Tastes of Maui..

I have a thing for food. I go back to places, travel long distances, dream about it and live for it. Before we went to Maui I Googled "Top Places to Eat in Maui" I had it on my Iphone saved the whole time for reference. I had conversations with strangers about the food and Top 10 lists etc. It was pretty funny. Best Sushi was in Kihei, luckily we were staying in Kihei part of the time so we were near a lot of the yummy places. Sansei was the sushi place and the last picture features the Tuna roll wrapped in spinach with a crispy outside. It was set in a Wasabi butter and soy sauce. I don't really care for the wasabi but it was amazing, very different from anything I've ever had. We went to Sansei a second time during happy hour, (all the food was 50% so we were able to try several different rolls and then made the mistake of trying their signature dessert. A Granny Smith Apple Tart. Sounds pretty basic but it was anything but. It was almost like a baked scone layered with thin slices of apple, sprinkled with cinnamon and topped off with Vanilla Bean ice cream. It was swimming in a layer of homemade caramel sauce. I consider myself a dessert connoisseur and this was by far the best dessert I have ever had. I went back a third time just for the dessert to Sansei (the sushi place). They had a cookbook so I happened to look it thinking that it was only sushi but hoping, praying that the dessert was in there. Prayers were answered, I didn't buy the cookbook I just took about six pictures of the recipe for the Apple Tart...hee hee. Moving onto lunch. Cafe O'Lei also in Kihei was mentioned for best French Onion Soup. The picture below is it. It had a yummy puff pastry enveloping the yumminess inside. The Gruyere cheese in this soup was amazing it was the best French Onion we have ever had. This cafe also had amazing crabcakes with an lemon aioli drizzle. The first picture is Pineapple Cocunut french toast from Kihei Cafe. They were always packed and for a good reason. Simple foods. Cash only so be prepared. Best Breakfast was actually up in Napili Bay past Kaanapali. A friend recommended The Gazebo before we left but when I saw it on the top ten list it made it a little more important. They had the best Macadamia Nut Pancakes with a Coconut syrup. We waited about 40 minutes but had the best seat in the house with a view of the ocean. Best Seafood was Mama's Fishhouse which we had reservations for about a month before we left. The fish is delish and so fresh. The menu tells you where the fish was caught and by whom. It's pretty pricey and your mostly paying for the ambiance and presentation of the food, the portions are quite small. I had the Macadamia Nut Crusted Mahi Mahi stuffed with Lobster and the Passion Fruit Creme Brulee for dessert. Last but not least I want to talk about "The Road to Hana" Once you done it once you usually don't do it again. It takes about 3 hours to drive 51 miles on the windiest road you ever been on. We went again because our friends had never been, I'm really glad we did. On our way we stopped at a little smoothie shack called Uncle Harry's. It was just on the side of the road literally in someone's front yard. The smoothie was called "Uncle Harry's Special" and it was really special. The best smoothie I have had in a long time. On our way back from Hana we were starving and stopped at a little place on the side of the road again in someones front yard. There was a surfboard nailed to a tree and on it was "Troy's" the best plate lunch I have had, almost the best meal on Maui..almost. The guy was a chef at the Hana Hotel during the week and on the weekends he pitched a tent and served lunch for $10.00. It included cocunut shrimp, BBQ Pork, macaroni salad (Hawaiian style) and a drink. So if your going to do Road to Hana you've got to stop for the smoothie and the plate style lunch. I don't like to proofread so if I have mispelled words or don't make sense, too bad and get over it!!