LAHAINA – Monsoon India is quickly expanding. With their first restaurant at Menehune Shores in Kihei they now have a restaurant on O`ahu at Discovery Bay as well as a newly opened location in Lahaina. Open in Lahaina daily from 11am – 9pm you’ll find them on the lower level of the Wharf Cinema Center. They specialize in Indian cooking from the Northern Region of India known as Punjab. The menu offers you a choice of meat as well as shrimp, fish or just vegetarian. Match your selection of any of a variety of sauces. Sauces include Curry, Vindaloo, Masala, Korma, Saag/Palak and a helpful description of each explains the ‘heat’ and the ingredients. I’m a lightweight and tend to head to the Masala which is a tomato and cream base.  Plenty of classic vegetarian dishes including Malai Kofta, Palak Paneer or Aloo Gobi. Tandoori breads are baked in a traditional clay oven and tandoori “kababs” are another offering. Most items $14.95-21.95.

Another new arrival at the Wharf Cinema shops is Bamboo Fresh Sandwich. A nice deli that makes a great stop for a picnic lunch … they’ll provide the picnic and you find the perfect location.

Teddy’s Bigger Burgers at Lahaina Gateway is serving 5 oz, 7 oz or 9 oz handmade beef patties. Lots of toppings on the burger to slide down with a freshly made Roselani ice cream shake.

Five Palms is opening in the former Canoes in Lahaina. This is the second location for Five Palms with the other located in Wailea. The old Polynesian longhouse sits along Honoapiilani Hwy and since 1961, when it opened as The Chart House, has become a landmark and even directional guide! (As in “Turn at the old Chart House”.) Now that Canoes has closed (same owners as Five Palms) the entire building is getting a much needed refurbishment. Hours are 8am – midnight seven days a week with breakfast or lunch available daily until 2:30pm. Happy hours will be double the fun with the first from 3pm – 7pm and the second from 9pm – 11pm. The showcase will continue to be their giant round koa bar. Locally sourced fresh ingredients will be a focus of their new breakfast, lunch and dinner menus. Look for fresh fish, sushi and steaks on the dinner menu. For reservations call (808) 661-0937.

Up late and hungry? Captain Jack’s Island Grill serves a late night menu til midnight. 672 Front St.

KA`ANAPALI – Good news for West Maui with Roy’s opening in the Ka`anapali Golf Course Clubhouse. This location has had poor luck in the past but that will all be changing when Roy’s opens in December! The menu will feature some of Roy’s favorite dishes and celebrate “Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine.”

KAPALUA — The Plantation House is debuting a new daytime menu. Often overlooked above Kapalua, this is a lovely location and features some really fine food. The all day menu is served 8am – 3pm with breakfast and lunch offerings. Along with omelets you can certainly find your favorite Eggs Benedict with six to choose from. Lunch offerings now also include curried crab bisque, Kapalua calamari, fresh fish tacos, Hong Kong chicken salad, burgers and all with the freshest local ingredients.

The Honolua Store in Kapalua is now a part of the ABC store chain but will retain the original name and favorite local style foods.

The Comedy Hui is relocating to The Ritz Carlton Kapalua. It is the style of “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” (a popular improv television show). It is a live show with similar games to the television version. There is plenty of interaction between the cast (and three piece music ensemble). Sometimes audience volunteers might end up on stage! The venue is small, only 110 seats, so you’ll want to reserve ahead. Call or check online for their schedule. They have two seatings. The first show is at 5:30 and the second at 8pm. The second show is only scheduled when the first show fills. Reservations daily from 7am – 9:30pm by calling (877) 669-6603. Price is $48.50 plus tax. www.MauiComedy.com or www.facebook.com/ComedyHui.

And if you were wondering about the outcome of The Ritz Carlton, as mentioned in a previous newsletter, it went up for auction on the steps of the courthouse last May. An announcement confirmed there would be no change in operations.

In addition to breakfast and lunch 7am – 4pm, the Village Cafe and Sweet Shop in Kapalua offers early bird specials daily from 4 – 6pm. Specials include Beach BBQ Monday with BBQ beef kabobs or Tailgate Friday with grilled skirt steak and mac and cheese ($22.75). Dinner menu also available 4pm – 9pm. Take a break on Thursdays with Afternoon Tea from 2pm – 4pm with mini sweets, assorted tea sandwiches and selections of tea for $17. Add a glass of sparkling wine for $8. Call for tea reservations  (808) 665-1122. Throughout the month they also have special events including a dine and dance party on Tuesdays!

OLOWALU – More next issue on Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop in the former Chez Paul. This new restaurant joins siblings Star Noodle, Old Lahaina Lu`au and Aloha Mixed Plate in the Hoaloha Na Eha Ltd. Family.

KIHEI / WAILEA / MAKENA – Saffron is a new Indian restaurant opening in the former Maui Masala location and news is that the Coconuts Fish Cafe in Kihei is expanding to the West Coast!

Capische? Sets snuggling in the foothills of Wailea with a fine sunset view and a happy hour to match. “Where Northern Italy Meets Southern France” and all right here on Maui! Nightly in the bar and lounge from 5pm – 6:30pm they have special pricing on martinis, wine, beer and half off cocktails. (808) 879-2224.

Ko at the Fairmont Kea Lani will be undergoing a renovation and will reopen in 2012 with a new fresh look. Until then, you can still get many of the items from the Ko menu at the Kea Lani Restaurant each evening.

New at the Shops of Wailea is The Art of Peter Max Gallery. The 1,225 square foot gallery is dedicated to the work of Peter Max and one of only two in the world showing his artwork exclusively.

At the Grand Wailea there is a new partnership. The former `Kincha’ will soon become Alan Wong’s third restaurant in Hawai`i. Chef Wong is known for merging various ethnic cooking styles and techniques into tasty dishes highlighting locally grown products. Anticipated opening is early 2012. (Note – did you know that the Grand Wailea is now “A Waldorf Astoria Resort”?)

A new addition to the Wailea Gateway is Sweet Paradise Chocolate. They’ll be serving up artisan chocolates daily from 1pm – 7pm. With 40 kinds of truffles it may be difficult to choose! And you won’t find these flavors just anywhere … how about Lemon Basil with cracked pink peppercorn, or Island Spice with a blend of ginger, clove, cinnamon and vanilla bean. Some like it hot so the pineapple habanero might be just the ticket!

Sarento’s on the Beach in Kihei is now serving breakfast. Great location oceanside and I’ll certainly be checking this one out.

 Rodeo General South Maui means you can save the drive to upcountry to enjoy a cup of their fresh Hawaiian grown coffee. You’ll find them across from Kalama Park.

Makena Beach and Golf Resort has announced the closure of Raku Japanese Restaurant. They have promised to move the Japanese dinner buffet to the Molokini Bar & Grille. New in the lobby is Barista 5400 and a pool deli area services pizza and rotisserie.

KAHULUI and WAILUKU –There is nothing else like it on Maui and Bistro Manila is showing folks a new side of cooking in the Filipino style! They serve Inihaw which is considered a ‘street food’ or try Palabox which is rice noodles topped with shrimp fried in wrappers. I’m looking forward to trying them out soon! They are open Monday – Saturday 10:30am – 8:30pm and they also do catering. They are located at Hana Highway and Wakea Street.

Famous Dave’s has a new kiosk over on Dairy Road in Kahului. Stop by for some of their mouth watering bbq. Open 11am – 7pm daily except Sunday when they close at 5pm. BBQ pork sandwiches and rib plates starting at $5. Their sit-down dining option is on Front Street in Lahaina. A quick and satisfying stop for a meal enroute to the airport!

I have long been a fan of flip flops at Long’s but the prices have really gone up and they just aren’t as cute or comfortable. My new tip came from a young friend. Don’t miss Maui Marketplace for a stop at Old Navy (next to Lowe’s).  When last I checked they had flip flops in every color and they were $3.50/pair or two for $5. Of course it was easy to buy two pair and one in every color would be so much fun! They were comfy for the toes from the first slip on. These were ladies sizes but I’m sure that there are kids and options for guys as well! (Remember when we used to call them thongs? Now that is something TOTALLY different!)

 UPCOUNTRY — Piiholo Ranch has opened their Treetop Zipline Canopy Tours. You can zip with a child (children must be 8 years or older and at least 60 pounds). We’ve written about this zipline company before but this new canopy adventure just started last spring. The ziplines are all in the treetops so you soar the entire time or walk on suspended bridges high above the ground.  www.piiholoCanopyTours.com.

You might not see Oprah Winfrey on Maui but she is definitely a presence on the island. In addition to approximately a 100 acre parcel in Hana, she owns 1,000 acres in Upcountry. I need to go back in time with a short tale. On one of my first trips to Maui (many many many years ago) we were touring upcountry. I’m not sure we even had a map because that would have made it less an adventure. We could see the ocean far below and also see that the gas gauge was nearly on empty. Out of no where we saw a dirt road. It appeared to go downhill. We turned. There were potholes the size of calderas and the car bumped and jostled as we maybe did 2 miles an hour. Walking would have been faster. To our absolute shock, out of nowhere, the scrub brushed turned to rolling hills of green. We had been dumped into a golf course (I didn’t know which one but a Wailea course.) We had unexpectedly found the ‘secret’ road from Keokea to Wailea. In future years the road was discussed. Too expensive to pave, too expensive to keep open with liability. It was finally gated and only a few with the special key had access. (Mostly the keys were in the hands of the owners of  the Haleakala Ranch.) Then there was talk of the government paving and opening the road. This would have been huge! And what a pleasure to have a shortcut to Upcountry! Now fast forward to the present. This property is among the acreage owned by Oprah. The road is still there but in December 2010 she had it paved in concrete and asphalt and expanded to 12 feet wide. The OW Ranch, LLC has full and private access to this private roadway that will continue to be maintained as such. (OW as you may have guessed, seems to stand for Oprah Winfrey.)  Also included in her Maui holdings is the Silver Cloud Bed and Breakfast in Kula. I also had the opportunity to stay at this wonderful ranch style accommodation a few years back. It appears that for the very distant future, the opportunity to have a short cut to upcountry and help eliminate the congestion on the Kahului side of the island is a closed book.

ODDS AND ENDS –  Very very exciting news for those of us who are Guten Free! The new Gluten Free Bakery joins the Saturday morning Swap Meet at the UH-Maui Campus in Kahlui. But they do promise to be opening in new locations soon!

One of our favorite after dark activities (when the kids were young) was to grab flashlights and sturdy water shoes and head to the beach. Sealife comes out in a different form when the sun goes down. The kids were treated to watching eels feed and much more in the tidepools around the island. Pacific Whale Foundation offers a marine educator tour of these night-time tide pools. Flashlights provided but you need to wear suitable shoes (no flipflops). Contact the Pacific Whale Foundation for more information on location, prices and dates.

This year the Best of 2011 Maui included a poll for politics and environment. “Best Town to Live in” tallied at 23% for Lahaina, 20% for Kihei, 9% for Kula with other at 48% Apparently we need to find out where “other” is since it won by such a huge margin! Best Town to Visit was Paia with 29%, Lahaina with 28% and Hana with 19%. And in politics the topics included Best County Blunder, Best State Blunder, Best Political Activist, Best County Official and Best Political Scandal. Yet again the mysterious and faceless ‘other’ won in all categories!

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VISIT MAUI’S MOST AMAZING NATURAL WONDER!

                                                    THE HANA LAVA TUBE

►Self guided tours mean you can start at any time and go at your own pace. About 40 minutes underground
►Fresh air, handrails and easy walking
►Comfortable temperatures, no mosquitoes or bats, and plenty of photo opportunities.

Follow Hana Hwy. to Mile Marker 31. Turn and go .04 mile
to the visitor entrance. Open 365 days a year.

 $11.95 adults, children 5 and under are free.

10:30-4pm. www.mauicave.com (808) 248-7308

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