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CH-CH CHANGES . . . Many of us watched as Bruce Jenner slinkily morphed into Caitlyn Jenner. Now, let’s look at how the Maui restaurant scene slips into the future, as it continues to reinvent itself.
News on the coconut wireless is that the owner of Main Street Bistro in Wailuku will close after business on Friday to enjoy retirement. Owner Tom Selman was chef at the former David Paul’s Lahaina Grill and Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar before he opened Main Street Bistro more than 10 years ago.
The owners of 808 Deli in Kihei, voted “Best Sandwich” multiple times in another publication, will expand to do their take on the location.
“We’re actually getting the keys on Sunday,” says Josh Richardson, partners with brother Jim Richardson and friend Jonathan Cruthers. All worked at the Four Seasons Resort Maui back in the day.
“It will be called 808 on Main. We’ll do the Kihei deli menu and we’ll be adding some new lunch items and happy hour with heavy pupu. We’ll work on some renovations and then hopefully open by Aug. 1.”
Paia is certainly bustling with restaurants, but it’s sad to see that Dazoo and its sister Moana Bakery & Cafe have both closed. No more bi-bim-bap and ginormous cinnamon rolls for diners.
But places like Rock & Brews Paia are jumping with the summer concert series, screening from Woodstock to Live Aid from 9 p.m. to close with a late-night happy hour menu; and partner Paul Stanley of KISS will appear at the Food & Beer Festival there from noon to 2 p.m. July 11, benefiting Maui Food Bank.
Run by Pacific Whale Foundation, Porto pizzeria closed at Maalaea Harbor Shops about a month ago, but a phone machine says it’s under renovation.
Valley Isle Kombucha is distributing all over the island with fun flavors such as lilikoi, melon and Maui raspberry. They were at a trade tasting of wine at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, looking a little left out as everyone was slurping the free vino. But things are looking up for this innovative company, located in Emerald Plaza in Lahaina near Maui Prime and Star Noodles.
“Our kombucha is handcrafted, using only the freshest herbs and organic island ingredients,” says Mark Willard, a chef who runs the company with his twin brother, Bryan Willard. “In the future, we’ll do fresh kombucha on tap and a tasting menu. Now, we just distribute and are expanding rapidly, moving up the island chain and then going all the way to the Mainland.”
Speaking of Mainland expansion, Maui Brewing Co. now distributes to Alaska bars, restaurants, liquor stores and groceries. . . Coconuts Fish Cafe of Kihei will open four new eateries in Los Angeles. Ivan Field, a food distribution executive, will run the new businesses.
Who loves Greek gyros and Filipino cuisine? Z Man’s Kitchen is serving both on the “Y” intersection of Lower Main and Mill streets in Wailuku. Owner Zaldy Pascua is a local celeb with his radio show on KPMW 105.FM and Z Man is his air name. He also has been serving gyros from his food truck at Kahului Harbor, but he’s getting it fixed and so he opened the eatery.
“We have whole, fried pompano fish; meat lover’s fried rice with bacon, sausage, Spam, eggs, beef and Filipino loganesa sausage,” says Pascua. “We have seafood fried rice, too, in single portions and pans.”