Maui - Hawaii with Kids - page 269

resting under palm trees, is a South Seas fantasy worthy of Gauguin. With servers
wearing Polynesian prints and flowers behind their ears, and the sun setting in
Kuau Cove, Mama's mood is hard to beat. The fish is fresh (the fishermen are
even credited by name on the menu) and prepared Hawaiian style, with tropi-
cal fruit or baked in a macadamia nut and vanilla bean crust, or in a number of
preparations involving ferns, seaweed, Maui onions, and roasted kukui nuts.
Menu items include mahimahi laulau with luau leaves (taro greens) and Maui
onions, baked in ti leaves and served with kalua pig and Hanalei poi—the best.
Other special touches include the use of Molokai sweet potato, Hana breadfruit,
organic lettuces, Haiku bananas, and fresh coconut, which evoke the mood and
tastes of Old Hawaii. The keiki menu (for children 8 and under) features an
entree (fish, chicken, or deep-fried shrimp) plus a scoop of ice cream for $15.
799 Poho Place, just off the Hana Hwy., Kuau. & 808/579-8488. Kids' menu, highchairs, boosters, crayons.
Reservations recommended for lunch, required for dinner. Main courses $29-$36 lunch and $32-$49 dinner;
kids' menu $15. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 11am-3pm, light menu 3-4:45pm, and last seating 4:45-9pm.
HANA
Hana Ranch Restaurant AMERICAN Part of the Hotel Hana-Maui oper-
ation, the Hana Ranch Restaurant is the informal alternative to the hotel's din-
ing room. Dinner choices include New York steak, prawns and pasta, and Pacific
Rim options like spicy shrimp wontons or the predictable fresh-fish poke. The
warmly received Wednesday Pizza Night and the luncheon buffets are the most
affordable prospects: baked mahimahi, pita sandwiches, chicken stir-fry, cheese-
burgers, and club and fresh-catch sandwiches. It's not an inspired menu, and the
service can be practically nonexistent when the tour buses descend during lunch
rush. There are indoor tables as well as two outdoor pavilions that offer distant
ocean views. At the adjoining takeout stand, fast-food classics prevail: teriyaki
plate lunch, mahimahi sandwich, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, and ice cream.
Although there isn't a “written” kids' menu, children ages 12 and under can get
the buffet lunch for just $7.95, or a grilled-cheese sandwich or hot dog (both
with fries) for just $6.
Hana Hwy. & 808/248-8255. Highchairs, boosters. Reservations required Fri-Sat. Main courses $18-$33.
AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 7-10am and 11am-2pm; Fri-Sat 6-8pm. Takeout counter daily 6-10am and
11am-4pm.
5 Exploring Maui with Your Kids
None of the sights below offer stroller rentals on-site, so plan to bring your own.
CENTRAL MAUI
Central Maui isn't exactly tourist central; this is where real people live. Most
likely, you'll land here and head directly to the beach. However, there are a few
sights worth checking out if you feel like a respite from the sun 'n' surf.
WAILUKU & WAIKAPU
About 3 miles south of Wailuku lies the tiny, one-street village of Waikapu,
which has a great kids' attraction. Relive Maui's past by taking a 40-minute nar-
rated tram ride around fields of pineapple, sugar cane, and papaya trees at Maui
Tropical Plantation, 1670 Honoapiilani Hwy. ( & 800/451-6805 or 808/244-
7643), a real working plantation open daily from 9am to 5pm. A shop sells fresh
and dried fruit, and a restaurant serves lunch. Allow at least a couple of hours to
wander about. Admission is free; the tram tours, which start at 10am and leave
about every 45 minutes, are $9.50 for adults, $3.50 for kids ages 3 to 12.