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WARM WISHES!

Maui chefs pull out all of the stops for Christmas

11 min read

Getting visions of fresh fish, prime rib and coconut-cream pie dancing in your heads? No worries. 'Tis the season and isle chefs are ready.

Just pick up the phone to make your dining reservations at Maui's hotels and restaurants, and to order pies and other holiday items at awaiting stores.

WEST MAUI

Ka'anapali Beach Club's oceanfront and poolside Ohana Bar & Grill will serve an all-you-can-eat buffet from 4 to 8 p.m. Christmas Day.

Begin with seafood chowder and five onion soup, then crunch Caesar salad and arugula with cranberries in lilikoi vinaigrette on the cold bar along with seafood cocktail packed with crab, shrimp and lobster with sauce Remoulade.

Other highlights of side dishes are assorted sushi; poke station; roasted spaghetti squash with brown sugar butter; Kula corn and asparagus fritters; and kale and potato gratin. Enticing entrees are kalua turkey; grilled mahimahi; crab cakes with hollandaise; kiawe salt and rosemary crusted prime rib; and mustard crusted rack of lamb.

Bakery delights are Santa's cookies, chocolate silk pie, haupia tarts and even sugar-free brownies as well as lilikoi bars.

Cost is $45 for adults and $20 for children 5 to 11. Call 661-2000, ext. 3.

Montage Kapalua Bay resort will put on  a special Christmas Day holiday buffet from 3 to 8 p.m. in its signature Cane & Canoe restaurant. Executive Chef David Viviano  will prepare Kona lobster bisque and a cold display of kale Caesar, grilled marinated vegetables, Maui-grown tropical fruits and Surfing Goat Dairy cheeses as part of his lavish, all-you-can-eat buffet.

Dive into the chilled seafood display with citrus-poached Kauai prawns, crab claws and oysters. Watch chefs carve slow-roasted prime rib and suckling pig and go Hawaiian at the luau station with shoyu chicken thighs, poke trio, mahimahi, macaroni salad and sticky rice.

Gourmet vegetable preparations and fun desserts such as egg-nog creme brulee and buche de Noel will tempt. Cost is $99 per adult and $39 per child ages 8 to 14. For reservations, call 662-6681.

Maui Prime Fine Foods in Lahaina is presenting take-away steamer pots filled with seafood such as mussels, clams, live Maine lobsters, ears of corn with aromatic broth and a baguette. Pot sizes range from small to large and cost of $85 to $135 lets you keep the pot. You may also customize the pot with fresh scallops and more. The specialty store in the Emerald Plaza industrial area also sells Osetra caviar from Uruguay, oysters on the half shell, porchetta, Kobe ribeyes and Wagyu steaks, and all-natural, grass-fed prime tenderloins and New York strips from Colorado, a variety of cheeses, crackers and wines. Closed Christmas Day and Dec. 26.  Store hours are from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 661-4912.

Perched on the slopes of the West Maui Mountains in Kapalua, Plantation House offers bird's-eye views of the coastline and Neighbor Islands. It's open for breakfast, lunch and dinner -- the latter from 5 to 9 p.m. Christmas Day.

Executive Chef Jojo Vasquez will tempt you with his holiday specials of foie gras mousse with grilled crostini; fresh tomato Caprese; baked crab dip bread bowl; herb and garlic shrimp risotto; surf 'n' turf and lobster tail; along with desserts such as chocolate pots de creme.

Other holiday offerings off of the limited menu will be ahi sashimi, Hawaiian Bloody Mary shrimp, Korean pork belly and baked goat cheese focaccia. For reservations, call 669-6299.

Ka'anapali Beach Hotel will showcase its Christmas Day early-bird lunch from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Tiki Terrace for $51.95 for adults and $25 for children 6 to 12. The seating for the dinner feast is from 3 to 7 p.m. and price is $56.95 for adults and $25 for the keiki ages 6 to 12.

Reservations are always a must for this  all-you-can-eat Christmas buffet with more than 60 items prepared by Executive Chef Tom Muromoto and staff.

Highlighting the menu are herb-roasted  rack of lamb; kiawe-roasted goose with poha berry chutney; kiawe-smoked prime rib; and oven-roasted turkey with corn, sausage and sage stuffing.

The cold seafood on ice will be piled high with crab legs, oysters and poke. A special keiki station appeals to the little ones. Make sure to save room for the plentiful holiday desserts. Call KBH at 667-0124.

Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa will present a Christmas brunch at Swan Court from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with all you can eat of roasted turkey with giblet gravy, fresh island fish, cheeses, bacon-wrapped pork loin, peel-and-eat shrimp, sushi, local salads and freshly baked pies. Cost is $74 for adults, $34 for children 6 to 12.

The Hyatt will also throw a Drums of the Pacific Christmas Luau next to Kaanapali Beach and offer sushi specials in Japengo restaurant. Call 667-4727.

The Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa in Kaanapali will light its gingerbread village through Dec. 31. Enjoy the Christmas Eve tasting menu at Black Rock Kitchen from 5:30 to 9 p.m. for $68 per adult and indulge in Kamuela tomato gazpacho with blue crab salad to grilled Colorado veal chop and egg nog creme brulee. And Black Rock Kitchen will present its annual Christmas Day dinner buffet from 4 to 8 p.m. with seasonal salads; seafood and sushi stations; herb-crusted prime rib of beef; domestic and international cheeses; baked ham glazed with Maui honey  mustard; Christmas turkey; desserts; and more. Cost is $65 per adult and $23 for kids  ages 6 to 12. Call the reservation line on Oahu at (808) 921-4600.

The award-winning oceanfront Sea House restaurant at Napili Kai Beach Resort will serve a special holiday menu now through Jan. 3.  It's open for breakfast, lunch, happy hour and dinner -- the latter from 4 to 9 p.m. nightly.

Starter highlights are lobster bisque; Niihau beef carpaccio; and butter lettuce wedge with guava-smoked bacon, sieved egg, tomato and honey-gorgonzola vinaigrette. Entrees range from gorgonzola walnut ravioli to fresh Jidori chicken breast with hand-rolled parmesan gnocchi to panko-crusted Hawaiian fish. Call 669-1500.

Leoda's Kitchen & Pie Shop in Olowalu will be cooking up a comforting meat loaf plate on Christmas Eve but it will be closed Christmas Day.

While it is too late to order pies ahead for the Christmas Day holiday, you may take your chances on availability of the pumpkin, apple, pecan and savory pies, cookies and cupcakes.

"We will also have turkey dinners starting at 10 a.m. today for dine-in or take-out," says Leoda's General Manager Rosie Robbins. Call Leoda's at 662-3600.

The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua will put on a Christmas Day feast at The Terrace from 3 to 8 p.m. Raise a glass as the culinary team presents a lavish holiday buffet with an array of delicacies, highlighted with entertainment by a contemporary Hawaiian soloist as well as a hula dancer. Cost is $108 per adult; and $48 per child ages 6 to 12. For reservations, call 669-6200.

SOUTH MAUI

Five Palms at Mana Kai Resort in Kihei will dish up spectacular views from its perch on Keawakapu Beach, where it will present its annual three-course turkey dinners from 4 to 9 p.m. Christmas Eve and from 3 to 9 p.m. Christmas Day in addition to a la carte turkey plates and limited menu items.

The feast will begin with roasted butternut squash soup with spiced creme fraiche or hand-picked baby greens with roasted beets and pomegranate in a white balsamic dressing; followed by roasted turkey with sausage-and-apple stuffing, giblet gravy, cranberries and green-bean Almondine. Dessert is buche de Noel and eggnog panna cotta. Cost is $54.95 for adults. A turkey plate is $44.95 for adults and $39.95 for kids 12 and younger. Call 879-2607.

Seascape Ma'alaea Restaurant will dish up its special Christmas Day lunch menu from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in addition to its regular menu.

So after unwrapping your gifts jump in your car and head to Maui Ocean Center to enjoy a harbor view lunch. Seascape has a separate entrance and does not require you to pay aquarium admission in order to dine there.

This year's a la carte specials include ahi carpaccio with organic micro greens and lemon oil and wasabi aioli; wilted kale salad topped with roasted beets and pine nuts; poha berry and orange glazed ham with winter harvest vegetables and glazed walnuts with mashed potatos; and fresh catch of the day. The desserts are vanilla cheesecake topped with pumpkin whipped cream; and peppermint triffle filled in a champagne flute.

Seascape will also serve Christmas Day dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. with live entertainment by Kaulike Pecia. For reservations, call 270-7068 or you may visit www.mauioceancenter.com/dine.

Ruth's Chris Steak House will be sizzling at two locations early with an opening at 4 p.m. Christmas Day with dinner service until 10 p.m. Choose from upstairs in The Shops at Wailea or ground level in the Outlets of Maui mall in Lahaina.

Sip a big, red wine and savor mushrooms stuffed with crab meat, lettuce wedge salad, sides of creamed spinach and fresh asparagus with Hollandaise sauce, and huge bone-in cowboy ribeyes or more ladylike petite filets. Call Wailea at 874-8880 or Lahaina at 661-8815.

CENTRAL MAUI

With coast-to-coast views from its spot in the hills of the West Maui Mountains in Waikapu, Kahili Restaurant will put you in the holiday spirit with a Christmas Day brunch with seatings from 10 to 11:30 a.m. and from noon to 1:30 p.m.

Executive Chef Eddie Munoz will get appetites in high gear with crunchy salad bar items; seafood on ice such as poached shrimp with Jack Daniels cocktail sauce; ahi poke and snow crab claws and legs; and an omelette station. Chefs will slice oven-roasted sirloin of beef with creamed horseradish and au jus. Other hot entrees are the honey-baked ham with Maui Gold pineapple and raisins; pepper-crusted salmon with dill butter sauce; and pan-roasted tiger shrimp on a bed of  linguini and Alfredo sauce.

Hot entree highlights are herb-rubbed chicken, pepper-crusted salmon in soy-ginger glaze cooked with shiitake mushrooms, and tiger shrimp linguine with Alfredo sauce.

You may also indulge in fruit salad, grilled veggies on pasta and a selection of desserts such as pies, cakes and Christmas cookies. Cost is $34.95 for adults and $17.95 for children 10 and younger. Call 242-6000.

Hosting Christmas at home or going as a guest to someone's house? Takamiya Market, renowned as the "little giant of Happy Valley," will be a good spot to pick up in advance of Christmas for sliced turkey; Farmer John ham; and ahi and tako poke by the pound. Korean ribs, teriyaki meats and char siu can all be thrown on the grill for pupu. Or order sashimi and poke platters ahead. Call 244-3404.

Home Maid Bakery in Wailuku is a landmark Maui business and an in-demand place to order pies, such as pumpkin, custard, apple and French apple. The bakery can do photo cakes and decorated holiday cakes with advance notice.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day hours will be 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. For orders or further details, call 244-7015.

The only time of the year that Marco's Grill & Deli is closed is Christmas Day. But it's proved time and again to be the perfect place to meet for breakfast, lunch and dinner while out holiday shopping, as it's close to the malls and big-box stores. Savor vodka rigatoni, linguine with clams and classic Greek salads. Do try the peanut butter-chocolate pie. Hours are 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Reservations are not necessary. For more details, call 877-4446.

The Island Grocery Depot at 90 Amala Place in Kahului is where to find fresh produce and prepared foods tucked away in a convenient location at super prices. Frozen shrimps, scallops, lobsters as well as  king crab are all perfect for pupu.

Closed Christmas Day. Call 877-1138 or the store in Lahaina at 866-5020.

Cafe O'Lei at the Dunes in Kahului will serve a Christmas Eve prime rib buffet from 4 to 8:30 p.m., but it's almost sold out as of press time with limited seats later in the evening.

The buffet will include Kula greens with cranberries and blue cheese, Caesar salad with creamy garlic dressing, prime rib, sauteed mahimahi, chicken linguine, sauteed vegetables, buttermilk mashed potatoes, and a selection of chocolate-chip cookies, pineapple upside down cake and Maui Oma coffee. Cost is $28 per adult and $14 for kids 4 to 12. Call 877-0073.

On the north shore in Paia, Charley's Restaurant & Saloon will be open for the first time for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Health conscience types may wake up to veggie paninis, tofu scramble and tempeh bacon baked in house. Or opt for the Bloody Mary bar on Sundays along with Charley's famous smoke-house ribs and burgers. Call 579-8085.

Mama's Fish House in Kuau is booked for the Christmas and New Year's holidays so diners should plan to book a few weeks to a month ahead for future dates.

"We will be taking reservations for next Christmas starting this Saturday," says Karen Christenson, vice president. "Mahalo to all of our Maui residents who continue to be so good to us."

* Mele Kalikimaka, Merry Christmas, everyone!

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