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Hot of the Grill

Blazin’ Steaks in Wailuku sizzles with steak, salmon, chicken and combo plates

Mother Lorie Sim (left) serves as the manager of Blazin’ Steaks while daughter Mi Amor Simpliciano is an owner with husband and founder Sanny Simpliciano. The Maui News / CARLA TRACY photo

Far off the beaten tourist path near Sack N Save in Wailuku Town Center is a little family-owned eatery that keeps on sizzling where others have fizzled.

Blazin’ Steaks emits aromas of grilled steak, chicken and fish that attract mainly a local crowd, hungry for hearty portions of proteins served with steamed white rice and green salad.

“My son-in-law opened the first Blazin’ Steaks in Honolulu in 2003,” says Manager Lorie Sim. “We actually started in a tent and then we got a trailer.”

“We started small with just a steak plate on the menu,” adds Sim’s daughter Mi Amor Simpliciano, owner and wife of founder Sanny Simpliciano.

The family decided to move to Maui and opened Blazin’ Steaks in Queen Ka’ahumanu Center’s food court in 2008, finally moving to their current location in 2009, where they do a steady stream of business with people in the Paukukalo ‘hood along with shoppers, workers and River Mouth surfers.

“We love this place,” says Sim, who hails from Ilocos Nortes in the Philippines. “Maui is not crowded. Here, we cater to the locals. Most of our customers are construction and office workers, and we get landscapers, too. They are all on the go. Yet we do get some tourists. I ask where they are from and they say ‘Germany’ or ‘France’ and some say ‘the Mainland.’ “

Besides the large and regular-sized steak plates for which the restaurant is named, Blazin’ Steaks grills and slices to perfection salmon and chicken.

“For me, my favorite dish is the salmon,” says Sim. “One day, I have it Korean-style. The next day broiled, and the next in a sweet Thai chili sauce. All are so good with such different tastes.”

By far, the large steak-and-shrimp combo is the most popular with the voracious diners who frequent the eatery. Get 10 percent off with the coupon in today’s edition of Maui Scene in this newspaper.

“Our plates are all priced very low, but if you bring in today’s coupon, you get an even better deal,” enthuses Simpliciano. “Mostly people do take out. You can just walk in, but it’s better to call ahead.”

All of the entrees are seared hot on the grill. The staff marinates only the teriyaki chicken and the shrimp.

Vitamin water, Fanta, green tea and Cold Stone Creamery ice cream add to the menu. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays and until 7:30 p.m. Sundays. To place an order, call 463-5807.

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