IN WAILUKU TOWN . . . Driving to Iao Valley the other day, I noticed a little food cart at One Main Plaza. Its sign evoked some deja vu. I wrote down the phone number and called, and sure enough, it turned out to be the same Work of Art Cafe & Deli people who previously had a hot spot in Kahului.
This is no fly-by-night deli. They know how to pile on the pastrami and use whole-grain mustard. They do bagels and lox right. And, the gourmet chicken salad and the pastrami sandwiches are killer.
The views from this beautiful courtyard range from the West Maui mountains to the nearby church steeple all the way to Giggle Hill in Haiku.
Article Photos
The Maui News / CARLA TRACY photo
Manager Charlie Unzen serves cappuccino at the new Work of Art Cafe & Deli in the courtyard of One Main Plaza in Kahului.
"We lucked out with his location," says manager Charlie Unzen, whose uncle, Rehan Khalil, started the original deli. "This really is a work of art, because when it rains, we have to catch up on paperwork."
That means rain can close it down. So weather permitting, check it out for takeout or dine in. "I'm glad it's here," says County of Maui employee Margie Santos, after sipping a cappuccino. "They really have great looking pastries, but I haven't indulged yet."
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MORE ON FILM FEST . . . Can't afford to attend the glitzy Taste of Chocolate Friday as part of the Maui Film Festival at Wailea?
DUO and Ferraro's at the Four Seasons Resort Maui are offering a dessert sampler tonight and Friday for $15 person. It has warm semi-sweet soft cake, yuzu gelee, mascarpone sorbet, whipped Hawaiian chocolate, chewy caramel, candied cashew, and white chocolate and rice milk flan with cherry foam. Head down to SandDance Theatre for a free film afterwards and you'll feel like you're living the life of a movie star.
In addition, Celestial Cinema will be rocking with the food of two Paia restaurants. Cafe Mambo will spice things up starting at 6:30 tonight with falafels, Spanish tortillas with rice, sauteed garlic shrimp, and Caesar salads. Mana Foods of Paia will get you healthy Friday night with veggie Thai rice noodle salad, free-range turkey wraps, organic tofu veggie curry and vegan chocolate cakes, among many other stellar items. Saturday night, Consuelo's Catering will do Brazilian and Indian fare. Sunday 808 Deli will take your taste buds straight to the Big Apple with Kosher hot dogs, hoagies and salads.
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BITS AND PIECES . . . Kahului Industrial will be happening Friday evening from 6:30 to 8:30 at Brigit & Bernards Garden Cafe. Choose one of the four-course menus and you also get to listen to Eddie Aviles and Joe Cano perform. Cost of the whole package is $50. Or order a la carte and pay $10 to get in.
Celebrate the first anniversary of Longboard's Friday at the Marriott's Maui Ocean Club, on the beach in Kaanapali. Highlights are live music from 5 to 9 p.m., free chef's taster samplers, door prizes, $3 on select beers, and a 25 percent kamaaina discount on all food items.
Buzz's Wharf in Maalaea will do something different for Father's Day by presenting a barbecue buffet outside on its front lawn. Or you may dine inside a la carte. . . I'o Wine Club will host the wines of Northern Italy with regional pupu Friday evening in Lahaina.
At Kapalua Wine & Food Festival last weekend, we heard some juicy restaurant scoop. Pulehu at the Westin Villas in Kaanapali has switched culinary themes from Euro-Asian to Italian. We'll have more in coming weeks. . .And, Chef Christian Jorgensen of CJ's Deli in Kaanapali was on the "Rachel Ray" show again. Diners can't get enough of his $10 and under gourmet meals either.
Kapalua Spa will open soon and journalists who attended the wine and food festival got to check it out. Besides the state-of-the-art equipment, saline pool, stone soaking tubs and outdoor massage hales, it features natural and organic beverages and snacks.
Garrett Morrero of Maui Brewing Co. also participated in Kapalua's festival, pouring his Milk of Amnesia, which just won a Gold Medal at the North American Beer Awards in Idaho. He just opened his Tasting Room in Lahaina and now guests may see where the beer is made and canned. It's open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 2 to 6 p.m. and beer samplers are $1 each.
*You may reach dining editor Carla Tracy at 242-6342.
