Maui

The many phases of life post-COVID, at least in America, include toilet-paper hoarding, sourdough baking, outdoor dining, fall road-tripping, vaccine Instagramming, and now, Maui beach living. Everyone is in Maui these days. Or at least has plans to go at some point this summer. Lucky for you, The Hungry Turban spent a month there earlier this year (#trendsetter) and has got you covered.

Disclaimer: I found the dining scene in Maui to be pretty underwhelming. Portions are tiny and prices are sky-high. And that’s coming from someone who’s used to paying NYC prices. $18 for a scoop of macaroni salad, a bowl of rice, and some 6-8 oz. of protein from a food truck is the norm. Here are the diamonds in the rough:

Koiso ($$)

I don’t know if there’s a single reservation I’ve put more effort into getting than the one at Koiso. If you look to the right, you’ll see why (side note: strong regrets in life include not removing that stupid leaf for this picture). $48 for that beauty. A platter of that quality in any other city would be close to $100. Honestly, I’d give Koiso just a single $ from a quality-to-price (reads: value) perspective if it weren’t for how expensive all the a la carte nigiri pieces are. $7 at the minimum, with most of the pieces $9 or higher. With the capacity to fit 12 people at a time & 2 seatings a day, Koiso is one of the most coveted restaurants on the island for sushi lovers. And being one of the lucky 24 on any given day isn’t easy, given that local Maui residents have standing reservations once a month. If you’re already in Maui and are committed to dining at Koiso, you might have to do what I did: call at 5pm the 4 days a week they’re open and pray for a last minute cancellation. After about 9-10 days of calling, I finally snagged a table for two! While I was there with a group of 6…oof. Can’t get a reservation? A great alternative is Koiso’s to-go platter. Same pieces, same price. Order one a few days in advance, as they also sell out, and enjoy it on the beach right across the street.

Wailea Village Farmer’s Market ($$)

If you’re only in Maui for a week, try to plan a Tuesday morning visit to this Farmer’s Market. There are so many food trucks and stands to try and the vibes are immaculate. Favorite #eeeeeats include the chorizo breakfast burrito from Tight Tacos Maui, the tropical pineapple sorbet at Hala‘akala, and the Mexican Chocolate Decadence at Maui Cookie Lab. I still dream about that cookie. Strolling around the farmer’s market, walking from stall to stall, and making conversations with the local vendors is a great way to spend the day!

Tin Roof ($)

Mochiko Chicken

A refreshing fast-casual meal right near the airport and Costco. Refreshing not cause dishes there are filled with leafy greens and fresh fruit. In fact, the bowls at Tin Roof are quite heavy. This mom & pop shop is refreshing because it’s the first good meal I found in Maui under $15. I tried the Mochiko Chicken and the Pork Belly, both of which were excellent. Highly recommend after a long hike if you’re in the area. 

Tamura’s Fine Wine & Liquor ($)

Whoa, when did this blog turn into The Thirsty Turban? It didn’t, and if I did start giving you wine recommendations, huge red flag, turn the other way. Anyway, walk to the back of Tamura’s and you’ll find some of the best poke in Maui, hidden behind shelves of wine. Get a bowl of brown rice, kalua pork, and ahi poke for $15, finished with a necessary shake of furikake. Worth hitting multiple times over the course of your trip to try the variety of poke offered. 

Kitoko ($)

Lilikoi Sorbet

 A food truck serving up high-quality food from Chef/Owner Cole Hinueber, a pastry chef who’s spent the better part of his career working in the kitchens of 5-star resorts around the world. Some of my favorites on his uber-creative menu include the ahi Rueben focaccia sandwich and his braised beef bento. And don’t sleep on his desserts or homemade hot sauces! The lilikoi sorbet is finger. lickin. good. 

Monkeypod ($$$)

Monkeypod serves up classic American fare: burgers, pizza, fish sandwiches, tacos, etc. The food here won’t blow your mind, and it’s pricey for what you’re getting, but if you’re looking for a sit-down meal with a nice ambiance, Monkeypod is a great option. Perfect for a date night. It’s very popular, so expect a long wait. Pro tip: if you live nearby, put your name down when they open for the day and you can show up a few hours later at your convenience. They’ll seat you asap. 

Rice, slaw, and poke from South Maui Fish Co

South Maui Fish Co ($$)

A very popular poke truck in Kihei. One of the many $18 macaroni salad or coleslaw, rice, protein dishes I was alluding to in my introduction, but nonetheless, a good meal from a food truck that commands a line during lunch. I ate here a few times until I discovered Tamura’s. 

M Sushi ($$)

A hole-in-the-wall sushi-ya that is most likely going to be empty every time you walk in. Don’t worry, the nigiri here is pretty good. Same prices as Koiso, not the same premium quality, but still worth hitting. Especially since you likely won’t get a res at Koiso #rip.

Honorable Mentions

Restaurants that were recommended that I didn’t make it out to, probably because they were too pricey: Mama’s Fish House, Lineage, Mala Tavern, and Merriman’s. I went to quite a few restaurants I’d recommend you stay away from, especially around Kihei, so feel free to hit me up if you have any questions. I also have hiking recs #TheActiveTurban.

New York: Japanese Restaurants

My favorite cuisine in my home city…trust me on this one.

Village Yokocho ($$)

Kaisendon with some heavy-hitters: sake (salmon), ikura (salmon roe), uni (sea urchin), and kani (crab)

Reasons to go to Village Yokocho: you’re going to Japan and need an intro lesson on all things Japanese cuisine, you’re waiting for a drink at speakeasy Angel’s Share which is hidden inside the restaurant, or you want to ball out on a budget and pound some drinks at New York’s top izakaya. Either way, you’re in luck, cause this restaurant is quite the experience. Village Yokocho literally has everything: yakitori, gyoza, okonomiyaki, yaki udon, soba, sashimi, onigiri, mochi, and more hot and cold appetizers than you can imagine. For those of you that have no idea what any of those dishes are, in English they read: really, freaking, delicious, food. Jokes, but actually check this place out. If you want recommendations on what to order there, feel free to reach out, I can talk about Village Yokocho for days. Also get there before 7 to take advantage of their happy hour. Did someone say discounted pitchers of Sapporo & Asahi??

Maison Yaki ($$)

What do you do when you find a restaurant in New York City where everything on the menu is less than $10. You hop on the train, transfer, transfer again if you need to, until you’ve reached Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, outside the beautiful Maison Yaki. Chef Greg Baxtrom opened this French-Japanese yakitori eatery after people couldn’t get enough of his first restaurant, Olmsted, which is right across the street. I want to re-emphasize, everything here is less than $10, including the cocktails. If you’re anything like me, and get off on trying a bite of 21 different things throughout the course of a dinner, this is for you. These skewers cover all your bases: chicken, vegetables, seafood, duck, beef, each grilled and brushed with a different Japanese or French sauce. Arrive saying bonjour, depart with an arigato gozaimasu, and enjoy a phenomenal meal in between.

Kazunori ($$)

A salmon handroll, ready for a light dip in soy-sauce

You’ve heard it from Mr. Krabs, and then probably a pushy boss of yours: “Time is money.” If it weren’t, I’d be at Kazunori once a week, devouring 6 handrolls, stuffed with tuna, yellowtail, salmon, scallops, crab, and lobster. Each, not all of those fish together, although what a handroll that would be too. All for $33, and that includes hospitality. Unfortunately, the prerequisite to those handrolls is what can range from a 30-90 minute line, and sometimes you just can’t do it. If you ever find yourself walking by this NoMad temaki bar and the line isn’t curling around like a fruit roll-up, put your name down, hungry or not, and enjoy the simplicity that is seaweed, fish, and rice.

Dokodemo ($)

A casual counter-service East Village restaurant that’ll bring you back to Osaka! Street food galore (okay, not really galore, their menu is pretty limited), but okonomiyaki (Japanese savory pancakes), yakisoba (grilled noodles), takoyaki (fried octopus balls), and different variations of rice. That’s it. Everything here is around $10, and it’s a nice Japanese alternative if you’re feeling a bit more adventurous than ramen or sushi.

Sushi Noz ($$$$)

#bringmeback

Rarely do I end up in the Upper East Side for food. The 86th St. Shake Shack used to be the spot, before 20 others opened up all around the city. Sushi Noz is the exception. You kinda have to love it, otherwise, you’ll resent yourself for dropping $300 on “fish and rice.” But from the moment you walk into this Michelin-starred sushi-ya, you’ll realize how minimalistic and perfect the decor around you is, from the sushi bar, to the knives, and everything in between. This isn’t just a dinner, it’s a show - think Medieval Times. In both cases, you’re eating with your hands and watching swords (knives) twirl around with force, yet grace. One will just cost you 5x more. The experience culminates with the now insta-famous pose of Chef Noz holding out a stone platter with assorted sashimi that he had spent the last few minutes slicing. You’ll wish the 7 other people in the Hinoki Room would magically disappear, so you can spend all the quality time you need with the different cuts of tuna, squid, mackerel, scallop, and whatever else Chef had imported from Japan earlier that day. If you love sushi and have reason to celebrate, Sushi Noz is the place to go.

Raku ($)

Craving a comforting noodle soup but don’t want something as heavy as ramen? Well you should be seeking out udon, and Raku is your one-stop-shop. With over 20 different types of udon, it’s easy to get overwhelmed looking at your menu, until you remember all of them are delicious. I most recently tried the chikara - chicken, scallions, and mochi, just so I could try a savory approach to mochi. If you’re a fan of the mochi texture, this bowl is for you. If not, the gyunan with washugyu beef is just as good. From their interior design (pre-Covid obviously) to their appetizers, everything about Raku feels authentically Japanese so go check it out!

Shabu Shabu Macaron ($$$)

The main course! Thin slices of meat, each that need not more than a few seconds in the boiling water

In case you’re not familiar with shabu-shabu, it’s a Japanese hot pot dish where you dunk thin slices of meat and vegetables into boiling water and then dip them into different sauces. What differentiates Shabu Shabu Macaron from the rest of the shabu-shabu restaurants out there is that it’s the “only shabu-shabu omakase restaurant in the world,” meaning 1. it’s a fixed menu, filled with different cuts of wagyu beef, mushrooms, mochi dumplings, and so on, and 2. you don’t do the dipping yourself, Chef Mako does it for you. My meal here was delicious, but at $128, I can’t say I care about either of those two aspects of this meal enough to pay a 3x premium. However, if you’re looking for a rather unique yet simple meal and don’t want to lift a finger, this one’s for you.

NoNoNo ($$)

If you’re in the mood for different meats and vegetables on a skewer, hit this casual yakitori hub in NoMad, especially if you love chicken. They literally serve 17 different parts of the chicken. This includes neck meat to the tail to the skin, to some organs I’ll avoid mentioning for the less adventurous. They also serve some great small plates, which include scallop uni carpaccio, grilled squid with a lemon butter sauce that is oh so rich, and a soft shell crab roll that is pretty, pretty, pretty good. Along with all that, you can get your Japanese classics here, like ramen, oden, udon, and kaarage. And a yuzu sorbet that is to die for (if you’re a yuzu freak like I am).

Zuma ($$$)

green tea banana cake with coconut ice cream

Zuma is not a restaurant I frequent. But if you’re deciding between one of the “trendy” Asian, high-ceiling restaurants in the city to celebrate a special occasion or impress some guests from out of town, go to Zuma. You know the ones I’m talking about: the Taos, Buddakans, Nobus of the world. Restaurants you can find in NYC, Miami, and Vegas. But unlike the rest of them where you’re really just paying for the name, at Zuma, that’s only partly true, cause the food is actually pretty good, as is the hospitality. Just be prepared to be surrounded by a bunch of businessmen swiping their corporate cards. And make sure you save room for dessert! I’ll soon make a trip just for this green tea banana cake, and embody my inner Joey.