2001
Taste of Lahaina "Best Seafood" and "Best of Show".
The Honolulu Advertiser (O'ahu's 100 Best Restaurants)
HONOLULU magazine: Hale'Aina Award of Excellence
2000
Chef James chosen as Hawaiian airlines
First Class menu designer.
1999
Honorable mention - Chef of the year
Maui News.
Award of Excellence - Wine Spectator.
Honorable Mention - Best Seafood Restaurant.
Honorable Mention - Best Restaurant overall.
1998
Voted Best Chef
Maui News
Secon Place 'Taste of Lahaina'
Seafood Category
Award of excellence - Wine Spectator
Featured Chef/Restaurant at Selfridges in London.
1997
1st Place Seafood Category, Taste of Lahaina
2nd Place Maui Oniion Festival
Award of Excellence Wine Spectator
Featured Chef/Restaurant at the Pacific Rim Food Festival
at the Nagoya Hilton.
1996
Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator,
Best Cooked Poke, Sam Choy Poke contest,
2nd Place Seafood Category, Taste of Lahaina.
1995
1st Place Seafood Category, Taste of Lahaina,
2nd Place Hawaii Seafood Festival.
1994
Best Cooked Poke, Sam Choy Poke Contest.
1993
1st Place Seafood Category, Taste of Lahaina.
Taste of Lahaina Award Winning Fish Dish.
Shrimp Won Tons - Prawns and Basil Won Tons.
Served with a spicy sweet & sour sauce
and Hawaiian salsa.
Wine Spectator
Award of excellence 4 years in a row
'96' '97' '98' 99' and ,2000'
Featured on the cover of
Menu Magazine
Winter issue
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Article on "Taste of Lahaina"
"Maui Chefs Present
Sugar Cane Days" |
"Congratulations"!
First award of the new year for Chef James
comes from the National Pork Producers Council out of Des Moines, Iowa, for his "Five
Spice Pork Tenderloin", which just so happens to already be on his
menu.
Restaurant Review
Page 4
Puamana Newsletter
Pacific'O
GUEST CRITIC, KARL DREXHAGE
A refreshingly new and unique dining experience awaits the
gourmet palates of Puamana residents. This highly rewarding eating adventure can be found
at pacific'Os located at 505 Front street on the ocean side of the building where J,J's
used to be and under Casa de Mateo which was reviewed previously in this newsletter and is
enjoying a rapidly growing patronage.
The ocean front setting of Pacific'O is only improved upon by the creative talents of the
executive chef James McDonald. Co-owners of pacific'O are Stephan Bei-Robert and Louis
Coulombe. This Trio brings with it a host of experience at Chez Paul, Sound of the Falls,
and the Ritz Carlton. They have learned their lessons well and have put the cumulative
experience to work most effectively at pacific'O.
The appetizers are unique with such offerings as Pot Stickers made with shrimp and served
with fresh coriander tobiko sauce, and Shrimp Won Tons served with a spicy sweet &
sour sauce sure to please any bored taste buds. Soups are offered and one to look for is
creamed carrot with fennel, it is to die for. Salads are not to be omitted since they
offer a refreshing respite between the variety of taste sensations of appetizer and
entree. Our favorite salad is the Upcountry Green salad at $3.00 made with a combination
of greens including savoy, Belgian endive, radiccio and tossed with a subtle balsamic herb
dressing that actually wakes up the palate for more taste endeavors. Other equally
exciting salads include the Kula combination salad, smoked Caesar salad, and the skinny
salad made with baby lettuce and crispy duck skin chips. The most difficult part of
dinning at pacific'o is selecting an entree. Here Chef McDonald has put together an
amazingly unique combination of dishes. The fish dishes feature the freshest fish we have
encountered anywhere on the island and are only heightened by the accompaniment of exotic
tastes such as banana leaves. Our favorites include one of the fresh fish of the day
grilled in a banana leaf and served with a lemongrass pesto and vanilla bean sauce at
$21.00. Another well tested dish is the lamb made with blackened sesame crust served with
a roasted macadamia nut sauce and a taste tempting mango/pineapple chutney at $22.00. Not
to be missed is their special of the day, which when we were last there, was a tower of
taste delights called the "Napoleon" including fresh fish, a tangy sauce,
eggplant and spaghetti potatoes. Our experience has been that the sauces are all
delightful and specially developed to enhance the flavors of the fish or meat and are as
light as air, well almost anyway. As for desserts...The creme brulee has the most unique
and scrumptious presentation. The creme brulee is served in a ring of fresh pineapple.
Other dessert offerings are a white chocolate mousse and filo dough wrapped baked bananas
served with macadamia nut ice cream. Do try at least one of these tempting treats.
pacific'O is rapidly becoming the place to dine and on weekends there is live jazz to
enjoy with drinks and pupus served until late in the evening. Parking is available
downstairs (no validation) Lunch is served from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and dinner from
5:30 to 10:30. Reservations are recommended. Please call 667-4341
Karl Drexhage
Recently featured on the QVC Channel, Live from Ilikai
Hotel. Featuring Signed copies of "Tasting Paradise".
Restaurants & Recipes of the Hawaiian Islands.
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Executive Chef