The Divine Dish

Dinner at Mama’s Fish House, Maui

Posted on Dec 03, 2010 under Archives | No Comment

I heard raves from about Mama’s Fish House for weeks before setting off to Maui, so I had to include it in my itinerary.  It fit perfectly in at the end of a day exploring Maui’s upcountry.

The retro-Polynesian fantasy version of a Hawaiian restaurant lies just beyond the cute small town of Paia.  Opened in 1973, it is one of the first restaurants on the island of Maui.  The restaurant, actually a converted beach house, opens to a crescent shaped beach lined with palm trees, offering up the perfect view for the island’s stunning sunsets.

If you plan your dinner before sunset, you can take a few minutes to walk around the beach and enjoy the view.   Inside houses candlelit tables covered with island print cloths, walls covered with Maui memorabilia and dozens of amazing flower displays (pics later in this blog).

Here is what we enjoyed:

The view, the view, the view…. We were lucky enough to get a front row seat for the sunset.  Won best view for dinner out of the restaurants on my trip.

I  had to get the Mai Tai, as I promised I would have one tropical fruity with the umbrella drink while in Maui.  It was huge, a fishbowl size, and boy was it strong.  I only drank a third of it as I had a long drive back to Makena.

My friend Tina had the sashimi salad, with crispy won ton strips, Hana pohole fern, wasabi goat cheese and tuna sashimi.  Yum.

I had the lobster guacamole because …. it was lobster in guacamole!  I knew it had to taste delicious, and it did.  Fresh and buttery lobster.

What’s unique and wonderful about Mama’s Fish House is that the menu, which changes daily, is quite simple, there is a long line of fresh (meaning probably that it was caught that morning) fish that includes the details of who caught it, where, and how it was prepared.  We sampled just how fresh the fish is when the chef sent out some big local shrimp, perfectly grilled, for us to sample.  Theses were fantastic.

I had to order the house special, mahi-mahi stuffed with crab and sage, with a side of local rice and asparagus.

Tina had the fresh grilled ono with onions, carrots and avocado relish.  Both were perfectly cooked and the freshest fish I had on the island.

For dessert, we split the banana crisp topped with locally made ice cream and a chocolate turtle wafer.  A great way to end a fabulous meal.

I had to take pictures of the beautiful flowers that surrounded the tables.  Don’t bother driving to the botanical garden, just come to Mama’s for dinner for an up close view of tropical flowers.  We were lucky enough to also get to sneak into the offices and I snapped some shots of bouquet arrangements there as well, here are the flower pics:

We also got to tour some of the rental cabanas.  These are great alternatives to staying in a resort – as you can get cozy accommodations perfect for a romantic couple getaway or larger ones with kitchens for families.  Here are some pics:

As an additional bonus, if you stay at one of the cottages you get a “kamaaina rate,” or local discount of 20 percent on meals at the restaurant.  I highly recommend dining (and staying if you have enough time on your holiday) at Mama’s Fish House, 799 Kaiholo Place, Paia, reservations strongly recommended, 808/579-9762.

Dinner at The Pineapple Grill Restaurant, Maui

Posted on Nov 21, 2010 under Archives | No Comment

Located partway up Maui’s scenic Pineapple Hill, the casual but elegant Pineapple Grill overlooks the golf greens on the Kapalua Bay Resort and the Pacific Ocean.  This upscale casual but elegant steak and seafood restaurant serves up Pacific Island cuisine with an Asian twist.  It also has a large wine selection, features an exhibition kitchen, black marble bar and outdoor dining on the lanai.  On my last trip to Maui I enjoyed a tasting menu prepared by Chef Ryan Luckey.  Here is what we sampled:

My friend Tina, who lives on the island, joined me and we started off with a few appetizers.  I had the Ahi tuna and salmon tartare with Hass avocado relish, chili oil and crispy lotus chips.  It was delicious.

Tina had the house special, steamed Manila clams with shitake mushrooms in a black bean truffle butter broth.  The broth was rich and great for dipping bread into once we devoured the fresh clams.

I visited Maui during the last week of October, right when Monchong was in full season.  The Monchong is a medium firm sweet fish with high fat content and is very easy to cook, similar to a Butterfish.  It is only available in Hawaii and in season for a few months in the year.  My lemon porcini dusted Monchong came with tarragon-lobster essence, asparagus spears, gold mashed potatoes and a Kula tomato concasse.   It soon became my favorite thing to order while in Maui.

Tina had the Asian braised short ribs which came with truffle gold potatoes, kalbi demi glace and pineapple relish.  Also very good.

For dessert, Chef Luckey sent out a lavender infused creme brulee with strawberries and a pineapple cheesecake.

I would highly recommend the Pineapple Grill for its stellar views, laid back atmosphere and upscale food.  Located at 200 Kapalua Drive, 808/669-9600, reservations highly recommended.

Interview with Soleil Moon Frye at Weleda Beauty Mobile Tour

Posted on Nov 07, 2010 under Archives, Interviews, Other interesting people | No Comment

I recently interviewed actress, environmentalist, and businesswoman Soleil Moon Frye at the Weleda “Honestly Natural, Truly Beautiful” national mobile tour when the Weleda biodiesel truck stopped in Hollywood at the bottom of the Hollywood and Highland shopping mall.

Weleda sponsored the tour in support of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics to promote safe and natural ingredients in lotions, cosmetics and shampoos.  Weleda uses 100 percent plant based botanical ingredients in their products with no animal testing.  The biodiesel truck provided opportunities for everyone to receive a mini-spa treatment, take home samples of great Weleda products, and film a short video for a chance to win a trip to the Weleda Spa in New York.

Also on hand was Soleil Moon Frye.  Frye played the spunky orphan in the 1980s TV series Punky Brewster and as an adult was in Sabrina, The Teenage Witch.  She has directed several films and currently is the voice for Aseefa in Nickolodean’s animated Planet Sheen.  Frye also owns The Little Seed, an environmentally conscious children’s specialty boutique in LA.  I sat down with the busy actress to talk about her connection with Weleda, her eco-friendly LA store, life as a mom, and her upcoming projects.

 

Boo! Top 10 Haunted Hotels

Posted on Oct 14, 2010 under Archives | No Comment

I love Halloween.  In addition to being my sister’s birthday, it’s the one night of the year when you get to channel your inner personality or personalities and be whomever you want.  Here in Toluca Lake, the neighbors go all out decorating the houses so it is always fun to walk around and see the scary decor.   Here’s my list of the scariest places to stay this Halloween.

For fans of the fantastic, lovers of the lurid and mavens of the macabre, haunted hotels offer unique places to stay where visitors might meet some permanent “guests.”   If ghosts and goblins intrigue you during the Halloween season, book a night at one of these haunted hotels for a most memorable evening.

Hotel Del Coronado, San Diego

I’ve stayed several times at the Hotel Del.  It is pretty spooky at night, as my friend Sheila and I both thought the hallways reminded us of the spooky hallways in “The Shining.”  It is also a bit creepy to wander around at night.  We were too chicken to stay in room 3312, I am a big scaredycat so I am waiting to stay in the haunted room until  I take my boyfriend with me.  Here is the ghost story:  At the elegant Hotel Del Coronado, the whisper of “Kate Morgan” sends shivers down the spine.  Did she kill herself or was she murdered at this family-friendly resort?  Either way, her ghost lingers in room 3312 at this seaside Victorian landmark.

Queen Mary Hotel, Long Beach

The mighty Queen Mary traveled more than 1,000 Atlantic crossings.   This former cruise ship is now a permanently anchored hotel but spooks, phantoms and ghosts are said to keep sailing through the staterooms and salons.

Renaissance Mayflower Hotel, Washington, DC

Strange occurrences, said to be linked to the hotel’s first inaugural ball honoring Calvin Coolidge, still reveal themselves at this stately hotel.   The President, still mourning the death of his 16-year old son, did not attend the 1925 ball.  Each year on inauguration day (January 20), lights in the ballroom dim, hotel staff find mysterious plates of food and wine on the ballroom balcony and the same elevator refuses to work until 10 pm, the time the President would have arrived at the ball.

Martha Washington Inn, Virginia

A confederate soldier died at the Abingdon inn in 1864.  Legend claims that the soldier’s horse wandered the grounds for hours in search of its owner.   Today, guests and staff say that on moonless nights a ghostly riderless horse can be seen on the inn’s south lawn.

Crescent Hotel, Arkansas

Once a cancer hospital and a girl’s school, this hotel is packed with ghosts including a regular in room 218.   Guests can check it out for themselves by attending the nightly ghost tour.

Le Pavillon Hotel, New Orleans

Capitalizing on its four resident ghosts, a teenager named Ada, a young man, and an aristocratic couple, the hotel offers a “haunted experience” including an evening séance inspired turndown and two passes for the Ghost Expeditions French Quarter tour.

Forsyth Park Inn, Savannah

Okay, I actually went to this one as well.  Didn’t stay here but it was part of my walking midnight ghost tour (a must when in Savannah, very creepy) when I was in Savannah doing a story.  I didn’t see any ghosts, but the tour was really spooky because there are hundreds of dead slaves buried under all the squares in Savannah, so you are basically walking on … well, you can figure it out for yourself.  Also, we spent lots of time on the press tour at the Mansion on Forsyth Park, which I later learned on the ghost tour that it was built on the site of an old mortuary.  Yikes.  Hundreds of dead folks were once there.  They didn’t mention that at the spa or while we were eating in the restaurant.  Hmmm.  Savannah is officially the most haunted city in the US, so if you’re into ghosts that’s the place to go.  Many locals refuse to enter the Mansion due to its’ history.  Good thing I didn’t know any of that info before my stay, just learned it on the last night at the ghost tour.  Pretty spooky.  Here is info on the Forsyth Park Inn:

This Queen Anne Victorian inn built in 1896 as a private home is said to be haunted by two members of the Churchill family, its former inhabitants.   The alleged ghosts include Lottie, a young girl who poisoned her uncle’s mistress, and Lottie’s mother.

Jekyll Island Club Hotel, Georgia

Two ghosts reside in this famous Southern resort, General Lloyd Aspinwall, a founding member of the club said to be seen walking around the veranda, and Samuel Spencer, president of the Southern Railroad Company, who had a morning ritual of reading the paper in his room while sipping coffee.   Guests staying in Spencer’s old room report finding their morning newspaper disturbed and their coffee cups mysteriously emptied.

Stanley Hotel, Colorado

This hotel is so spooky that it inspired mega horror author Stephen King to pen The Shining.   King stayed in room 217 while writing the book and the ABC miniseries of the same name was filmed at the hotel.  This is the next one for me on my list of scary places, because it looks really creepy in the miniseries.

So, if you go to any of these places (and return!) let me know.   Or, just rent 1408, a good scary haunted hotel pic, or the also creepy “The Shining.”