FoodTrek: Mahalo Plenty and Putting the "Wow" in Luau

I'm so not a luau person. I can count on one hand how many times I've been to a luau and I can now commit two digits to this achievement. I saw that episode of No Reservations where Tony Bourdain reluctantly attended a luau, and I felt his pain (at least until the tiki drinks kicked in, then it was all good times). That being said, it's sure saying something when I can say I came, I saw, I luau-ed and had a really fun night on our last evening in Maui, with the Runic Games crowd at the Old Lahaina Luau.

Rock-a-Hula, baby - swaying in the tropical breeze in Lahaina - Photo by Wasabi Prime

Total Party Pooper Confession: I had considered skipping the luau -- we missed our chance to try Star Noodle in Lahaina, along with many other restaurants that were on my Maui wish list. Committing a night of just eating at as many places as we could manage was awfully tempting. And the rush hour traffic, complete with a road-blocking accident made for a pretty wicked commute from Makena to Lahaina. Translated to full-on Pidgin with a touch of Maui dialect: Eh, dis one plenty kine pilau pauhana traffic! Dis some junk, eh?!  But this was the final night in Maui, we had so much fun on this huge group vacation with all of the Mister's workmates at Runic, and this felt like a proper way to end our very magical trip on a festive,  happy, gang's-all-here note.

1-2-3 - CAMERA TIME! Festive night and a special little guest-star - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Luckily, we were in the land of Island Time, so despite the traffic snarl, we didn't miss a thing upon our arrival to the Old Lahaina Luau. It's set up like dinner and a concert -- you have a little cocktail hour time, getting settled, enjoying the fresh flower lei they greet you with, and you continue to enjoy cocktail hour time until the buffet is opened. Then it's almost like going to a big banquet wedding -- each table gets up to go through the buffet line and it's done in a nice, orderly fashion so the line for dinner doesn't look like all hell's broken loose. Our group probably took up five or six tables, which were all within the same general area, so it was nice to have everyone sitting so close. We even got a special guest visitor -- a little gecko which scared the holy hell out of one of our friends. I'm pretty sure the gecko was just hoping for a sip of Mai Tai. The photo above is just a reenactment of what happened, as that picture was taken in Kona a couple of years ago, but believe me -- those geckos are lushes, every last one of them!

Eating the islands, one bite at a time - Photo by Wasabi Prime

It was hard to take a good photo of the buffet area while trying to balance my plate, but believe me, it was a very good luau meal. They of course had the requisite whole-roasted pig, fresh from the underground oven -- the imu -- with fall-off-the-bone smoky Magical Animal, but they also had mini pork laulau (pork wrapped in taro leaf, with a little piece of fish for extra flavor, wrapped in a ti leaf before being slowly cooked), two different kinds of poke (Hawaiian-style ceviche) -- one with octopus and the other with tuna, roasted alii potatoes (also known as purple Okinawan potatoes), fresh locally-grown salad greens, a tasty warabi and tomato salad (warabi is like a tropical fiddlehead fern), and more familiar items like teriyaki chicken, beef and roasted fish. There was poi, that old luau favorite of mashed taro root made into a thick, sticky pudding -- which I skipped -- not my thing, but very traditional and worth trying if you've never had it. I feasted on the island beasts from land to sea, and enjoyed every bite. Say what you will about buffets or even luaus -- this was really delicious and the food was fresh and genuine, not trying to adhere to some silly image of what Hawaiian food should be. The endless cocktails were nice as well, an option well-chosen for our party-hearty group.

The story of the Hawaiian islands, as told through music and dance - Photos by Wasabi Prime

We were happily settled in Food Coma Land when the sun settled into the sea and the performances began. The Old Lahaina Luau does a beautiful job, presenting as much of the mythical story of the Hawaiian islands as they do the history of hula itself within the islands. Several of the hula kahiko -- traditional or ancient style of hula -- are from the surrounding Polynesian islands, the original Hawaiian settlers who brought the cultures of the Marquesas and Tahiti, including their method of historical preservation by way of movement and song. The performances are introduced with explanations in English, as well as Native Hawaiian by a kumu, an elder and teacher.

The early settlers of Hawaii and the legends of gods who created the islands - Photos by Wasabi Prime

I loved seeing the performance of the story of Pele, Goddess of Fire, who lives in the Kilauea crater on the Big Island of Hawaii, and her tempestuous relationship with her older sister, Namakaokahai, goddess of water, ocean and rain. It's always the ladies with the complex personal dynamics and DRAMA, no? There's different variations on the story, that Pele put the moves on her sister's husband, or that like many siblings, they just couldn't get along, and so they fought -- fire and water, in a constant battle. But ohana -- family -- wins out in the end, they strike a balance, just like the way the ocean's waves crash against the cliffs of Kilauea, yet the volcano remains active and very much alive; neither force fully overtakes the other and so the islands continue to grow. All this through a beautiful song and dance? Well, just believe me, it's there.

From past to present, a history of hula - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Despite how cool it would have looked in a photo, there were no spinning batons of fire going on. That's a little more Vegas-y and less traditional, because really, how safe is that, spinning stuff on fire?? The later performances show the hula's history, definitely a sign of the European influence, with full muumuu style dresses befitting the modest British settlers that nearly made Hawaii their own (at least before America got their protectorate clutches into it -- but oy, what a bigger, more complicated story that one is). The popularized modern hula -- hula auana -- reminded me of the annual Merrie Monarch hula festival that happens every year in Hilo on the Big Island. Literally the Superbowl of Hula, with halaus traveling from as far as Japan to participate, all the islands literally drop everything to watch it and enjoy the cultural celebration. Hula auana style is more athletic and quick, with synchronized strong movements, especially the all-male performers, proving that men can make hula impressive and powerful. As an art form, hula continues to regain its cultural significance in people's minds -- it lost a lot of ground from too many years of trivialized fake grass skirts, bad tattoos and silly (but wonderful) Elvis movies. Well-done performances like the ones at Old Lahaina Luau are helping to set the image right. 

Cheers to you, Maui - and no, that wasn't my lei on the mermaid - Photos by Wasabi Prime

So yes, despite my not being a luau person, I genuinely enjoyed myself on our Aloha oi, Farewell to Maui night, rockin' the hula. It was a beautiful evening, and everyone looked so happy, relaxed and fully vacation-ized at the luau -- even the Mister and me! We all made our way back to the hotel for a final cocktail hour in their lounge, plus post-func room POG-tinis because we all bought waaaaaaaay too much alcohol (damn you, Costco!) and were desperate to finish as much of it up before we headed back to the Mainland the next day.

Mahalo Plenty to Runic Games for their generosity and heartfelt Aloha to not only the employees but their families, the trip organizers and team-wranglers, the gorgeous island of Maui and all the locals we met, the very patient and good-natured bartenders and staff at Makena Resort who served our every tipsy whim, the awesome Runic Gang for being such FUN travel companions, and even Mother Nature and the Hawaiian gods themselves, for blessing us with an incredible week-long experience. Aloha nui loa -- looking forward to returning again soon!

FoodTrek: Maui Part Deux - Pizza and Beer, With Aloha

What's a pair greater than pizza and beer? Yeah, that's right -- NOTHING. They were together long before peanut butter and chocolate, and way-way before those Twilight kids hooked up for some vampiric bump n' grind. And so it should be no surprise that in the lush paradise of Maui, Pizza and Beer: A Love Story, continues on...

Oh what a feeling... drinking beer on the ceiling... - Photo by Wasabi Prime

In the second installment of Mauianigans (Maui + Shenanigans - duh), we managed to fit a trip to a local brewery in Lahaina and a from-scratch pizza place in Kihei. Not in the same day, mind you, but these separate excursions were too good not to put together as tasty suggestions for your next visit to the island of Maui. I credit Mr. Wasabi for organizing a tasting tour of the Maui Brewing Company. Brock was talking to his beer pals and someone said, "So of course you'll be visiting the brewery, right?" To which the obvious answer was, "Of course!" with hasty Googling afterwards, to figure out where the place was, and whether or not the brewery was open to the public for tours. The answer to that is no -- they don't do regular tours, but if you can get at least ten of your thirstiest friends together and schedule a time with them, they'll do a personal tour of the brew facilities with a tasting session afterwards for $10, including a wooden token good for a full pint at their brewpub, which is offsite from the brewery, at the Kahana Gateway Center. 

Look for the big, shiny brewing equipment and follow the arrows! - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Maui Brewing Company's brewery and tasting room is located off Brock's favorite highway to say - Honoapiilani Highway, which goes right through Lahaina, but it's a little tricky to find. It's a working brewery, so it's in an industrial area hidden behind a few other street-facing buildings. The best visual signpost to signal you're within spitting distance is the Sugar Cane Train station, which has a pretty distinctive vintage train engine sitting out on a lawn. The brewery itself is about a row of buildings back, and you'll see that they've used some of their brewing equipment tagged for signage to let you know where to enter. The tasting room is a cool, laid-back place to grab a beer. No food, since they have the brewpub for that, but it's a great hands-on experience to see how the beer is made. Maui  Brewing Company has been making the good sudsy stuff since 2005, and it's the biggest breweries on the islands in. They have several signature beers: Bikini Blonde, Big Swell IPA, Mana Wheat and CoCoNut PorTeR, which you've likely seen and tasted on the Mainland, thanks to the fact they use cans instead of bottles. Beer in cans is like wine in boxes -- there's a stigma that makes you think "bad" or "cheap," but Maui Brewing Company is working towards adjusting people's drinking mindframes and realizing it all comes down to blessed science and good economic sense. The cans are less expensive than bottling, and they maintain the beer's quality better than glass, which can still allow light to affect the beer. Given the traveling these mighty sixers have to do, going as far as the East Coast, a secure and lightweight beer-shuttle is a necessity. The cans also ensure more beer can be shipped, so that's a good thing as well.

Where Maui beer is BORN - Photos by  Wasabi Prime

Maui Brewing Company is all about showing local love -- even the cans are locally produced. I learned on the tour that the ridges near the top of the can is like a branding from the can manufacturer, which in this case is on Oahu. If you see a can with the little ridges towards the top, that can was made in Hawaii, which would explain why I remember all those POG and guava juice cans having that unique feature. Ah, sweet, sweet knowledge! But back to the local ingredients, they integrate as much of the islands' flavors into the beers as possible, like the coconut for the porter, or for one of their special seasonal brews, the Aloha B'ak'tun, a spicy, smoky brew made with local chocolate. Their most popular beers are the lighter ones like the Bikini Blonde, Big Swell IPA and Mana Wheat, which you can find at most bars who serve Maui Brewing Company's tasty suds. They have a light, delicate flavor -- sunkissed, I dare say, and perfect after a hot day on the beach. And plenty ono with some pauhana pupus, like boiled peanuts and edamame. Our Pacific Northwest palates were more intrigued with their heavier, more complex CoCoNut PorTeR and that seasonal chocolate-spiced B'ak'tun, which I'm totally going to track down at our favorite Redmond beer shop, Malt and Vine.

Drankin' with friends and plenty aloha at Maui Brewing Co's tasting room - Photos by Wasabi Prime

It's good news to hear that Maui Brewing Company's doing so well that they're moving to larger facilities this year -- time to level up! No specific date announced, but it won't cause any slowdown in the production of their precious beer, and the brewpub will be open during the transition. I have to give a brewery operating in Maui a lot of credit -- it's a hot place, they're making a product that's extremely sensitive to temperature and moisture, maintaining equipment that is constantly exposed to some amount of salt spray that's nearly everywhere in the islands. They make a commitment towards sustainability, both in energy efficiency on their part with the beer canning, solar power usage, biodiesel made from their brewpub kitchen and used for their vehicles, as well as making sure their brewery waste is reused as much as possible -- they donate the spent grain to local farms for feed and compost. You know you're drinking to the Circle of Life when you're cracking into one of their beers. They make a quality product through a process with a conscience -- even if you're not a beer drinker, you have to appreciate that.

Enough beer-talk -- let's EAT. And drink more beer. - Photos by Wasabi Prime

We took our precious beer token to Maui Brewing Company's brewpub, which is maybe a fifteen minute drive from the brewery, give or take pauhana traffic. Really cool place. I loved the repurposed beer keg decor, from the entrance to their industrial light fixtures, complete with plugged bungs. Bung. Heh-heh. From a beer-drinking standpoint, the brewpub, along with food, serves more of Maui Brewing Company's beers -- small-batch, seasonal beers and specials like their Ginger Saison, which I very much enjoyed. Their food menu reflects the same locavore mentality behind their beers -- Maui onion soup, salads made with local hydroponic greens, and of course a lot of their dishes are made with their beer, like their chili or beef stew. I went for their beef stew made with their porter and locally-raised beef. I have to say, of all the beer-infused stews I've had, this one really retained that smoky-bitter porter taste in a nicely flavor-forward way. You weren't going to get drunk off beef stew, but there was no doubt they used that CoCoNut PorTeR in the gravy. And served with a scoop of rice, of course!

Beer-battered brie? Why the heck not? - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Brock ordered their Pub Plate, which was Hawaii pub-style: kalua pork, one scoop rice, one scoop potato-mac salad, and a side of their house barbecue sauce made from their porter. I snuck a bite -- it was ono plenty. We also had their beer battered brie served with caramelized pineapple sauce, which is just a fancy way of saying FRIED CHEEEEEEESE. Aside from the fact it was molten hot, as if Pele herself had flipped the bird at this cheese, it was delicious, almost like a slightly deconstructed fondue, with the creamy pineapple sauce, gooey brie and pieces of bread. One of our brewpub crew ordered the nachos, which the simple name doesn't do it justice. It should be called King Kamehameha Nachos because these were downright royal. A volcano-sized pile of kalua pork, black beans, fresh salsa and jalapenos... and maybe a few tortilla chips thrown in there for good measure. The thing was gloriously ridiculous, and even when the pile was mostly gone, no one wanted the plate to leave the table, continuing to pick at it and keeping the servers from taking it away. Damn, that's some good nacho.

There was beer... now there's pizza at Fabiani's - Photo by Wasabi Prime

And so the beer was had... what about the pizza? I'll admit, I had my heart set on a sushi night. Gorge myself like a fat seal on whatever fish we could get our hands on at one of the sushi spots in Kihei that other travelmates had recommended. I was ready to be harpooned for sushi. But as most days and nights spent with a group of friends on a giant company vacation, you settle in with an early evening cocktail and ideas get thrown about over where to go for dinner. Fabiani's Pizza and Bakery was a name that came up as a place to check out, so sayonara, sushi -- it's Italiano, Aloha-style!

Fabiani's is in Kihei, a little off the beaten path in a small strip mall off Lipoa Street. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, handmade baked goods -- a total gem. It's clearly a popular neighborhood spot, as it was busy on a weeknight and that's always a good sign. The owner, Lorenzo Fabiani, is from Italy, so it's not one of those places that just tacks on an Italian-sounding name on the sign. It's all legit, yo. The chef is from Chicago, but don't think the pizzas are thick, doughy pies -- their crust is crispy, cracker-thin Roman-style, but sturdy enough to carry weighty toppings like The Mauian, which is kalua pork, Maui sweet onions, pineapple and a sweet barbecue sauce to balance the smokiness of the pork. We also tried the Maui Meaty, which is just that -- Supermeat! Italian sausage, pepperoni and ham - chomp. A more delicate and elegant offering is the namesake Lorenzo, topped with fresh mozzarella, proscuitto and a finish of fresh arugula drizzled with truffle oil, which made for a wonderful earthy, bitter green flavor combination. This was not an unhappy table. We also nom-nommed some artichoke dip and I was tempted by their house salad, which was made up of fresh greens from Kula, tossed with a vinaigrette made with lilikoi and vanilla, but my eyes fixated on their Aloha-talian mashup, Tako Carpaccio. Thinly sliced raw octopus drizzled in olive oil, sprinkled with fresh tomatoes and pine nuts. Unusual combination, but the fresh octopus with olive oil was heavenly; the briny earthiness of that cephalopod paired nicely with the richness of the oil. It wasn't sushi, but it definitely curbed my yen for seafood that night.

Aloha-talian -- I totally just made that up - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Italian food is the last thing I'd normally go for while in Hawaii, mostly because the majority of places are likely national chains -- not that I won't say never to deep-dish Pizza Hut guilty pleasuring. A pizza isn't something I'm going all the way to Hawaii to have -- HOWEVER, I would definitely go back to Fabiani's. It's got the local-transplant vibe of a neighborhood restaurant that took one culture's home cooking and adapted it beautifully to the islands, which is exactly how all the "Local" Hawaii foods came to be, from Spam Musubi (US military and Hormel) to kalua pork (pigs ain't local, yo!), even the sweet Hawaii-style bread and spicy sausage (god bless the Portuguese). My regret, as always, is that there wasn't enough time to go back and try their pastries and have more of their tasty food, but that's what finding a food gem is all about, looking forward to returning again.

There's still more Maui love to come -- I've got adventure on the high seas where all I could think of was that insufferably cheesy line from Star Trek IV: the Voyage Home, where Scotty says, "Thar be WHALES, Captain!" With that totally awesome preface, I'm sure you CAN'T WAIT!!!! Mahalo.

FoodTrek: Wowie, it's Maui! Getting Onto Island Time

One of the first things I did before heading to Maui on vacation was adding the city of Kihei onto my iPhone's weather app. Oh, the joyful rapture of seeing temperatures in the high seventies to low eighties appear for the week, as compared to our dismal high thirties and mid forties "highs" in the Northwest. Blerrrrg. We have since returned, slightly crisped from sunburn, tired from many activities all over the island of Maui, and with a pirate's treasure trove of good times under our collective belts. And yes, somewhat lamenting the fact that it's cold, cold, cold in our home state of Washington. As I went about trying to organize all our Maui shenanigans (Mauianigans...?), I realized more than any time difference or insufferably long-ass time you spend on a cramped airplane, the hardest adjustment is going from Normal Work-Stressed Mode into Relaxed Vacation Mode.

Breathe in... breathe out... Karate Kid-style. Let's Miyagi-san this vacation - Photo by Mr. Wasabi

I'm not kidding -- the crossing of the International Rat Race Line into Let's Get Lazy for a Week is disconcerting. You're used to being glued to your smartphone, checking email/Twitter/Facebook every fifteen minutes, being constantly connected to your work and home life, but barely living presently in either. Being on a plane over open water helps, as some airlines like Alaska Air shuts down their WiFi when you're soaring over the ocean, so you're in a technology cul de sac, listening to saved-up podcasts or watching movies on your iPad before the battery craps out moments before you find out all there is to know about the Crying Game. It also leaves all the more time for you to make comparisons between you and the Oceanic flight that dumped all those dysfunctional fools on The Island for seven seasons -- could have been an in-flight drinking game, counting how many Lost references were thrown about. Sometimes a 5-plus hour plane ride is a good thing for no other reason than to cut you off from technology and just take a long-ass nap. Beer, wine and mixed drinks help, too, as did the free Mai Tais served right before we landed -- mahalo, Alaska Airlines! 

The freezing fog/inversion layer we bid farewell to while flying to Hawaii - Aloha, bitches! - Photos by Wasabi Prime

I should preface this whole vacation-a-palooza by explaining that Mister and I traveled with his company, Runic Games, out to Maui for just shy of a week -- a very, very, VERY generous and wonderful show of appreciation for the employees and their game-widowed/widowered families who gave up many months of normalcy over last year to make the very successful video game Torchlight II. This isn't a typical thing, bringing a whole company to a tropical island as a thank-you, but it does wonders for employee morale, so if you're a small company wanting to show your appreciation to your workers for a particularly good year, consider this as an option versus the Jelly of the Month Club. You'll likely have employees for life, willing to give up plasma or even a kidney if you ask real nice.

Welcome to Maui - one of the prettiest islands to fly into - Photos by Wasabi Prime

The best view you'll ever see is the island of Maui appearing like Avalon from the mist -- tall mountains and lush green valleys below, contrasting against the island's iron-rich red volcanic soil. And you can't miss the crystal-blue water made bright and inviting from the shallow reefs below. You see this view and it's the first step towards transitioning into relaxation/vacation mode, so take in every second. The green fields are mostly sugar cane, some of the last few cane fields that the islands have. I remember summers at my grandparents' home "upcountry" in Makawao, driving through the cane fields during harvest, where they burn the cane to reduce the plant for more economic processing, so that the machines aren't doing extra work on unusable plant waste and soil. It literally looks like the island is on fire, it's alarming to see at first, and then you realize no one's in a panic and that it's totally normal. But it wasn't harvest time and the fields were lush and full as we flew in. It had been a few years since I'd been back to Maui and I saw the Kaheawa Wind Farm, right above Maalea Harbor, which became a good visual signpost to know which direction we were heading, and around this time, the humpback whale migratory season was in full-swing and for whatever reason, the deeper waters by that line of windmills were particularly flush with whale activity. Some people think the windmills are a bit of an eyesore, but knowing that it's a sign of the islands moving towards more sustainable energy resources, that's a pretty damn fine view. And clearly, the whales think they're awfully keen.

Checking into paradise at the Makena Beach Resort - Photos by Wasabi Prime

The first thing to do, even before checking into the hotel, is supply-up. Because the second you see a beach, you're going to want to frolic and never stop, and then wonder why you're sunburned from head to toe. There's a Costco within spitting distance of the airport in Kahului, so bring your membership card if you want to pick up perishables and the important stuff like copious amounts of boozeahol. We picked up a second set of snorkel gear and saved our supply-up for a Longs, which is pretty much the Everything Store for the islands. I held back on the Costco-sized handle of vodka, and picked up some of Maui's finest, a bottle of their own locally distilled (and organic) Ocean Vodka, which is good stuff, as well as a sixer of POG -- pineapple/orange/guava juice -- for hotel room cocktail hour POG-tinis! That's another crucial piece of the Vacation Mode Puzzle, have a signature tropical cocktail at the ready, at all times!

Feet in the sand, beautiful views, what more does anyone need? - Photos by Wasabi Prime

By the time we were settled into our amazeballs resort, the Makena Beach and Golf Resort, we were SO READY FOR VACATION. They have a beautifully open upper-level lobby area -- gorgeous vintage outrigger canoe on display, handmade Hawaiian quilts hanging on the walls, an open garden and koi fish pond below. Plenty of comfy sofas set up like a big lanai for just hanging out. We upgraded to the ocean view and it was worth it, displaying a beautiful view towards the north, looking right at Maalea Harbor and the line of windmills. And whales, if you stood on the balcony long enough to see spouts in the distance. But the beach called, and we answered, along with many of the Runic crew scrabbling out onto the sandy shores, pale and confused from the burning ball of light in the sky, hissing like Gollum, wailing, "It burrrrnsss ussss!!!" But then you put your feet into the pleasantly cooling surf, feel the foam of the Pacific Ocean (the warm part of it) swirling around your legs and you've achieved another level-up on your road to Vacation/Relaxation Nirvana.

Break the rules - have the breakfast buffet at least once - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Travel experts/snobs say: Never Eat at the Hotel. Most times I'd agree, but it's hard when you're in the middle of a beautiful resort and can sit out under palm trees and gorge yourself stupid on fresh papaya, pineapple and bacon. Despite the higher markup, we did the hotel buffet breakfast, which was delicious and covered our hunger needs for both breakfast and lunch for one day. I filled my plate several times like a big fat tourist, going for savory eggs, bacon, ham and these cute little shrimp quiches, along with fresh fruit and plain yogurt. Hawaii is the vacation favorite for a lot of Asian tourists, especially Japan, so most resorts will serve miso soup at breakfast, which is traditional. The Mister gave me a funny look, but whatever, I like it. Sure, it was pricier than a typical local-style breakfast, but we were paying for the convenience of having a relaxing breakfast close to our room and no sidelong glances from the staff because I was grubby like a sweathog from a morning workout.

Treat Yo Self - Photos by Wasabi Prime

And that's another thing about being on vacation: Treat Yo Self. Don't go crazy and get a timeshare or a Gucci handbag for every day of the week, but don't be afraid to sprinkle little treats throughout a trip. We splurged on a pricier, but extremely relaxing resort buffet breakfast -- check. We also splurged on one nice dinner out -- we went with a small group to Nick's Fishmarket over at the neighboring Fairmont Kea Lani resort. It was an elegant restaurant, beautifully-plated dishes with as much locally-sourced ingredients as possible. The daily specials were fresh and lovely, and we were with a fun group, so we had a very nice evening. Was everything crazy-to-die-for? No, but I wouldn't say a nice dinner out for at least one night isn't worth it, regardless of where you go. It really put us into the mindset of, "Wow, we are in a really amazing and beautiful place -- let's enjoy every second of it." You're in the middle of a resort-bubble, which is to say it's a beautiful, well-manicured dream of what living in Hawaii is like, and it's wonderfully no-fuss, which was perfect for a large group like ours, with several people who had never been to Hawaii, much less Maui. The convenient thing about this little ghetto of fancy-schmancy resorts and shops around Makena and Wailea is that there's a shuttle that putters around the area, so that makes for an easier (and safer) way of getting from place to place, especially if you're planning on Mai-Tying one on for the night (har har). Makena is a little isolated; Kihei is the biggest city close by, and even that's a few miles up the road, so having a rental car is a must if you're wanting to explore the island. I did a little shopping at the nearby Shops at Wailea, at their Whalers General Store, which was like a slightly fancier ABC Store (which they also have). I picked up some Maui-grown coffee and souvenir-sized jars of local honey, while getting a damn fine cup of Lappert's coffee. It wasn't a shopping spree straight out of Pretty Woman, but I was plenty happy.

Party On in the tropics - Photos by Wasabi Prime

I didn't use the pool at our resort (because it feels weird to swim at a pool only steps away from a beach), but I sure as hell enjoyed sitting around it. There were several evenings spent around Makena Resort's pool, sipping tropical cocktails and the Gangs of Runic taking over their lounge chairs and sofas. Cocktail Hour is a must for fully engaging your vacation. Even if it's a mock-tail, even if it's a club soda -- sit out in the open air, enjoy the fact that you're not swaddled in three layers of sweaters and fleece, and watch the sun slip into the ocean in a tirade of color, light and fury.

Give yourself a few hours, you'll thank Yourself for it - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Despite being on a vacation with a bunch of friends, it was good to take a couple of hours for oneself. Even if that means waking up really buttcrack-early most mornings. Hawaii is the place to eschew sleeping off that hangover till noon -- you want to see the morning light creep up across the mountains and churn the skies into warm, dusky hues. The resort had morning yoga (Tues/Thurs) which I wanted to do at least one class. I figured no one would want to meet before 7am for stretchy-bendy times, but the class was surprisingly filled, and with many from the Runic crew, which was great. Doing yoga with a view of the ocean and the morning sky is about as personally indulgent as it gets -- foie gras wrapped in bacon... for the soul. I know this is a food blog, but you have to feed your soul as much as you feed your piehole, and this was my ultimate Vacation/Relaxation Nirvana moment, taking some time to absorb everything. Smell the flowers. Feel the breeze. Realize there is so much more than crap on a computer and a Facebook status. It was early enough to where the beach wasn't yet full of people, so I could do a quick run up and down the sand in peace, and catch the first rays of morning light hitting the rocks and surf. Heaven.

I have much more Maui finds and adventures to share, this was the premiere post that needed to get this blog into an Island State of Mind -- so stay tuned! Despite a little sadness to be back to the daily doldrums, I didn't feel like I left anything behind, I truly feel like I brought so much back with me and I can't wait to share it all with you!

FoodTrek: PAX Vorare

If you've been reading Wasabi Prime's Tweets, first of all THANK YOU, as I appreciate your following of my random bursts of 140 characters or less, and secondly, based on the Twittering, you will have realized that despite the scheduled food posts, it wasn't really that much of a labor-free Labor Day weekend. I spent Saturday and Sunday at the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX), in support of my plus-one, Brock, and the super-awesome team of Runic Games, and their game, Torchlight. I put my gamer face on, which is quite a feat, considering I'm not much of a gamer. And by "not much of a gamer," I mean, "I like Tetris because colorful blocks are fun." But being right in the heart of downtown Seattle for a weekend afforded me the rare luxury of visiting some favorite eating spots.

Feel the loving beer-laden embrace of Six Arms - Photos by Wasabi Prime

If you're familiar with the Seattle Convention Center, you're probably aware of the giant Cheesecake Factory sign. I didn't go there. Nothing against large, national chain restaurants, as they have to get down with their bad selves in a faltering economy with the rest of the industry, but I figured they wouldn't mind if I spent my lunch money elsewhere, and their phonebook-sized menu kinda weirds me out. Walking up on E. Pike St. the from the convention center, towards the Capitol Hill neighborhood, one will come across the glory that is Six Arms. It's part of the McMenamins pub family, offering hearty, inexpensive soups and sandwiches, along with a tasty beer menu of local brews. Their menu is a friendly mix of meat and vegetarian dishes, offering familiar pub fare like sandwich wraps and finger food appetizers, but they're all made with quality ingredients and you don't feel like everything's just been sitting in fry oil.

When you walk into Six Arms, it's a great example of Seattle quirk. The bar is framed with an arch made up of plumbing pipes. Posters for events and concerts, both past and upcoming, cover the walls. The light fixtures on the high ceilings are retro starbursts of metal and small lightbulbs. The deep red paint on the walls make you feel cozy as you sidle up into one of their booths. It has the proper feel of a neighborhood place while being a short walk away from the convention center, so there's no reason to wait for a seat in an overcrowded chain restaurant when you can go to somewhere as unique and wonderful as this place.

I went with a half turkey sandwich for $5.50 -- they had me at cranberry relish -- and a refreshing pint of their Ruby raspberry ale, the first fruity ale to be legally produced in the United States back in the like, totally rad year that was 1985. I know beer aficionados bemoan the fact that brews have gotten more rooty-tooty fresh n' fruity over the years, in the hopes of attracting a wider female audience, but for better or worse, McMenamins' Ruby ale is a perfectly delightful glass o' heaven to have with a simple turkey sandwich. Brock had his usual, which is to say the steak wrap. It looked delicious and if I wasn't so busy trying to take food photos, I'd have stolen a bite, but I'm sure I'll be back again soon enough.

These are a few of my favorite things - way better than raindrops on roses - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Warning: this is a tater tot establishment. Abandon all hope of fries, ye who enter here. Not that it's a bad thing, as I have an equal love of potatoes in all shapes and forms, especially when fried. But I know some folks appreciate fries over tots. Napoleon Dynamite would approve of this place, as their tots are crispy, flavorful and delicious. Consider yourself tater tot advised.

Six Arms has been an old favorite, and it was nice to be given another opportunity to enjoy a beer and lunch at this neighborhood haunt that's full of local character. PAX guests planning on returning for next year's event, take note of this place.

Victrola shows coffee the love - Photos by Wasabi Prime

The best thing to combat the post-lunch/beer foodbaby coma: have a coffee at Victrola, which is conveniently a few steps away from Six Arms. There's the common association with Seattle and coffee, since it's the birthplace of java megatron, Starbucks, but Victrola is an example of why the love between Seattle and coffee is an affair worth remembering. It's a small, specialty coffee company, so their beans are lovingly roasty-toastied to perfection in small batches. And it's truly roasted, not burned, aka French Roast. You can actually taste the subtle flavors of the beans, as all the oils aren't burned out from the roasting process like most industrial roasters do, for the sake of consistency. Victrola has respect for the almighty bean, and it shows in each drink they pour. I'm more of a latte drinker, and they don't shame folks like me who like to have a little coffee with their milk. They flourish their beverages with lovely foam designs, which I always appreciate, as it's a sign of a cafe's attention to detail. They recently had a competition over latte art, and if you doubt the power of beautiful foam, check them out on Victrola's blog, which has a link to other competition photos.

The rest of Saturday was a blur of quick snacks, a few hastily-imbibed cocktails, and an early finish at an after-party held by Warner Bros. Too tired to party on like Wayne and Garth, we retired for the night for Sunday's final round of PAX.

A little piece of France in Seattle? Oui, oui! - Photos by Wasabi Prime

On an early Sunday morn, I took some "Wasabi Time" and walked down to Pike's Market before the rush of the tourist/brunch crowd hit. One of my favorite spots is Cafe Campagne, located right on Post Alley at Pine, across from the ubiquitous red neon cup o' coffee sign, down the steep cobblestone path into the main market. It was still early, and because it's by the Inn at the Market, they thankfully start brunch at eight and you can just walk in and have a bite. I indulged in their wonderfully Francophile menu and ordered one of their spécialitées de la maison, the Pâté de Campagne. A gorgeous terrine of creamy, seasoned pork and chicken liver, served up in a chilled slab with a crispy baguette, lightly dressed greens, olives, pickled onions and cornichons. Don't be hating on the organ meat; it can be a lovely thing when it's done right, and Cafe Campagne does a mean pâté. It couldn't get much more French than this, and sitting in the little corner table, it was a nice moment of calm. I don't smoke, but it would have been a great time to have started, just to soak in the whole civilized mood before the dining area became too full. There were other single-party breakfast diners who were also taking in the early morning lull, morning papers in hand. I recommend coming in first-thing for a quiet Sunday breakfast or just during the week, when it's not too busy. The Market can be a bustling place, and I don't get to come as often as I'd like, so being able to enjoy an early breakfast there was a luxury in and of itself.

Organ meat is the breakfast of champions - Photo by Wasabi Prime

It was a picture-perfect Seattle morning, which is to say, gray, windy and rainy. My lack of preparation heading down to the Market left me running for cover for a few city blocks, scampering from one covered awning to the next, trying to make my way back up to the convention center. In a moment of drowned-rat misery, standing against a building waiting for the deluge to dial back, I had to remember what a friend once told me, which is that when things like this happen, just pretend you're in a movie. So I did. I pretended I was in a movie set in Paris, after a lovely breakfast, running through the rainy streets, waiting for my handsome leading man to find me for a lamppost corner embrace, and then WHAMMO, reality set in when I saw a herd of nerds dressed up like characters from Halo walk by. Doh.

I'm very thankful to Runic Games for giving me the opportunity to experience the Penny Arcade Expo, and all the sensory overload one gets when walking the exhibition hall floor. The team did an amazing job, and it afforded me a rare chance to do some extended wandering downtown and revisit some favorite places for a mini foodie vacation. To see more photos of PAX, go to the Prime's sister site, The Jaunty Magpie.