Maui Hawaii Updates

They've got a wacky decor with lots of kitschy items around. Breakfasts cost an average of $10.

Hi,
 
We are planning a visit to Maui from England and are trying to work out a budget, can you advise the cost of food and drinks around Ka'anapali please, nothing fancy just good food.
 
Kind regards
Lynda

Aloha Lynda,

Great question!  You'll find that most areas in the United States are still less expensive than England (considering exchange rate.)  BUT, Hawaii is one of the most expensive places in the US.  Cost of food really depends on whether you have a kitchen or not at your accommodations in Ka'anapali.  If you've got a kitchen, you can run to Costco or Mana Foods and grab some food before driving to the west side.  Making a breakfast here and there or sandwiches for the beach will save you a lot of money in the long run. 

Even the non-fancy spots are expensive relative to the rest of the USA.  Kaanapali is a resort town and has expensive restaurants.  Lahaina is similar, but you'll probably find more options there.  You'll be spending anywhere from $12-$25 for a simple lunch each.  Even getting sub sandwiches reach around $10 after a drink and tax.  Look around and ask around and you'll find great spots for less money. Dinner can run from around $15-$45 per person.  See some or our recommended Maui restaurants.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Tipping is very important in Hawaii.  Make sure to tip at least 15% of the bill after tax.  If the service is good, give 20-25%.  Of course, if the service is bad, you can dip below the 15% standard (but it better be REALLY bad.)  As you'll find, Maui is very expensive to visit and equally expensive to live on.  The service industry makes minimum wage and relies on tips to survive.  Please remember to tip.

Great pizza tonight. Took a friend from out of town. He's a pizza aficionado. He thought it was superb!

We've noticed that there isn't a whole lot on the web for the new restaurant in Wailea, so we've decided to post the menu and write some reviews.  You can see our full review at Monkeypod Kitchen.

Monkey Pod Kitchen Menu

"Monkeypodders like to party! And we like to do it in style!  All of us here are dedicated to handcrafted food, drink, and merrymaking.  We believe simple can be great, and the passion that goes into our handcrafted food and drinks is the most important ingredients!"

Peter Merriman

What a view! Not only is the food delicious, service impeccable, and ambiance warm, you can watch whales breach from your table! Yesterday we watched a couple whales doing some synchronized breaching only a few hundred yards from the shore! Ask for Benny as your server. He's a lot of fun and really takes care of you. Benny also has loads of knowledge about the island.

Well, more like late breakfast.  This is a great spot to go to if it's raining.  You still get a view from indoors.

I've been trying to find out information on NICE dinner cruises in Maui  for my parents 60th wedding anniversary.  Every time I think that we are settled on a cruise, I find reviews saying that they aren't worth the $ - that there were no tables, that the drinks weren't good, or the up-grade service worth the $$.  I'm very frustrated as I've been working on this for over a month and we leave for Maui Nov.  19th!!!

Do you have any advice for us?  Your website said that Quicksilver was one of the BETTER dinner cruises, and to "book now"  but there was no link to book.  Can you please tell me which dinner cruises are consdered the nicest ones.  There  are 17 of us going for the Thanksgiving week.  Thanks so much and any recommendations, and/or any discounts available would be very helpful!

By the way, I have spoken a few times with John of Tom's Barefoot, but he really doesn't seem to personally know which cruises are any good - but someone on Maui musst know.  We are not first time visitors to Maui and one sibbling lived in the island s for many years so we will have some basis expectation for a nice cruise.  I REALLY appreciate any help you can give us!

Thanks so much!

Andy

Thanks, Andy, for asking a really good question.

First of all, our site doesn't book activities, but merely recommends ones that we like.  When it comes to Dinner Cruises in Maui, they're all different, and they all change.  In our opinion, you're not going to get a 5 star meal on any boat, but you'll have a great time and enjoy good food (three to four star).  The legistics are just too difficult to manage a perfect meal.  With anything, you'll always find bad reviews.  There's always 1 guy that's pissed off about something and thinks he's a critic.  With dinner cruises, it's even easier to find faults.  All it takes is the wind to pick up and knock over a mai tai for some schmuck to be unhappy for the rest of the trip.  You have to be prepared for little things like this when on a moving boat.  The good thing is that the crew is usually very good at fixing problems and making everyone comfortable and leaving happy.

Quicksilver - The boat is big enough, and the food is pretty good.  We like this dinner cruise because it doesn't feel too cramped, and they serve prime rib.  They have the best food that we've found thus far.

Maui Princess - We hear this one is pretty good, and they have a large deck.  We haven't been on it yet, but we hear good things from friends.

Alii Nui - They've been trying to get a high-end dinner cruise together for a little while using Maui Executive Catering.  You might want to inquire to see if you can do a private charter.  MEC does incredible food, and I'm sure if they started doing a dinner cruise, it would be the best on island.

Kai Kanani - They do a great cocktail and pupu cruise on a beautiful boat.  They don't serve dinner though, and it's a beach entry which can be dicey for older guests.  THOUGH, I had my 80 year old grandmother get off and on the catamaran without issue.  So, it all depends on the guest, I suppose.

Discount Prices - Talk to Mark at Auntie Snorkel for pricing.  They have discounted rates and a lot of information.  We booked a trip recently with them and felt confident in their knowledge and prices.

No matter what you decide, it will be an unforgettable event.  Everyone gets a kick out of eating on the water with the sunset, live music, and a feast.  We live here and we do dinner cruises every chance we get.  It's a lot of fun and perfect for a wedding anniversary.

I hope this helps, Andy.  Have a great time while on island!  ALOHA!

These are examples of some dishes that Maui Executive Catering are capable and experienced in serving.  You can also see a more updated version of their sample menu at Maui Caterer.

Starters

• Coconut Encrusted Sugarcane Shrimp Skewers with Habanero Cilantro Sauce
• Ono Ceviche finished with Pineapple Relish and Plantain Chip 
• Caramelized Maui Onion Toast on warm Baguette 
• Black Bean Garlic Crusted Beef served in a Butter Lettuce Cup 
• Chicken Skewers with Thai Peanut Sauce 
• Summer Roll with Lump Crab and Rock Shrimp 
• Sesame Crusted Ahi with Avocado Relish and Wasabi Soy Dressing
• Panko Crusted White Truffle Risotto Cakes 
• Macadamia Nut Crusted Ahi served with Sesame Aioli 
• Watermelon and Ginger Sorbet with Creme Fraiche (A perfect Palette Cleanser!)

Salads 

• Port Wine Poached Pears, MayTag Blue Cheese, and Spiced Pecans 
• Green Papaya Salad with Honey Pecan Rock Shrimp 
• Kula Greens served with Carrots, Edamame, Cucumber, and Carrot Ginger Dressing
• Island Ceasar Salad with Fresh Shaved Parmesan Reggiano
• Roasted Beet Salad, Goat Cheese, Arugala, and Carrot Vinigarette

Entrees 

• Sesame Crusted Tofu served with wok fried Sugar Snap Peas, Red Bell Pepper, Soy Sake Sauce and Lemongrass steamed Jasmine Rice 
• Steamed Seasonal Vegetables in Green Coconut Curry Sauce finished with Lemongrass Steamed Jasmine Rice 
• Braised Short Ribs served with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Horseradish Crème Fraiche and Fried Leeks 
• Petite Filet Mignon served with Brie mashed potatoes, caramelized Maui Onion and Red Wine Demi Glace 
• Pancetta Wrapped Pork Tenderloin served over Molokai Sweet Potatoes finished with Guava Butter sauce 
• Rack of Lamb crusted with Macadamia Nut Mint Pesto served with White Bean Puree, finished with Balsamic Honey drizzle 
• Rosemary and Thyme Roasted Cornish Game Hens served with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Demi Glace 
• Ahi Grilled served with Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Arugula, Avocado Buerre Blanc finished Balsamic drizzle 
• Macadamia Nut Crusted Opah served with Pineapple Poke, Molokai Sweet Potatoes and Garlic Ginger Buerre Blanc 
• Pinenut Panko crusted Island Fish served over Seafood Raviolis topped with Pesto Cream 
• Sesame Crusted fish served with Mizuna steamed Jasmine Rice, Shoyu Ginger Buerre Blanc topped with Mango Salsa 
• Prociutto wrapped Scallops served with Butternut Squash Puree and Lemon Buerre Blanc topped with Crispy Shallots 

All seafood and vegetable items are seasonal. 

Menu pricing will range vary based on party size.

Maui Executive Catering will be in contact with the client on menu selection. 

Entrée's will consist of 2-4 appetizers, 1 salad, and choice of two entrée's listed above. 

Dessert: chefs choice 

For plated dining there will be a service charge of 20%, and an additional $200 per server.   (One server per 8-10 guests is recommended)

We enjoyed 2-3 dollar draft beers at Gannon's last night for happy hour and sunset. Their red bar is a lot of fun, and you can still see sunset from the right side. Pupus were great too!

They specialize in Asian noodle dishes.  Our favorite is there Kung Pow Chicken (pictured above and split on 2 plates.)  The Kung Pow has stir fried chilis for a little kick, sweet onion, celery, bell peppers (both red and green), water chestnut, and peanuts all tossed in a spicy tangy sauce with very thin egg noodles.  Yum.

We also love their pot stickers.  The Thai Red Curry is amazing too.  Feel free to click on the menus above and see them larger. 

These menus may have changed since we took this picture in the beginning of September 2010.  Aloha!