Monday, January 16, 2012

CRC blog- Hawaiian Cuisine often has a California-grown ingredient

By Julie Cader

Julie is Finance & Administration Manager for the California Rice Commission.  This is the second in an occasional series of blog posts about California rice cuisine.  It’s her first trip to Hawaii in many years, where California rice is extremely popular.

Aloha from Maui!

Our travels today took us to one of the best-known fish taco restaurants in Kihei. Rated 2010 Top Maui Restaurant, and known for their healthy dishes and unique ambiance, Coconut's Fish Café prepared the best fish tacos we've ever had, served local-style with California brown rice. After we ordered at the counter, we enjoyed our meal on Coconut's one-of-a-kind surfboard tables.


Welcomed by owner Mike Phillips, we were honored to be introduced to well-known Hawaiian, Kimokeo Kapahulehua, as seen in the attached photo.  With his passion for canoe voyaging and mission of responsible stewardship, land preservation, respect for the sea and Hawaiian ancestors, "Uncle Kimokeo" is a pillar of the Maui community. The painting in the background truly reflects Kimokeo's aloha spirit.

If you are looking for a quick and easy lunch or dinner, try Coconut's Fish Café in the Azeka Mauka Center at 1279 South Kihei Road. Tell Mike we said
Aloha!


Ending the Day in Kihei

After spending the afternoon hiking to the Iao Needle, a natural rock pinnacle rising 2,250 feet high in the Iao Valley, we wanted to witness the Kihei sunset, a beautiful way to end the day on the islands. We chose LuLu's Maui, a fun, open-air, family restaurant to capture this surreal moment in time.


Greeted by our server, Jocelyn, we sipped on Mai Tai's and enjoyed great food, including fresh local fish, fresh Maui grown produce and California Calrose rice. The restaurant menu at LuLu's blends traditional Hawaiian meals, dishes from the Pacific Rim, and favorites from an American café.

Not to be missed, LuLu's is located just off South Kihei Road up on the 2nd floor of Kihei Kalama Village, directly across from the Kalama Beach Park and the Pacific Ocean.

Mahalo.

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