Island Sushi - Las Vegas

I've heard mixed things about this sushi spot over the years, so I finally ventured over with my OG for some all you can eat sushi action and see for myself.

The wait was pretty long but they were able to seat us quickly if we sat at the bar. The restaurant is very small and cramped. The seating was especially tight at the bar. 

I figured sitting at the bar, service would be better since we had direct access to the sushi chef, but I was wrong. It was hard to get his attention to order anything and there was a number of items we ordered and never received. The service from the kitchen was the same. Slow and on several occasions they brought out what we ordered to another table only to let us know and we were forced to wait a little longer for our items. 

The service issues were enough to make me not interested in returning, but the food didn't really do it for me either. No standouts and almost every dish was something I've had better versions of at other sushi restaurants.

Location: 9400 S Eastern Ave, Ste 103, Las Vegas, NV 89123

Kauai Cafe

After passing by Kauai Cafe on a number of occasions, i finally got a chance to try them out today. 

We were greeted warmly and almost everything on the menu looked great. I decided on the kalbi plate and you get mac salad and a choice of fried rice, steamed rice or fried noodles, I chose steamed rice. My dining companion opted for katsu chicken. 

While we waited our server came out and chatted with us for quite a while and he was so nice and personable. Our food came out soon after and our jaws dropped at the generous portions. I enjoyed every bite and I had more than half my meal packed up to take home with me. I was stuffed and so was my dinner partner. 

Great big portions of delicious homemade food for such a low price, I look forward to coming back soon.

Items sampled: kalbi plate and chicken katsu with steamed rice and mac salad

Location: 10140 W Tropicana Ave, Ste 122, Las Vegas, NV 89147

Da Kitchen Cafe

Our first meal in Maui was a solid one. 

We arrived in town starving and I already had a plan to try out Da Kitchen first thing. 

We arrived and the places was bustling for lunch, but we were seated quickly and given menus. My fella and I decided to share some appetizers since we didn't want to get too full for dinner. 

We tried the kim chee crab cake, deep fried spam musubi and the wontons. We also tried the Macademia nut cream pie for dessert. 

Everything was really good and there were so many different items on the menu that looked amazing, so we were actually interested in returning a second time during our trip to try a full meal, but didn't get a chance. 

Da Kitchen is definitely worth a visit when you're ever in Maui.

Location: 425 Koloa St, Ste 104, Kahului, HI 96732

Items sampled: kalua pig wontons, kim chee crab crake, deep fried spam musubi, macademia nut cream pie.

Mama's Fish House

With so many rave reviews and a visit to Maui on the horizon, choosing Mama's Fish House for my birthday dinner was a no brainer.

We arrived early for a 7pm reservation, hoping they would be able to seat us early. They had a packed house, so we instead enjoyed some cocktails at the bar while we waited. 

Service at the bar was superb and the wait time flew by. 7pm finally came rolling by and we were seated at a lovely table with a personalized birthday card. 

Our server came by quickly to introduce himself, take our drink orders. Throughout our entire meal, our server and all the other employees made were wonderful. Attentive, friendly and they seemed to predict what we needed and wanted telepathically. 

We started with the lobster guacamole with taro chips and sashimi trio. My fella who doesn't even like avocado, was practically licking the bowl to savor every last morsel. The sashimi was so fresh, it melted in my mouth and every bite made me smile. 

For entrees, I opted for the opakapaka with Maui onions and avocado and my fella order their famous macademia nut crusted mahimahi stuffed with crab and lobster. This dish was a star, but both dishes were so incredibly fresh and delicious, there are really no words to describe how wonderful our food was.

When it was time to decide on a dessert we ended up with a macademia nut and banana crisp. They also brought us some guava and strawberry ice cream as a birthday treat. Both desserts were incredible, but we were so stuffed from our meal, we weren't able to finish either, despite our best effort. 

All in all, this was the best meal of our entire visit to Maui. It lived up to all our expectations and we  will be back the next time we visit the island. 

Location: 799 Poho Pl, Paia, HI 96779

Items sampled: lobster guacamole, sashimi trio, opakapaka, macademia but crusted mahimahi, banana and macademia nut crisp and guava and strawberry ice cream

Gazebo Restaurant

This is a great little restaurant with a view to die for. When walking up there was a short line, which was only about a 10 minute wait. The line got crazy after we arrived, so we were lucky to get there at the perfect time. 

We finally for a seat and enjoyed the beautiful ocean view while we decided what we wanted for breakfast. 

My fella and I decided to share the fried rice omelette and a combination pancake with bananas, macademia nuts and coconut. The pancakes were fluffy and very tasty. The fried ride was solid. Not the best fried rice I've ever had, but everything tastes better with an amazing view like that. Portions were extremely generous and even with a small order of pancakes and a half order of the fried rice, we had a lot leftover to take back to the hotel with us.

The service was friendly and attentive, making our meal all the more enjoyable. Definitely worth the trek. They even have umbrellas for those waiting in the sunny line for a table. 

Location: 5315 Lower Honoapiilani Rd, Lahaina, HI 96761

Items sampled: fried rice omelette and combination pancakes

Ka'ana Kitchen

A celebration deserves a great restaurant. When we were in Maui, I was given a list of possible places for our meal and I wasn't really feeling any of them. Ka'ana Kitchen was on this list and although the food looked great in all the pictures, I wasn't sure what to expect. 

I gave in and decided to give this place a go and couldn't be happier that I did. 

Our planner made reservations and although we arrived a little early, we were seated immediately at a beautiful outdoor table overlooking their bar and the water. It was a beautiful view and the restaurant was gorgeous as well. 

Our servers were all so attentive and helpful with their suggestions. We ordered several dishes to share and were absolutely thrilled with all our selections.

We started with the octopus and pork belly which were both delicious in their own right. The pork belly was sweet and spicy with a great kick to it. The octopus was perfectly cooked and the goat cheese really complemented the Flavors in the dish. 

Next we shared the abalone risotto and snapper. The fish was cooked so well and it was a very subtle, yet well-executed dish. The abalone risotto was the star of the show. Creamy, cheesy and extremely decadent.

We favored every item we ordered and finished with a chocolate dessert that was probably the only part of the meal that I didn't love, but it did not put a damper on our meal, it just wasn't a stand out. 

Everything was very reasonably priced for the quality and quantity of the food and drink we received. I was tempted to come here twice while we were on Maui, but decided against repeats. I would definitely come back the next time I visit and recommend it to anyone who was planning a trip.

Location: 3550 Wailea Alanui Dr, Kihei, HI 96753

Items sampled: octopus, pork belly snapper, abalone risotto 

Paia Fish Market

On the hunt for the best lunch options we attempted a food crawl to try as many places as we could. 

My fella and I arrived here just before the lunch rush and we ordered the Ono burger to share. 

The fish was fresh and well-cooked and we both enjoyed it quite a bit. I'd likely ask for the burger without cheese next time, but it's a solid choice. We were tempted to order another meal but the portions were generous and decided to save our next food adventure. 

Greet little spot in Paia. 

Location: 100 Baldwin Ave, Ste A, Paia, HI 96779

Items sampled: Ono burger

Barefoot Cafe

No, just no. After a long drive to Hana, we were starving and not in the mood to search out food. This little food stand is located near the beach and is convenient, but that's about it.

The line was long and the menu was not exciting in the least. Just the basics here, fish and chips, hamburgers, hotdogs, boba drinks and some Hawaiian specialty plates. My fella and I opted to share a kalbi lunch plate with rice and mac salad. 

The food came up quick, but our kalbi was more like a charcoal piece of sirloin steak with sweet sauce on it. So odd. It was tough and the flavors were not good. I stuck with the rice and mac salad which were basic, but I'm glad she opted to share instead of wasting money on two plates.

Location: Hana Beach Park, Hāna, HI 96713

Items sampled: kalbi lunch plate 

Ululani's Hawaiian Shave Ice

I can never seem to turn down shave ice and this place was no exception. We arrived before it get too busy and my fella and I ordered a large sha vice with azuki and Macademia nut ice cream. 

The girls working the counter were so sweet and friendly and our shave ice was ready in no time. The flavors were very natural and the nice was smooth and delicious. 

We has a great little treat and it left me wanting more. A definite must try when you're in Maui.

Location: 333 Dairy Rd, Kahului, HI 96732

Items sampled: coconut shave ice with Macademia but ice creams and azuki

Mochiko Chicken

Mochiko Chicken is a cute little spot for inexpensive chicken strips and chicken bowls. I arrived on the fourth day they were open and service was superb. The owners and staff really care and wanted genuine feedback to make their restaurant better.

My friend and I ordered the four piece chicken strip meal, the Ohana, and the Hawaiian Hen House, a grilled chicken bowl with rice. The strips are meaty and lightly battered. They are enormous, so a great value for the price. They aren't really mochiko style chicken, but are good. The chicken bowl wasn't very exciting. The chicken was good, but the flavors were on the bland side and I had to add some cole slaw to make it more interesting flavor-wise. The lychee lemonade was subtle, but a little sweeter than I would have liked. Still good, though.

The prices, portions and service were great, so I'm happy to come back again soon to try more menu items.

Items sampled: Hawaiian Hen House chicken bowl, The Ohana mochiko chicken strip combo with fries, cole slaw and a Hawaiian bread roll.

Location: 2101 S Decatur Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89102

Festival Buffet at Fiesta Rancho

For someone who doesn't like buffets, I end up eating at a lot of buffets. We met here to try the Hawaiian buffet items that they carry on Tuesdays. The price is $12.99 with a player's card. 

The only things I would be interested in eating again were the roast pig and bbq pork. The rest of the food didn't do much for me. Most of the main dishes and sides I tried were over salted and the dessert options were just sad. The only thing I liked from the desserts were the little cream puffs that you can buy at the grocery store. 

Service was sufficient, but there were times that dirty plates and empty drink glasses sat a little longer than I would have liked. The sodas on the second round of drinks were all flat, so no one drank them and it was hard to find our server again to get them replaced. 

They have singers and a hula dancer that come around to entertain everyone on Tuesdays. It was pleasant, but I would have preferred they stuck to one corner of the buffet instead of moving around to each table, since we had to awkwardly sit through their set, afraid to be rude and walk up to get more food while they performed. 

I heard other patrons complaining about the price since it was a special menu that they weren't anticipating. 

They did have a good amount of Hawaiian items to choose from, if you're interested in checking it out and the price seems about right for it. Just make sure you sign up for their player's card to receive the discount, since it's about four dollars more if you don't have one. One player's card will get you the discount for up to two diners.

Items sampled: spam fried rice, roast pig, bbq pork, Haupia, cream puffs, Kahlua pork, poi, poke

Location: Fiesta Rancho, 2405 N Rancho Dr, North Las Vegas, NV 89130

Island Flavor

After a nice dinner out with my friend, we decided we wanted a little dessert to top off our evening. Thinking about all our options in the area, we finally decided to head to Island Flavor. I had never been before, but my friend kept raving about their cakes, so I was excited. I opted for the guava cake and my friend ordered the Haupia cake. I also ordered a kalbi plate to-go for my fella.

The guava was delicious, but the Haupia was my real favorite. Both were incredibly fluffy and light. Delicate flavors, I can't wait to come back for their desserts alone. Service was quick and refills were plentiful. 

Our takeout order was ready quickly and we were on our way. I couldn't resist taking a bite or two of my fella's kalbi plate as well. The meat was flavorful and cooked well. It had a nice smoky flavor and the mac salad was one of the better versions I've had. Not overly creamy and complemented the meat and rice perfectly.

The food was great and I look forward to coming back to try the rest of their menu.