monkeypod kitchen by merriman

great meal last night. we enjoyed a lovely meal sitting on the patio. there was live music inside which was quite good, but the place was packed so the noise level was louder than we were looking for, on another occasion it would be fun and entertaining.

i had the sangria as a cocktail which was flavorful, citrus but maintained the red wine and grand marnier flavours as well.

i started with a squash ravioli with chèvre and fresh spinach on top. this was followed by the pork tacos which were spicy with kimchee and sliced fresh jalepenos but they didn't overwhelm the taste of the pork. it was paired with a sauvignon blanc at the recommendation of our server. she was knowledgeable about the menu and the wine list and great at engaging everyone at the table. the french press coffee was an exceptional finish to the meal and went really well with the in house made banana cream pie.

burgers are great service w.... burgers are great
service was just ok
forgot our fries for everyone at our table and took over ten minutes for drink refills

we had a great experience here! live music, great service, amazing food! there's a wine room below the restaurant too. we didn't get to check it out this time but looks like it would be fun to go before or after dinner at monkeypods. we had the squash ravioli, pear and gorgonzola pizza and the pork tacos- all phenomenal. best food we had there was the strawberry cream pie though!

best for last. so our 2 weeks in maui is almost at an end, and it looks like we saved the best for last. biggest draft beer menu in maui (yes, including maui brewing brewpub). we had a mushroom and truffle wood-fired pizza and the ribeye steak special. both were great. the cream pies (i had banana and my wife had coconut) were probably the best thing we've eaten in maui. patio and service were fine.

so this restaurant was not what i expected...it was very noisy and busy upon entering and we were sat at a tight table where i was jostled more than once...in auspicious beginning...could not hear the server describe the special but decided to go with the mahi, not expecting much even tho he raved about it...wow...incredible... so fresh and the mashed sweet potato and orange sauce accompanying the oh so fresh and perfectly cooked mahi were amazing! topped off the main with equally impressive dessert and the best french press coffee we have had in 2 weeks in hawaii :)


-----11 feb, 2013-----

unexpected!

top notch. this was the best dining experience we had all vacation! service was excellent-drinks were never empty, very knowledgeable of the menu, friendly! atmosphere is warm and inviting, amazing view of the sunset from our table. live entertainment made it extra special. i had the calamari for an appetizer, which came out super quick, and the margarita pizza- toppings were super fresh and crust is fantastic ! would very highly recommend this gem, make a reso, and go hungry :)

bad food. we ordered the organic macademia nut crust mahi-mahi, dry mein, chili green beans and truffle fries. all of them were sub par. the fish was flavorless, dry mein was lumped up, chili green beans undercooked, and the truffle fries had no semblance of truffle on it. overall poor food, expensive place. to top it off, i had to return the big wave golden ale as it was flat. next time, its got to be mama's fish house

good ,...not great but good. would for sure do it again. nice location by our hotel....

excellent. we went for happy hour. had drinks and wood fired pizzas, they were excellent! but the banana cream pie is too die for!!! if you don't have anything else----- have the pie.loved the atmosphere too.

an expensive lunch. nice space, we sat at the bar to watch the kitchen action. my ocean breeze drink was excellent - unusual for me to consume alcohol, nevermind before noon....yikes, i was a little spinny for my spa appointment. i was much happier with this lunch at the time than my sweetie was, but she didn't drink, and i now agree with her assessment.

we shared and enjoyed the kale salad (kale!), although it was overdressed. my pete's classic burger was great - once i removed the bottom half of my bun....way too much bun going on. my sweetie inadvertantly ordered all fried things, which she regretted. the garlic parm fries were good/addictive, and the calamari & shrimp plate was a mixed bag: perfectly cooked shrimp and overcooked calamari. we took a slice of chocolate cream pie to-go - and it was terrible...way too rich, undercooked crust and the filling did not appear to have been cooked with the crust....just not right.

aloha gastroforkers! this is my first of a few posts from my travels to maui. brian and i travelled for a wedding, which was absolutely beautiful (check out the spread later in this post). i’ve had so many debates with people who’ve previously been to maui, honolulu and the big island as to which island is ‘better’ than the other – but to be honest, it’s always about personal preference – much like food. the closest restaurant to our condo at grand wailea champions (which, by the way, is a gorgeous and well kept property that doesn’t break the bank!) was monkeypod kitchen. monkeypod kitchen supports local produce, organic and sustainable farming, ranching and fish practices. meats are well taken care of – beef is grass fed, fish on the menu are renewable species and they offer sustainable hormone free poultry. this is so important and i’m so glad to help be a part of this movement – even if it’s only dining! our first encounter was with a huge group 7 of us were present and another 6 w

granola/hippie type of servers but the food is phenomenal. best ahi steak and fish/ chips we've had. it's a must if in wailea

best meal we've had so far in hawaii. we are considering going back even though there are somany choices! i had the vegan portuguese bean soup and the beet salad. both were excellent vegan choices! my hubby had the panko and herb crusted mahi with lobster mashed potatoes and sautéed lobster! also sautéed local veggies. this dish was heaven! every bite made you oh an ah and mmmm! service was friendly and timely. we had a wonderful time. it's a lively place and we were there on a saturday night and there was live music. just a girl and her guitar but she was fantastic! enjoy!

delicious calamari appetizer, macadamia salad good, shiitaki mush pizza good, a little cheesy and i would've preferred it with red sauce instead of white sauce. but def flavorful food!

i had an appetizer of ahi tacos ($17.95) (by the end of this trip, my mercury level was probably through the roof) which were little wontons fried and shaped into little taco shell shapes, filled with seasoned ahi (marinated with soy and ginger) and topped with cabbage and an avocado cream sauce. they were really good