Exotic flavors and killer views
Sometime between summiting the Haleakala volcano and surfing the Banzai Pipeline, you will get hungry and when that happens, you'll get a chance to sample Hawaii's innovative but locally rooted dining scene. With all the fresh seafood and tropical produce available, the islands provide the exotic flavors that make Hawaii's brand of Pacific Rim cuisine both exciting and experimental. We gathered a group of Hawaiian experts, including a journalist, chef and former pro surfer, to get their take on the best Hawaiian tastes.
A decade or two ago, most of the mainland thought Hawaiian food consisted of variously prepared cans of Spam, and in truth the islands hadn't even begun to synthesize the many cultural influences and native foods into a cohesive cuisine. Nowadays, there's much more to dining here than a roasted pig at a luau, although you will find creatively cooked pork served in even the finest restaurants. Alex Salkever, journalist and founder of the blog Hawaiirama.com, says, "There are many, many phenomenal restaurants. I'd say, per capita, Hawaii is behind only New York City, Chicago and San Francisco in terms of outstanding restaurants given population density." Undoubtedly, Oahu houses the very best of the best, between Honolulu and Waikiki, but Maui comes on strong with establishments like Mama's Fish House and DUO, a new steakhouse at the Four Seasons. The Big Island also weighs in, with Hualalai Grille by Alan Wong.
See our slideshow of Best Restaurants in Hawaii.
Like the rest of the nation, Hawaii loves its star chefs, and Wong counts as a major player. His four restaurants, one of which is in Japan, constantly win awards and accolades, and the flagship, Alan Wong's, is in Gourmet Magazine's Top 50. Then there's James Beard award-winner Chef George Mavrothalassitis of the restaurant Chef Mavro, who has single-handedly put Honolulu on the culinary world's map, as far as the mainland is concerned. Another of the island's top toques, Bev Gannon, chef and owner of Maui restaurants Hali'Imaile General Store and Joe's, served on our panel of experts.
A few of her personal recommendations included Alan Wong's, Chef Mavro, Hoku's, David Paul's Lahaina Grill, and Duo. While we focused the "Best Ofs" on the high-end, Chef Gannon also told us about some of her favorite hidden treasures in Honolulu, like Island Manapua, the place for the Hawaiian-style steamed pork buns as well as duck and dim sum, and Side Street Inn, the go-to spot for "local food." Following her recommendations, when in Maui head to Makawao Sushi and Deli for sushi, Café Mambo for duck fajitas, and Café des Amis for crepes and curries.
Probably the most popular type of menu in Hawaii's most upscale restaurants is a fusion of local comfort foods with European and Asian techniques and flavors. For example, David Paul's Lahaina Grill, long a standard bearer for Pacific Rim cuisine, serves an appetizer of seared Ahi and foie gras with sweet and sour fig compote and a Maui onion duck demi-glace--resulting in one of the most transatlantic dishes in existence while still retaining the regional influence. Hawaii's emerging dining scene allows its chefs to keep evolving and incorporating new science and ingredients. Some, like Chef Mavro, have dabbled in agribusiness after promoting a certain crop, as in the growth of the islands' vanilla industry which grew out of Mavro's partnership with a Hawaiian vanilla farmer.
With talented chefs that champion Hawaiian culture, it's no surprise that our experts nominated a slew of amazing restaurants, which we had to pare down to only ten. In fact, when asked to name her three favorite eateries, Robin Kanno, a travel specialist for Landmark Travel, admitted that it was a tough choice. To be sure, you are going to eat well, whether in Oahu or the outer islands. Read on for our list of the state's best restaurants.
