The Pineapple Grill
200 Kapalua Dr.
Maui, Hawaii
Part IV of our culinary adventures in Maui.
The Pineapple Grill can be likened to the Maui version of The Prime Rib. Admittedly, the view is much more impressive. It is on a golf course in the Kapalua resort. There are majestic pines and a view down the hillside that allows you to see the ocean and some decent sunset colors.
It is old-school. I expected to see Rodney Dangerfield and Chevy Chase sitting at the bar wearing golf clothes. However, the food is good and the service is on the money.
It is old-school. I expected to see Rodney Dangerfield and Chevy Chase sitting at the bar wearing golf clothes. However, the food is good and the service is on the money.
We started out with some steamed clams. They were in a very tasty broth spiked with Shiitake mushrooms and a tinge of truffles. The crustini was a macadmia nut pesto. I'm not sure if it was jus or Oregon truffles, but it was just enough that you would get a whiff of that wonderful essence when it got close to your nose.
Next were the Kobe Beef and Surfing Goat Cheese ravioli with Shiitake and truffle veal demi. The demi was reduced more than I'd like, but it was nice. They texture of the ravioli was perfect.
For my entree I had the filet with 7-spice bearnaise and wild truffles. Not so much on the wild truffle side, but the bearnaise was great and the steak was perfectly done.
Michael had Capt. Crosier's Seafood Bouillabaisse. He seemed to like it. The broth was good, but I didn't try the seafood.
Cheryl had a bison steak. She was expecting something along the lines of the ribeye at Newton's Table and I don't think it was quite there. It had good flavor, but it was competing with an excellent memory.
Alex had macadamia and lemongrass encrusted Mahi Mahi over rock shrimp and bok choy with a curry emulsion. This was a nice piece of fish, cooked well, with a lovely flavor combination.
As a side note, there was a guy at the table next to us complaining through the whole meal about everything he could think about and it was so bad I thought he was actually kidding. I was ignoring him and enjoying my meal but the kids were cracking up. I paid enough attention at that point to hear him call the waitress back and complain that HIS dinner, which was the same as Alex's above, was too fishy. I didn't get that at all.
In a whiny voice that no one within 50 feet could have missed he said, "You know what I hate? When my fish is too fishy!"
As a side note, there was a guy at the table next to us complaining through the whole meal about everything he could think about and it was so bad I thought he was actually kidding. I was ignoring him and enjoying my meal but the kids were cracking up. I paid enough attention at that point to hear him call the waitress back and complain that HIS dinner, which was the same as Alex's above, was too fishy. I didn't get that at all.
In a whiny voice that no one within 50 feet could have missed he said, "You know what I hate? When my fish is too fishy!"
For the rest of the vacation the kids were coming up with "You know what I hate?" jokes. When the water is too wet, when the rain forest is too green...
We were totally stuffed so we decided we would just split a dessert (besides the fact that there was a card good for a piece of this left in our villa) and I'm really glad we didn't skip it.
Maui is full of pineapple upside cakes on menus just about everyplace you go. We tried a couple, but this was far and above the best. It was a sour-cream Maui Gold pineapple upside down cake with rum-caramel sauce. It was moist, fresh, and decadent. If you go, don't miss it. Even if you don't eat dinner there, I'd stop in for a Pina Colada and a piece of this.
Thanks for reading. Please feel free to post comments!
Next up? Lunch at the Poolside Bar & Grill at The Ritz Carlton Kapalua.
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