Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [309]
Eskimo Candy (Map; 891-8898; 2665 Hale Kuai St; meals $8-17; 10:30am-7pm Mon-Fri) Off the beaten path on a side street between the beach and the highway, Eskimo Candy is a local fish market with a takeout counter and a few café tables. If you’ve never tried poke here’s a great place to savor the real deal, made fresh daily. Delicious ahi wraps and fish tacos too.
Fat Daddy’s (Map; 879-8711; Kihei Kalama Village, 1913 S Kihei Rd; mains $8-17; 11:30am-9pm Mon-Sat, 11:30am-2pm Sun) Big plates of tangy BBQ ribs with all the fixings are the specialty at this Texas-style smokehouse. Here, the Southwest takes on a Hawaiian accent with Maui Cattle Company beef on the grill and Maui-brewed beers on tap.
Aroma D’Italia Ristorante (Map; 879-0133; Kihei Town Center, 1881 S Kihei Rd; mains $10-24; 5-9pm) Just like Mama used to make…if yo mama was Italian. This place has it all – smart service, old-world decor and a chef who relies upon traditional family recipes to create delicious pastas, spicy chicken parmigiana and homemade cannoli. Mama mia!
Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar (Map; 879-0004; Kihei Town Center, 1881 S Kihei Rd; appetizers $4-15, mains $17-32; 5:30pm-1am Tue-Sat, 5pm-1am Sun & Mon) The line runs out the door but your patience will be rewarded. The innovative appetizer menu rolls out everything from traditional sushi to blue crab ravioli. For the ultimate East-meets-West treat, order the tempura rock shrimp in garlic aioli, which lusciously fuses Japanese and French flavors. Night owls, swing by after 10pm when the sushi and appetizers are half-price.
Café O’Lei (Map; 891-1368; Rainbow Mall, 2439 S Kihei Rd; lunch $8-13, dinner $18-30; 10:30am-9pm Tue-Sun) If you have time for only one restaurant meal in Kihei, make it here. Superb Hawaii Regional Cuisine at honest prices separates this place from other upscale Kihei dining spots. The blackened mahimahi served with fresh papaya salsa is arguably the best lunch deal ($10) on Maui. Other tasty stars include seared ahi on focaccia and the Makawao ginger steak served on a bed of Ha′iku organic greens. Good dinnertime sushi and fierce martinis too.
Drinking & Entertainment
LuLu’s (Map; 879-9944; 1941 S Kihei Rd) Kihei’s top party venue is loud, lively and full of people having fun. Come here for a drink, shoot some pool or dance the night away. Salsa, reggae bands or DJs command the floor at night.
Life’s a Beach (Map; 891-8010; Kihei Kalama Village, 1913 S Kihei Rd) Directly opposite Kalama Beach, this brightly painted, Bob Marley–lovin’ shack draws a crowd, with its $1 mai tais from 3pm to 7pm along with live music or DJs.
Moose McGillicuddy’s (Map; 891-8600; 2511 S Kihei Rd) Moose’s open-air lanai is a good place to head for a sunset drink with an ocean view. Happy hour (4pm to 7pm) happily coincides with the sinking orange orb.
Oceans Beach Bar & Grill (Map; 891-2414; Kukui Mall; 1819 S Kihei Rd) OK, despite the name, it’s not on the beach, but it is open air, with surf videos running nonstop and dancing on weekends.
Gian Don’s (Map; 874-4041; 1445 S Kihei Rd) This glittering space with its white marble columns hosts Maui’s gay community with a cabaret drag show on Friday and an ‘ultra fab’ DJ event on Saturday.
Shopping
Kihei Kalama Village (Map; 1913 S Kihei Rd) This complex opposite Kalama Park has a collection of stalls selling beach clothing and jewelry that can be fun to browse. Best of the shops in the center is 808 Clothing Company ( 357-1988), which sells cool T-shirts with their own original Maui designs.
Rainbow Attic (Map; 874-0884; Kihei Town Center, 1881 S Kihei Rd) A secondhand shop with a bit of flair, Rainbow’s the perfect place to pick up good quality aloha shirts already pre-shrunk.
Getting There & Around
BICYCLE
Bike lanes run along the Pi′ilani Hwy and S Kihei Rd, but cyclists need to watch out for inattentive drivers making sudden turns across the lanes. South Maui Bicycles (Map; 874-0068; 1993 S Kihei Rd; per day $22-60, per week