, L (Fri & Sat), $-$$$

LIMA COCINA + CANTINA  71 Baldwin Ave., Pā‘ia, 868-0520 Airy restaurant serving artful Peruvian cuisine like saltados and ceviche. Inventive pisco-heavy cocktail list and late-night offerings on Fridays/ Saturdays. Latin-inspired. L, D, N, $$-$$$

MAMA’S FISH HOUSE 799 Poho Pl., Kū‘au, 579-8488 Famous for its beautiful beachside setting and Polynesian-inspired cuisine, Mama’s evokes old-time island hospitality. In 2018, this Maui institution became a James Beard nominee for Best Restaurant. Hawaiian/Seafood. L, D, R, $$-$$$$

NYLOS 135 Baldwin Ave., Pā‘ia, 579-3354 This six-course prix-fixe menu is created with the finest ingredients, like Osetra caviar, wild truffles and line-caught local fish. International. D (5 & 8 p.m. seatings), R, $$$$

PĀ‘IA FISH MARKET RESTAURANT 100 Hāna Hwy. Pā‘ia, 579-8030 Huge slabs of fish served with coleslaw on burger buns explain the line out the door. Order your ‘ahi burger rare and squeeze in beside surfers and families. Kid-friendly. Seafood. L, D, $-$$

TOBI‘S POKE & SHAVE ICE 137 Hāna Hwy., Pāʻia, 579-9745 A north shore go-to for heaping poke bowls and seared ahi plates. Or, cool down with a colorful shave ice with up to three flavors. Local, L, $-$$

VANA PĀ‘IA 93 Hāna Hwy. #3, Pā‘ia, 579-6002 Start with a liliko‘i mezcalita, then work your way down the menu and try the hamachi carpaccio, nigiri sushi, dragon roll, or black garlic-miso eggplant. Asian Fusion. H, D, $-$$

HĀNA

BAREFOOT CAFE 1632 Keawa Pl., Hāna, 446-5732

Take out a breakfast like French toast or scrambled eggs with Portuguese sausage. Midday, get a burger or mahimahi plate lunch to-go. Pacific Rim. B, L, $

DA FISH SHACK 5260 Hāna Hwy., Hāna 269-3922

Your favorite island fish dish is on the menu at Da Fish Shack, from fresh fish tacos to poke and coconut shrimp. Not in the mood for fish? Go for a Paniolo burger with black angus beef. Seafood, D, $

THE RESTAURANT Hāna-Maui Resort, 5031 Hāna Hwy., Hāna, 359-2401 Hāna-sourced fish and local produce are the basis of this original menu. Try a craft cocktail with fresh juice. Pacific Rim. B, L, D, R, $$-$$$$

Hanana

Maui's Calendar of Events

by SERENE GUNNISON

Lāna‘i Pineapple Festival

July 1 • Dole Park, Lāna‘i City

Pineapples have long been a symbol of the tropics. But on Lāna‘i, the sweet, prickly fruits are emblematic of the island’s history and modern cultural landscape.

In 1923, James Dole established Lāna‘i’s first pineapple plantation, which led to the construction of Lāna‘i City and subsequent population boom, as immigrants from Asia arrived to work on the plantation. From 1920 to 1940, Lāna‘i’s population grew from 150 residents to over 3,600. Business was booming. Dole’s plantation became the world's largest pineapple exporter, producing about 75 percent of the planet’s pineapples, hence Lāna‘i’s moniker, the “Pineapple Isle.”

Although the last pineapple harvest on Lāna‘i was 30 years ago, each 4th of July weekend the Pineapple Isle lives up to its nickname by honoring its storied relationship with pineapple. Held in Dole Park, the Lāna‘i Pineapple Festival is one of the biggest annual celebrations on the island.

“It’s basically like a big fair in the park,” says Kay Okamoto, one of the event’s organizers. Each year, a melange of booths go up in Dole Park, showcasing crafts, games and a vast selection of ‘ono food. The festival also features the best homegrown entertainers and cultural displays. Past festivals have included performances by local hālau (hula schools), Chinese lion dances, taiko drummers and musical acts.

Of course, pineapple is a staple at the festival. “We get pineapple donated and we serve it for free throughout the day,” Okamoto said. “We serve it to a lot of people. If they’re tourists, they’re amazed at how good it is.” Lāna‘i Cultural Center also has a large booth where visitors can learn about Lāna‘i’s pineapple history.

After sundown, the festival culminates with a grand firework show over Dole Park. Since Lāna‘i has limited visitor accommodations, Expeditions added a 9:45 p.m. ferry back to Lāhainā Harbor to accommodate Maui residents and visitors who want to watch the fiery grand finale. The Lāna‘i Pineapple Festival is free for all guests.

David Cathell (both)

Maui Film Festival

June 28-July 2 • Maui Arts and Cultural Center

In 1997, Barry Rivers started the Candlelight Cafe and Cinema – a weekly series at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center where island film-buffs could enjoy independent films. Over the years, the event snowballed into one of the most esteemed on Maui: the Maui Film Festival. Held annually in June, the Maui Film Festival celebrates original cinema with nightly double features, film premiers, screenwriter panels and award ceremonies honoring luminaries in the film industry. The list of past honorees is studded with recognizable names like Bryan Cranston, Lupita Nyong‘o and Colin Farrell.

Despite the illustrious guest list, screenings at the Maui Film Festival are a casual affair. Films are shown at outdoor venues, where guests can spread out picnic blankets or relax in beach chairs and enjoy a night of cinema under the stars. Following the pandemic, the Maui Film Festival moved its outdoor screenings from the Wailea Golf Club to the Maui Arts and Cultural Center’s A&B Amphitheater. “A lot of people have not yet gotten to know the new venue,” Rivers said. “That’s our challenge right now, letting them know that it’s there and how spectacular we think it is.”

In addition to its unique outdoor venue, the Maui Film Festival is known for its refined selection of films. Pictures are carefully selected for their ingenuity, depth of storytelling and compassionate vision. “We’re searching for diamonds in a coal mine,” Rivers said. “We don’t want to shy away from topics that are contemporary and important for people to be aware of. We really like to crack open people’s coconuts.”

For Rivers, celebrating cinema has always been at the heart of the Maui Film Festival. “I feel like we’re something that sees the film festival industry as something that’s more than just sizzle and shine,” he said. “[The festival] takes some deep, deep dives into people who are doing really remarkable work.”

The 23rd annual Maui Film Festival runs June 28-July 2. Tickets and film selections are forthcoming. For more information, visit mauifilmfestival.com.

June-July

Jordanne Art at Kula Lodge through Aug. 16 • Kula Lodge and Restaurant, Kula

For the next two months, oil paintings by Maui artist Jordanne Perkins will adorn the walls at Kula Lodge and Restaurant. This installation highlights Upcountry’s epic bi-coastal views and unique farming culture. Drop in to browse Perkin’s original works, stop by the Jordanne Gallery in Makawao, or make a dinner reservation at Kula Lodge. jordannefineart.com | Kula Lodge: (808) 878-1535

The Elovators

June 1 • da Playground, Mā‘alaea Hailing from Boston, Massachusetts, The Elovators are one of reggae’s fastest rising groups. The band’s first full-length album, Defy Gravity, debuted at number one on the Billboard and iTunes reggae charts, and their success has only skyrocketed from there, becoming household names in the American progressive roots scene. 8 p.m. | daplaygroundmaui.com | (808) 727-2571

Wa‘a Kiakahi Canoe Festival

June 2 • Kā‘anapali Beach

As the Hawaiian Sailing Canoe Association races from the rocky shores of the Big Island to Kaua‘i’s soft sands, they make a pit stop at Kā‘anapali Beach and invite the public aboard their double-hulled sailing canoes. This is Wa‘a Kiakahi, a free event centered around the ancient practice of canoe sailing. Go for a 15-minute ride, and step back in time 1,500 years ago. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. | hsca.info

Maui Ag Fest

June 3 • War Memorial Stadium, Wailuku Maui Ag Fest spotlights Maui’s rich agricultural industry – but it’s also one of the island’s most under-the-radar dining events, featuring an expansive farmers market, 4H exhibits, keiki activities and live performances. The festival's most coveted event is the Grand Taste, where renowned Maui chefs create unique dishes using local ingredients. Grand Taste ticket holders try each chef’s creation, then vote to select an overall champion. 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | mauicountyfarmbureau.org.

The 23rd Annual Maui Film Festival is slated for June 28-July 2 at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center, where guests can enjoy the festival's signature screenings under the stars.

Maui Film Festival

Kaanapali Beach Resort

World Whale Festival

June 8 • Ocean Vodka Organic Farm and Distillery, Kula

Now in its 7th year, the World Whale Film Festival showcases meaningful, conservationbased films from around the world. The festival kicks off with an in-person screening at Ocean Vodka Organic Farm and Distillery in Upcountry, where ticket holders enjoy a night of food, drinks and powerful, nature-focused films. Additional films stream online until June 30. 4-9 p.m. | pacificwhale.org

White Hawaiian

June 16-18 • Pro Arts Playhouse, Kīhei

Following back-to-back-to-back sellout runs, White Hawaiian returns to the Pro Arts Playhouse. This side-splitting autobiographical show follows the career of Eric Gilliom – a Caucasian with Hawaiian roots. Gilliom delivers a “knockout” performance as he traces his upbringing with Grammy-award winning sister Amy Hānaiali‘i Gilliom and his rise through the ranks of Broadway and television. Get your tickets early, it’s likely to sell out! 7:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. | proartsmaui. org | (808) 463-6550

Kamehameha Day Parade

June 17 • Front Street, Lāhainā

Kapalua Wine and Food Festival

June 8-11 • Kapalua Resort

When the Kapalua Wine Society hosted the first Kapalua Wine Symposium in 1981, they didn’t realize their intimate event would grow to become one of the most celebrated epicurean festivals in the country. Now known as the Kapalua Wine and Food Festival, the annual event is the oldest food and drink festival in the United States – and among the most distinguished.

Each June, elegant pa‘u riders adorned in the colors and flora of the islands take to Front Street to commemorate Hawaii’s first monarch: King Kamehameha. Pa‘u riders are wahine (women) on horseback, decked out in flowing gowns and flower leis. Pack a beach chair and grab a seat on the sidewalk before 9:45 a.m., and stick around for a ho‘olaule‘a at Banyan Tree Park afterwards. 9 a.m.

Kevin Nealon

June 18 • da Playground, Mā‘alaea

For nine years, Kevin Nealon lit up television screens across the nation every weekend on NBC’s Saturday Night Live. The comedian is also known for teaming up with Adam Sandler in his most noteworthy films, like The Wedding Singer and Happy Gilmore. Now, Nealon is coming to Maui to share his prolific comedy with the Valley Isle community. 8 p.m. | daplaygroundmaui.com | (808) 727-2571

Each June, gastronomes from around the world flock to the Kapalua Resort for a fourday whirlwind celebrating wine and food. Festival-goers can attend interactive tasting seminars, sample culinary delights from Maui’s top restaurants and mingle with master winemakers and sommeliers. This year’s festival boasts a roster of wine-industry dignitaries, like master sommelier Michael Jordan of Jackson Family Wines and winemaker Greg Brewer of Brewer-Clifton.

Vinters, oenophiles and foodies gather at the Kapalua Resort this June for a weekend of wine tastings and culinary events at the Kapalua Wine and Food Festival.

Tony Novak-Clifford

Tony Novak-Clifford

Hawai'i Tourism Authority

The most celebrated event at the Kapalua Wine and Food Festival is the Grand Tasting Gala. This year, the gala features a more intimate format, scaled down from 1,000 guests to just 500, and includes an international selection of premium wines and a walkabout tasting. Guests can sample delights from Kapalua Resort like Merriman’s, Taverna and Sansei and talk story with guest celebrity chefs Edward Lee and Kelsey Barnard Clark.

The excitement of the Grand Tasting Gala is followed up by the Champagne and Caviar Breakfast – the last wine seminar of the festival. The pairing includes Petrossian caviar and wines from Louis Roederer, one of the last great family-run champagne houses. Guests will also sample Louis Roederer’s elusive Cristal – an opportunity that event organizers say is “once in a lifetime.”

Prospective festival goers can choose from a variety of ticket packages, but the four-day festival pass is the most enticing. Four-day passes include access to wine seminars, VIP seating at the Grand Tasting Gala, an exclusive pre-event reception and a well-stocked gift bag.

For tickets and a complete schedule of events, visit kapaluawineandfoodfestival.com.

Ali Wong: Live!

June 19 • Maui Arts and Cultural Center

Strap in for a night of hilarity. Ali Wong has been dominating entertainment headlines recently for her riveting role in the hit Netflix show Beef. The comedian, author, director and Emmy-nominated actress is also known for her comedy specials Baby Cobra and Hard Knock Wife, and for her New York Times bestseller Dear Girls. 7 p.m. | mauiarts.org | (808) 242-7469

Rebel Souljahz

June 23 • Maui Arts and Cultural Center

The Hawai‘i powerhouse group Rebel Souljahz is returning to the Maui Arts and Cultural Center stage to celebrate the release of their fifth studio album, Move With Love. This time, the group will be joined by Katchafire, Ekolu and Hammah House Band, for a night of Polynesian reggae and rhythms. 5:30 p.m. | mauiarts.org | (808) 242-7469

Makawao Parade and Country Concert

June 24 • Oskie Rice Event Center

A beloved Makawao tradition is returning to Upcountry: the Makawao parade. Festivities kick off at 9 a.m. as paniolos and pa‘u riders

alike march through town. The parade is followed by a country concert at Oskie Rice Event Center featuring local talent and a surprise local headliner. Visit the Oskie Rice Event Center Facebook page for more information. Parade at 9 a.m. | Concert at 1 p.m.

Makawao Stampede 2023

June 30-July 2 • Oskie Rice Event Center

Paniolo culture is perpetuated each year at the Makawao Stampede (formerly known as the Makawao Rodeo), the biggest rodeo competition in the state. Held since 1956, this rodeo features three days of bull riding, barrel racing, calf roping and more. Don’t forget to sign up for Saturday’s ice cream eating contest, either! Visit Oskie Rice Event Center’s Facebook page for ticket information.

Front Street Fireworks

July 4 • Front Street, Lāhainā

Lāhainā’s Front Street is always abuzz, but on July 4th, things really start to heat up. As the street closes to vehicular traffic, masses of people filter in to enjoy live music, community and watch Maui’s best Independence Day fireworks show light up the sky. Get there early to get a good spot! 6:30-8:30 p.m.

We have the latest Board Games, the largest digital D&D table - possibly anywhere! - and Collector Card Games. Come play one of our 100+ games on our Demo Library.

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Trilogy Excursions celebrates 50 years with dolphin, whale sightings, exclusive Lāna‘i sailings and Mom Coon’s world-famous cinnamon buns

by Carla Tracy, Dining Editor

A mother humpback whale and newborn calf swim in the waters off Lāhainā (cropped photo; originally shot 100 yards above per NOAA regulation). Trilogy crew member and now Capt. Riley Coon prepares a pan of Mom Coon's famous cinnamon buns. A guest leaps from the starboard side during one of Trilogy's snorkel charters.

With the wind at your back, the sails unfurled and the cool trades blowing, you may savor the world-famous cinnamon buns aboard Trilogy Excursions on a morning cruise across the ‘Au‘au Channel to Lāna‘i. The fourth-generation recipe results in gooey, sticky, sweet and toothsome buns that are a match made in deep-blue-ocean heaven with hot, freshly brewed Capt.’s blend coffee. The cinnamon aroma is intoxicating, competing with and then overpowering the salt air. Then a spinner dolphin leaps, and in season, a humpback whale slaps its pectoral fins on the horizon, and another 40-ton

wonder breaches in a thunderous splash. Pass another bun, please. But wait. Besides the doughy delights glazed with a creamy topping that seeps down and permeates every bite, Trilogy’s flagship Discover Lāna‘i Tour entices with tropical fruits, pineapple juice and hot chocolate and complements it with oven-baked croissant breakfast sandwiches on the 6:30 a.m. departure out of Lāhainā and assorted deli wraps on the 10 a.m. cruise to Lāna‘i.

The homey and filling assortment is all served onboard before a bevy of ocean activities and a full, sit-down lunch on land.

Founded 50 years ago, Trilogy boasts exclusive rights to escort guests to Hulopo‘e Marine Preserve on Lāna‘i where you may swim, snorkel and snuba. Spinner dolphins often leap and twist through the air in large schools in the protected waters, and greensea turtles surface above delicate coral reefs teeming with yellow tangs and bluespine unicornfish.

Take a beach shower under the palms with butterflies flitting about. Walk to the peninsula to view Pu‘u Pehe (aka Sweetheart Rock) for photo ops. And then gather at Hale O Manele, an open-air pavilion overlooking

Jason Moore

Trilogy Excursions (above, left, opposite page)

Manele Harbor, Lāna‘i’s haven for private and recreational vessels. The “hale,” or “hut,” is where a plantation-style barbecue lunch is served, complete with vegetarian soba noodles stir-fried in a giant wok in front of you as chicken is flamed on a kiawe-fired grill.

There’s nothing like a swim in the ocean to work up a hearty appetite. On a recent cruise, Jon Hamm (Mad Men) enjoyed the adventure. He is just one celeb in a long line of highprofile guests that have sailed on Trilogy.

“After a morning of fun, enjoy our plantation pulehu, or off-the-grill, barbecue lunch,” said LiAnne Driessen, third generation of the famous Coon family that founded and continues to run the successful 50-year-old company. “We’ve also got corn-on-the-cob, Sensei Farms salad with Mom Coon’s dressing and assorted soft rolls, too.”

Guests 21 and older may imbibe in premium bar beverages and sundaes made from Hawai‘i-churned ice cream on the return sail to Maui.

“If there is one thing most people can agree on is that a home-cooked meal, especially by a loved one, not only fills our bellies with sustenance but offers a deep comfort that settles into our bones,” said Trilogy cofounder and Capt. Randy Coon. “Perhaps that is the reason that our Mama Coon’s

famous cinnamon rolls have been one of the most memorable parts of our excursions and keep guests coming back for more.”

Who was Mom Coon, you may wonder?

Jeannette Coon was the wife of Capt. Eldon Coon and the mother to captain sons, James and Randy and daughter Patty. The family sailed all over the Pacific before landing on Maui Nui decades ago.

“Mom was galley chef, ships doctor, laundress, and all over Mother hen who kept her brood full and content,” Randy said.

As the story goes, back in the 1920s Eldon and his brother Afton Coon built a fishing boat in Port Townsend, Washington, set sail to Alaska and settled in Sitka and Ketchikan, raising their families. Eldon operated a charter-boat business, but a shipwreck in 1969 compelled him to move his family to Seattle where he and his adult sons built another boat.

Christened the Trilogy in 1971, the 50-foot trimaran opened the doors of the South Pacific world to Eldon and his clan.

“They sailed for two years down the coast of central and south America then crossed over to the Galapagos to the Marquesas Islands, then to Hawai‘i – specifically, Lāna‘i then to Maui,” LiAnne said. “As they

voyaged from port to port, everywhere they went they were welcomed and included into people’s homes. They never came empty handed."

The Coon family is known for their story telling, musical abilities and hospitality. They loved including people and inviting people over to their boat as well. They also loved sharing food. Music and food were the two things that bridged any language, cultural or lifestyle barrier.

Hmm… remember that Jimmy Buffet song, “Son of a Son of a Sailor”? Well, he could write some serious sea-faring lyrics about the Coon family, too.

Once James, aka “Jim,” and Randy stepped foot in Hawai‘i, both married island girls. Jim married a Chinese-Hawaiian woman from O‘ahu with family roots on Moloka‘i and a Hawaiian genealogy that stretches back generations. Together they had three children, including LiAnne. Two of the children still work for Trilogy – LiAnne is the director of sales and marketing, and her younger brother, Riley, is a captain and director of sustainable tourism. LiAnne's older sister, Meili, branched out to start her own wedding makeup and hair business on Maui.

Likewise, Randy married a hapa Chinese girl from Hilo. All three of Randy’s children

work in the business. Lily is in group sales, and Denver is Trilogy's legal counsel. Ginger, the middle child, is the corporate administrator. Her husband, Gabe Lucy, is the company president.

LiAnne says she and her cousins grew up on the boats together, and "worked all aspects from a very young age."

That’s where Mom Coon’s cinnamon buns come in – now called Grandma Coon’s cinnamon buns by the younger generation.

“Every other Saturday, I would go with my mom to Lāhainā and spend 12 hours in a kitchen, baking over 300 pans of cinnamon rolls to supply our boats – which included washing all the pans multiple times, waiting for the rolls to cool down so we could wrap them and freeze them. My mom paid me 10 cents per pan, and it was the most fun, albeit a lot of work, and a way to start earning some money. I was seven years old. The recipe has been in our family for generations and continues to be enjoyed on all our morning excursions.”

“Most of the kids helped their moms bake cinnamon rolls and all six of us crewed on the boats when we were teenagers through college during school breaks,” LiAnne continues. “It didn’t really feel like work since we were raised doing so – sort of like doing your household chores – once we got older, getting paid to work felt like a bonus!”

Geez, how many boats does Trilogy have to be employing most of the brood? At this time, there are seven custom, sloop-rigged sailing catamarans that conduct daily boat tours to not only Lāna‘i, but to Kā‘anapali and Molokini islet as well.

LiAnne’s kids and other kids born from her generation will soon be baking cinnamon buns and crewing boats. As founders Jim and Randy age, they still boat privately. While the pair are no longer active in Trilogy's dayto-day decision making, Jim is chairman of the company's board and Randy is a board member. Jim continues to spend his summers in Alaska and enjoy his fishing boat. Randy still sails here and abroad.

Now the family-held company is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and the younger generation is well prepped to take over the helm. My how time flies. Especially when you’re out there sailing and enjoying those cinnamon buns.

A crew member serves guests freshgrilled burgers for lunch during a charter off West Maui. A happy group of guests and crew members show off their shakas. An early Trilogy charter off Lāna‘i in 1973.

Chris Amundson

Trilogy Excursions (above, below, opposite page)

Fisherman’s Paradise

Photograph by TAD CRAIG

A lone fisherman patiently awaits his catch from his perch on the rocky coastline. Behind him, a blazing sunset drowns Maui’s north shore in golden light. The silhouetted palm grove at Mama’s Fish House creates a tropical dream scene, while the West Maui Mountains cast mighty shadows over Kahului.

For North Shore resident and professional photographer Tad Craig, moments like this are his muse.

Tad captured this image at a small, secluded cove just east of Mama’s Fish House. “I just love getting out, going to sort-of-hidden places and trying to be creative and make magical moments,” he said.

Maui – specifically the North Shore area – has deeply influenced Tad’s personal and professional life. He spent 15 years living in Kū‘au, around the corner from where this photograph was taken.

Likewise, his photography career began a few miles up the road, at the Hui No‘eau, where he took classes as an amateur photographer. Tad later married his wife at the Hui – a profound “full-circle” moment.

“It’s been amazing to live here all these years,” Tad said. “Once you get hooked on Maui… it’s in you.”

“A Hui Hou” is the editors’ pick of readersubmitted images. The next photo contest theme is “Macro Nature” for Sep-Oct 2023, deadline July 15; the theme is “Palm Trees” for Nov-Dec 2023, deadline Sept. 15. Send your photo submissions to photos@mauimagazine.net.

NIKON D3S, 1/1250 SEC, F/9 ISO 400, 125MM LENS

Fred Torres

OPERATIONS MANAGER AND CULTURAL ADVISOR AT KĀ‘ANAPALI ALI‘I

“ My dad passed away when I was 5. My mom took care of four boys. We were living in the low income housing on O‘ahu. We were poor. But my mom, she's full of love.

She was full of taking care of people. So when we became older, my mom decided to foster kids. From 1983 to 2016, in our home, in our little apartment, she took care of 83 kids.

So that's how we grew up. My mom just took care of all of us. And I think that's why I have that spirit of caring and aloha and making sure everything is right. When helping people, I don't expect anything back. I just help people.

Being pono (righteous), it's so big for me. I cannot explain it. You got to show it. You got to believe in it. I don’t like to say we're special in Hawai‘i, but we are, because we’re pono.

On this island we treat people differently. You can come in with an attitude, and then guess what? Not going to work. Because we’re going to kill you with kindness. Leave your ego and pride at the door, and just receive. That’s what I like to tell people. Just observe. Be quiet and still, and then you’ll figure out how to be pono once you have that way of receiving.

It's on you to be pono. You need to make that shift. You need to make that choice. I'm going to feel bad or I'm going to feel good. That's the choice. Pick good. Plant that seed of good. Water it with good. And you’ll get a good harvest.

That’s why I started sharing my cleansing. It’s something that’s really important to me. I’ve shared it since 2010, but I’ve been practicing it spiritually for 35 years.

Every January 1, we do a first light e ala e (cleansing) chant on the beach. It’s a cleansing of your spirit. We start at 4:30 a.m. to chant and greet the sun. And it’s not about resolutions. You just release your energy or negativity that's not benefiting your soul, your spiritual soul, your beliefs. Let that all go

to the horizon. That’s the purpose of e ala e. I tell people, ‘Start on gratitude, forgiveness, then inspiration. Take your own time; it's on your own pace. Think of all the things you're grateful for. Take as long as you want. And then when you're ready, when you're in the water, release all the bad negativity. Whatever you've experienced, release it and believe it. Take a deep breath, submerge and just blow it out as fast as you can like an explosion.'

When you get up, it's the craziest. It’s so powerful. When people come out of the water, there’s a different mindset.

Then I tell them the meaning of the chant and purpose of cleansing. And it’s not me cleansing you. I’m just the vessel. I’m just the connection. You receive whatever you can, however you interpret it.

Some people say, ‘What are you doing sharing something so sacred?' And I say, ‘I’m not charging for it. I am more concerned with people's well being. I am being there for them.'

There’s this one guy I still remember. It was his first time to Maui. At the end of the chant he came to me crying. He said he lost the three most important women in his life in six months: his wife, his mom, his grandma. And he says, ‘You know what? Our grieving is done.’ And then everybody around us started crying.

I said, ‘You know, now that you believe your grieving is done, live life with gratitude and just inspire people to be good. Show the love and life is going to be grand.'

When visitors come to Hawai'i, they’re here to enjoy. And we’re part of that formula. But my dream that I would like to see happen is on every flight, every airline, you learn something. Before you land, you learn about Hawaiian culture. I see that happening, and it should be in a fun way.

I’d like to tell visitors, ‘When you get off the plane, first thing you do, take a deep breath. Close your eyes, feel what you’re going to experience. Then worry about your trip, your car, your hotel. You landed here safely.

‘You’re going to have lifetime of memories. Show a lot of gratitude. Just be happy. Take it easy and relax. That’s how we do it here.' ”

"Live life with gratitude and just inspire people to be good. Show the love and your life is gonna be grand."

Jason Moore

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The place, the people, the taste, a moment | theshopsatwailea.com

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