Sunday, the New England Patriots will battle the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI, and food and drink will be a big part of the game plan.
Whether you choose to venture out to a sports bar to watch the action or want to be an armchair quarterback who chows down with pals at home, here are some suggestions for favorite island grinds.
Takamiya Market in Happy Valley will be open from 7 to 11 a.m. Super Bowl Sunday with all manner of local foods for football fans.
Article Photos
In Makawao, Stopwatch Sports Bar & Grill’s bartender Eloise Engman (from left) serves mugs of cold beer and hot wings with ranch dip to customers Sara Simonsen, John Wilson and Sterling Seaton. The restaurant will be “party central” for Super Bowl Upcountry.
The Maui News / CARLA TRACY photo
"We're closed every other Sunday of the year because we're just a mom-and-pop store," says Lance Takamiya, president and partner in the historic store with his two cousins. "We open only one Sunday a year and that is for the Super Bowl."
Known as the "little giant of Happy Valley," Takamiya Market is famous for its hamburger mix packed with secret and savory ingredients.
"I make up a good hamburger mix, and Sunday, I'll set up a table in front of the store, grilling hamburger sliders, and passing them out to customers as a 'thank you' for all of their loyal patronage," says Lance.
In the store, you'll find marinated meats such as beef and chicken teriyaki and Korean ribs along with steaks, pork chops and much more.
"Everybody I know likes to grill and use their hibachis for the Super Bowl," says Lance. "We also have ahi poke, tako poke and sashimi, and everybody seems to pick these up, too, to serve as pupu."
Call ahead to order the popular pupu platters. The seafood combo platter includes the above-mentioned ahi and tako pokes and sashimi. The pupu platter has maki sushi, fried chicken, won tons and beef teriyaki. And, the sushi platter comes with maki and cone sushi.
Takamiya Market will also have some hot pupu as well. "Not lunches or bentos, but pupu," says Lance, indicating it will be different from the other six operating days. For more details, call 244-3404.
In cool Makawao, the Stopwatch Sports Bar & Grill will be Upcountry's Super Bowl party central.
"This will be our 18th annual Super Bowl party and we have people who come back every year," says owner Haru Hiu-Arian. "This year, we'll open our doors at 9 a.m. for those who want breakfast. We'll do eggs Benedict and ahi Benedict along with our standard breakfast fare, such as omelets, pancakes and loco moco."
"We'll also continue to give away door prizes all day long," she continues "The grand prize is a helicopter ride aboard Air Maui."
The Super Bowl program starts at 1 p.m. and halftime will follow midafternoon. Stopwatch's longtime chef, Ohelo Brown, will present a spread during halftime with poke-style edamame, sriracha hot wings, chips with seven-layered bean dip and spinach kimchee dip, Oriental crunch salad with almonds, wonton chips and sesame dressing; crudites with celery, carrot sticks, broccoli and cucumbers with ranch dip; mini kalua turkey Sloppy Joes; and smoked paprika mac and cheese with bacon and jalapenos. For more information on Stopwatch, call 572-1380.
Also Upcountry, Pukalani Superette will whip up party platters on Super Bowl Sunday for the first time.
"We don't have anything real fancy, but it's all crowd-pleasing food," says General Manager Jerry Masaki. "Please give us 48 hours notice for wing-ding platters, egg-roll platters, sushi platters and vegetable-crudite platters. If someone wants laulau, we can do that, too. But time is short. So the sooner you can call us, the better it is for the cooks."
In addition, you may buy catering items such as the signature chili chicken, potato-macaroni salad, chow mein, roast pork and more. "Besides cold beer, ice and chips, we've got whatever you need for your party available." Pukalani Superette opens at 7 a.m. on game day. Call 572-7616.
At Kumu poolside at the Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, the one-pound beef patties are made with 100 percent ground chuck and stuffed with blue, cheddar and jack cheeses.
Served with apple-smoked bacon mayonnaise, it's adorned with garlic fries, sauteed onions, mushrooms and a dill pickle. Kumu is the only place on island serving a stuffed burger. Try and tackle the whole thing, while watching the Super Bowl on the wall of TVs. For more details, call 879-1922.
Hosting a Super Bowl party at home or in your hotel room or condo? Party Paradise at Maui Mall in Kahului sells official Super Bowl plates and napkins along with official mylar balloons and team ballons. Call 871-5131.
