GREAT EATS HAWAII: HUMUHUMUNUKUNUKUKUAPUA'A

HUMUHUMUNUKUNUKUAPUA'A

GRAND WAILEA RESORT

WAILEA, MAUI

Was blessed to enjoy a magical evening with my girls on Maui. My girls did not want me to eat alone again so they changed their flight back to Oahu to be able to have dinner with Dad. We were given a $40 discount from the front desk if we dine at the Grand Wailea signature restaurant called Humuhumunukunukuapua'a. My daughter can say this without trying. I get all tied up trying to say it. According to my daughter this is the name of Hawaii's State fish. The restaurant is spectacular. Surrounded by water and overlooking a lagoon and the ocean. Does not really get much better than this in life. Truly amazing setting. The entire family was so relaxed and happy here. Just a wonderful love fest. Service was excellent with no drama or mistakes. The dishes came out within a reasonable time and all were good. We started with the Fresh Island Poke Appetizer ($21). Bright red fresh Ahi Tuna with a bit of Lomi Lomi Salmon at the bottom of the dish. This went down like cold butter. Simple and delicious. The Beet Salad ($12) included a very nice portion of beats and was topped with Goat Cheese and Candied Walnuts. A light dressing on the greens. Again, very simple and delicious. The Local Lobster and Filet of Beef ($52) was excellent. While the lobster was a bit dried from being cooked on the grill, the drawn butter helped to boost the flavor. The steak was about 5 oz. Perfect size for me. Cooked to a perfect medium rare and served with one of the best peppercorn sauces I have ever tasted. Sides of asparagus and mashed potatoes were included. The Rack of Lamb ($40) was charred to perfection and got two thumbs up from Keli. The Hawaiian Sea Bass stuffed with Crab ($34) was one of the best fish dishes my wife has ever tasted. She loved it and finished the entire plate. All this while overlooking a beautiful lagoon and the ocean. Truly a magical evening that I will never forget. Our family all knew how blessed this moment in time was for us. We savored it. We gave thanks for it.