Spring is in the air, and Maui restaurants have all of their ducks in a row with all-you-can-eat brunches and dinners this Sunday. Do make reservations right after you read this, as seats fill up fast.
WEST MAUI
Gather the ohana, and come to the Ka'anapali Beach Hotel for its popular annual Easter Sunday Champagne Brunch.
Article Photos
Ducks are in a row for Easter!
Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa photo
The fun begins at 8:15 a.m. with an egg hunt for keiki up to 12 years old. The kids will also enjoy hourly Easter Bunny visits, face painting, a petting zoo and Maui Ocean Center's traveling saltwater tide pool with invertebrates. At the keiki buffet, the chefs will prepare pizza, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, cookies, brownies, Jell-O and ice cream.
Celebrate springtime with smoked barbecue beef brisket, bacon-wrapped stuffed pork loin, mahimahi with lemon-caper sauce and Okinawan roast pork. Chefs will hand carve macadamia-nut-roasted leg of lamb, prime rib of beef and Hawaiian orange-glazed Kurobuta ham.
At the iced seafood bar, drizzle lemon and spoon cocktail sauce on crab legs, shrimp cocktail and oysters on the half shell. Savor mussel salad and assorted poke, too. Top it off with desserts such as chocolate-dipped strawberries, guava-haupia-chocolate cake, a variety of cheesecakes, Danishes and muffins.
Listen to live Hawaiian music in the open-air Tiki Terrace restaurant and courtyard, or in the comfort of the air-conditioned Kanahele Room.
Hours are 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cost is $46.95 for adults; $24 for children 6 to 12; and free for children 5 years and younger (one per paid adult). Reservations are required. Call 667-0124.
Come and make a day of it for Easter at the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa in Kaanapali. The egg hunt starts at 9:30 a.m. Sunday; the Rubber Duckie race is at noon; and the all-you-can-eat brunch will be presented from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Black Rock Terrace.
Appetizer highlights include Asian duck salad, roasted Haiku golden beets, asparagus with sundried tomatoes and toasted pine nuts, shrimp-tofu summer rolls, shaved meat deli board with artisanal breads, and imported and domestic cheeses with fruits and nuts.
David Paul's Island Grill will feature an a la carte brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., featuring an assortment of starters, entrees and house-made desserts. A bar will be set up with mimosas such as Pele's Passion, La Rosa and A Mother's Love.
Hot entrees are Hawaiian salt-crusted baron of beef, braised Asian short ribs, crab cake Benedict with orange Hollandaise sauce, mahimahi duxelle and coconut-crusted French toast with poha-berry sauce.
Made-to-order omelets and an array of desserts round out the menu. Cost is $42 adults, and $19 for children 4 to 12 years old. Call (808) 921-4600.
Entree choices include freshly baked quiche, seafood Louie, Croque Madame, steak au Poivre, capellini pasta and roasted leg of lamb. You get two hours validated parking. Call 662-3000.
In Kapalua, Plantation House will be open all day from 8 a.m., serving its regular menu and daily specials. Diners crave the Cajun sashimi Benedict with wasabi hollandaise and the crab-cake Benedict served with roasted bell pepper hollandaise. The Bloody Marys with pickled asparagus spears are legendary. Call 669-6299.
Starting at 5 p.m. Sunday, Ruth's Chris Steak Houses will celebrate Easter at all five Hawaii locations, including outlets at Lahaina Center and at the Shops at Wailea on Maui. Each table will receive a special gift.
Each restaurant will offer specials and guests will also be able to select entrees from the ala carte menu such as indulgent favorites like the USDA prime cowboy ribeye, filet mignon, New York strip steak, fresh island fish and barbecued shrimp. Save room for Louisiana-style bread pudding with creme Anglaise. Call Ruth's Chris Lahaina at 661-8815; in Wailea it's 874-8880.
The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua will present its Easter brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in The Terrace. Sink your teeth into herb-crusted prime rib, guava-glazed ham, olive-rubbed leg of lamb, California rolls and petit creme brulee. Cost is $85 for adults; $42.50 for children 6 and older. It will also host an Easter egg hunt at 10:15 on the Plantation Lawn for keiki up to 12 years old. Bring your Easter basket. Call 665-7089.
CENTRAL
Cafe O'Lei at the Dunes in Kahului will dangle the carrot of a fun Easter Sunday brunch buffet from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. with music by Reiko Fukina and other surprises.
Tell the chefs what ingredients you'd like from jumbo shrimp to Kula onions at the made-to-order omelet station, and let them carve roast prime rib with au jus and creamy horseradish.
Hot entrees include roast leg of lamb stuffed with spinach and goat cheese; lightly blackened mahimahi, honey-mac roast pork, jumbo shrimp linguine, breast of chicken in lemon-caper sauce and caramelized onion mashed potatoes. This being Maui, there will be plenty of steamed rice, of course.
Round off the feast with specialty salads, and desserts such as chocolate fondue, bananas Foster, apple-mango cobbler and pineapple-upside-down cake. The cost is $36 for adults, and $16 for children 4 and older. For reservations, call 877-0073.
The Maui Beach Hotel in Kahului will present its crowd-pleasing buffet in the air-conditioned Elleair Ballroom. Pick a seating from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. or 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
The salad bar will be a bounty of local favorites such as Rolando's crab salad, cucumber namasu, crisp tossed greens with an assortment of dressings, chicken long rice and everyone's favorite: potato and macaroni salad.
The chilled appetizer display will have California and spicy tuna rolls, maki sushi and peel-and-eat shrimp with tangy cocktail sauce.
Hot entrees include chicken tofu, baked salmon, shrimp and vegetable tempura, beef stir fry, pork kau yuk, fried noodles and more. Chefs will hand carve roast prime rib with au jus. Dessert range from carrot cake to fresh fruits. Cost is $33 adults, and $17 for children 6 to 11. For more details, call 877-0051.
Maui Seaside Hotel at Kahului Harbor will offer lots of options for diners at its Coconut Grill. Choose from various brunch seatings at 8, 8:30, 11 and 11:30 a.m.; and dinner buffet seatings at 4 4:30, 7 and 7:30 p.m.
Both include slow-roasted prime rib of beef, local-style ono, stuffed chicken Marsala, Farmer John ham in guava and pineapple glaze, scalloped potatoes, cold seafood and desserts.
The brunch alone features kalua turkey eggs benedict, scramble omelets, pork links, Portuguese sausage, pancakes and waffles. Cost is $31.95 for adults, and $15.95 for youngsters 5 to 12.
Coconut Grill's dinner buffet specialties are coconut shrimp, paniolo pork ribs and shrimp scampi. Cost is $32.95 adults, and $16.95 children 5 to 12. For reservations, call 871-8881.
Cary & Eddie's Hideaway in Kahului will dish up brunch from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for $12.99 with omelets, scrambled eggs, Portuguese and link sausages, baked ham, salad island and beverages such as juice and coffee.
The Hideaway will also offer a dinner buffet for $22.99 with barbecue pork ribs, fried chicken, hamburger steak, corn on the cob, baked beans, chicken long rice, crudite, salads and beverages. For reservations, call 276-4703.
Four Sisters Kitchen in Wailuku will pull out all the stops with music by Richard Hoopi'i and the Brown Ohana during its Easter Sunday brunch from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Pile your plates with a variety of local and Filipino dishes along with prime rib, salad bar, crab legs, omelets, waffles, soups, poke, seafood, asparagus, desserts, iced tea and juices. You may BYOB beer and wine. Cost is $31.95 for adults, and $19.95 for children 6 to 11. Call Four Sisters at 242-1135.
Maui Tropical Plantation in Waikapu will offer beautiful lagoon and mountain views from its expansive dining room. Easter bunch hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. You'll find breakfast items such as eggs Benedict, Belgian waffles, hot-cross buns, omelets made to order, scrambled eggs and more.
Other highlights are boneless teriyaki chicken, sauteed ono with fresh fruit salsa, miso soup, sauteed fresh vegetables Dijon herb-crusted pork loin, salads, ahi poke, potato-macaroni salad and slices of tropical fruits. The keiki get fruit punch and adults may sip coffee and tea. Cost is $31.95 adults; $21.95 seniors; and $16.95 keiki 4 to 12. Call 243-7788.
With sweeping coast-to-coast island views from its elevated perch in Waikapu, Kahili Restaurant will present a festive Easter Sunday brunch buffet from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Crunch salad bar items such as hearty Romaine with creamy Caesar dressing, grilled vegetables, Caprese tomato bites, assorted sushi, ahi poke and shrimp in tangy cocktail sauce.
Sink your teeth into roasted leg of lamb with rosemary mint jus, mac-nut-crusted chicken, five-pepper salmon in soy-ginger sauce; and pan-roasted shrimp linguine in chardonnay cream. Chefs will hand carve prime rib and cook your omelets to order. Cost is $32.95 adults, and $16 for children 6 to 12 years old. Call Kahili at 242-6000.
Think Italian for Easter at Marco's Grill & Deli, which is conveniently located on the corner of Dairy Road and Hana Highway in Kahului. Hours are 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and new items include breakfast burritos, smoked salmon, blue cheese wedges, pasta puttanesca, sausage lasagne and grilled salmon with cucumber salad. Desserts range from tiramisu to cheesecake. Call 877-4446.
SOUTH MAUI
5 Palms is a restaurant with locations in both South Maui and Lahaina. Both offer ocean views in open-air environments and will serve all-you-can-eat brunch buffets from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.
Indulge in items from the lavish sushi and seafood displays along with prime rib and meat carving stations. Then dig into traditional breakfast dishes, island salads and desserts.
Prices vary, depending on where you dine and what time of day you prefer. Call 5 Palms Kihei at 879-2607; or 5 Palms Lahaina at 661-0937.
Centrally located in Kihei, Stella Blues Cafe will offer Easter morning specials such as crab cake Benedict, and French toast or buttermilk pancakes topped with fresh-berry compote butter. All will cost $18 each.
For dinner, you may savor the special of Kona-coffee-crusted rack of lamb with chipotle-goat-cheese polenta cake with berry compote and asparagus for $36. Call 874-3779.
Enjoy an al fresco Easter breakfast buffet from 6:30 to 11 a.m. at Fairmont Kea Lani Maui resort in Wailea. Enhanced for the holiday, the all-you-can-eat affair will include an omelet station, Belgian waffle station, smoked salmon and other favorites. A live harpist will entertain and the Easter Bunny will visit. Cost is $32 adults ($42 with champagne) and $14 for keiki 6 to 12. For reservations, call 875-4100.
Pulling more than just carrots out of its hat, Four Seasons Resort Maui will transform its DUO Steak & Seafood restaurant into an extravagant brunch affair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
New this year is the all-you-can drink Bloody Mary and mimosa bar for adults only, of course. It's what the Beverage Manager Nick Martin calls "farm-to-bar" with four different types of fresh tomato mixes made in house and all manner of fun accompaniments such as celery, limes and olives. Cost is $20 per person for the all-you-can drink setup.
As for the food, you may savor sushi, appetizers, and foods from the farmer's salad bar, the raw bar and oyster station, as well as small plates of white cheddar cheese grits and more, along with entrees and desserts.
Chefs will hand carve black-pepper-and-sea-salt- crusted prime rib of beef, fresh Hawaiian catch in seaweed wrap, and whole roasted Kurobuta pork loin. Other hot entrees are grilled salmon in Haiku tomato sauce, crab cake eggs Benedict, local spring vegetables and roast chicken with natural gravy.
Cost is $95 for adults and $39 for keiki 6 to 12. For reservations, call 874-8000.
Also at the Four Seasons Resort Maui, Spago will be open with its regular menu in addition to a complete three-course menu for $39 per person starting at 3 p.m. Call 879-2999.
Want to dine somewhere new this year? Then check out Kono's On the Green at the Elleair Golf Club in Kihei. Chef owner Kono Akau has done an outstanding job on the room renovation and there is plenty of outdoor seating in addition to indoor.
Kono's is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and you'll find specials such as Kurobuta pork chop with apple-cider mustard with creme fraiche; and tenderloin with ponzu cream-butter sauce. For reservations, call 633-4220.
UPCOUNTRY
Hali'imaile General Store will be jumping with its annual brunch buffet from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Those who love breakfast may crunch crisp bacon, chicken-apple sausage, scrambled eggs with fresh herbs and more.
Then move into menu items such as chilled shrimp cocktail, house-cured salmon, wild rice salad with blue cheese, Caesar quinoa salad with thin parmesan shavings and chilled asparagus drizzled in balsamic syrup.
Hot highlights are turkey and mushroom crepes, lasagne with tarragon cream sauce, rosemary-roasted leg of lamb with dried fruit compote, honey-baked ham with pineapple chutney, potatoes Dauphine and three-cheese tortellini with butternut squash, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries and lemon-cream sauce.
Desserts include cheesecake cupcakes, chocolate bread puddings with creme Anglaise. Cost is $38 per adult, and $18 for children 7 to 10. For more details, call 572-2666.
