Craig and Sally's 9 $$$$

Craig and Sally's is a nice family owned restaurant in the Heart of French Town in St. Thomas. Set back from the trendy waterfront Craig and Sally's doesn't look like much from the outside. But what they lack in exterior charm they make up for in execution, presentation and taste. Craig and Sally's boasts a different menu every day depending on the catch of the day the season and the freshness of the produce. When you ask the locals they tell you to visit Craig and Sally's.

My husband ordered Sea Scallops with pollinate in a spinach black bean sauce. The scallops were cooked to perfection, just the right amount of grey in the middle and a surprisingly large serving. The black bean sauce was a little over powering and I would have preferred something a little lighter to compliment the fresh buttery taste of scallops but it was a nice dish.

I had two smaller dishes, a deep fried soft-shell crab on top of a apple and turnip salad with a sweet chili sauce and hush puppies. And then the Sally's signature dish; the eggplant cheesecake in a corn crust with fresh tomato salsa and basil. The soft-shell crab was cooked whole and breaded along with fresh spices. The crab was moist and fresh, though not locally caught and had to by flown down from Main. Still it was days younger than the soft-shell crab you get in California. The Cheese cake was a dream. It comes out as a thick slab and piping hot. The cheese melts in your mouth with delicate notes of tomato, basil, eggplant, oregano and rosemary. The texture is rich but it tastes so light and fluffy, like whipped cream. Though this dish was exceptional, the taste diminishes rapidly as it cools to something still extraordinary but extravagant so enjoy quickly.

For taste I give Craig and Sally’s a 9. They gave me a few surprises and a few disappointments but it was still delicious.

For atmosphere, I rate them at a 8; Romantic or more casual seating inside and an alley way outside. Considering the usual state of the streets in St. Thomas though, all the streets are alleys. There are nice murals inside to give the illusion of a beautiful view of the ocean front and tented ceilings but some more routine cleaning and dusting is needed. (I could complain about this in every restaurant though, they always forget to dust fan blades and light fixtures)

Amenities: I briefly mentioned the alleyway street in front of Craig and Sally’s which is not unusual in St. Thomas but just was a word of caution, there are two one ways streets here, no thing but street parking and if there is a ball game going on it the field adjacent to the restaurant you may have to park in the neighborhood somewhere.

The cost of two people eating there with a glass of wine and bead was $$$$.

Overall I rate Craig and Sally’s at 9. I was wonderfully surprised, they came highly recommended and the best of what is on the island. Everything tasted fresh and was cooked well. The service was prompt and the meal was prepared in record time.

Pasific'O 4 ($$$$)

Pacific'O the worst food I had in Maui.

Its actually quite terrible, because Pacifi'O has won numberous awards, is a beautiful restaurant, uses fresh local grown vegitables when it can get it, and local fresh caught fish everyday, its right there on the beach and is popular enough that the owners opened a similar place just next door; but I thought the food was horrible. I was more than disappointed. And after a presentation like Hula Grill, which was entirely unexpected. I was more than disappointed.

We acctually ate here for Valentines day (yeah it took me this long to cool off about it).

This is the lobster won tons, the best part was the fresh pineapple salsa. Its a nice plate to look at but not really all that spectacular in taste.

I ordered tuna and salmon sashimi battered and flash fried, but the sashimi was not that good, it was warm and tough. Completely unbalanced in taste and texture.

My husband ordered curry deep sea swordfish. I usually love sward fish. We had intended to split both dishes because we were not individually able to make a decision between the special and the sashimi. Well I don't think you can see it in this picture, but all that light green cream sauce is wasabi. It was horrible! I didn't want another bite after the first one. Kris ended up scraping the sauce off the meat just to eat it and it still wasn't any good.

For romance and atmosphere I give Pacific'O a 10. Its on the Beach facing west towards the sunset. Most of the tables are open air patio seating to best see the ocean but even with indoor seating there isn't a bad seat int he house.

Over all I will give Pacific'O a 4. A little too heavy on the wasabi sauce, on everything. Tone it down a little, and taste it before you send it out to be consumed. I like hot, and spicy, but I like it to accentuate the natural flavors of my food not mask everything.
808-667-4341
505 Front street
Lahaina, Maui 96761

Hula Grill 10 ($$$)

Hula Grill
Kaanapali, Maui (808)667-6636

Hula Grill more than exceeded my expectations. I have very little faith in resort food these days. It seems to me the resort restaurant business is more interested in PR than in good food. Hula Grill, may be a ciche, open air plantation style restaurant over looking the beach, with a veiw of the sun setting over Lania Island. But it is also the best bargeque and fresh local sea food restaurant I have ever been too.
And it came as a complete surprise!

The portions of food are just right. Large enough to satisfy the greedy American but portioned well so as to leave room for dessert.
I tried the Tandori Ono. It was perfect! Just the right balance of spice and that little barbecue crunch set against the cool sweet taste of yogurt and cucumber relish. Ono is a fish local to Maui, it has a soft white color and a even softer buttery texture. This was not my fist time eating Ono but it was the best. Ono also known as the moon fish, is easily over cooked, and often over flavored thus ruining the delicate taste of orchids and butter.

My husband had this dish, and for the live of me I cant remember what it is now.For desert we had the Home Made Ice Cream Sandwich and the Hawaii Bake, a pineapple upside-down cake, covered in meringue and toasted, I also had a candied brandy sauce with fresh pineapple on the side. Both of these were so good I forgot to take a picture until it was already gone.

For price I give Hula Grill a $$$ but for the four of us on vacation it was probably more like $$$$$$ after two appetizers, drinks and two desserts.

Hula Grill receives a 10 out of 10 for taste. Everything was fresh caught that morning by local fishermen. The sea food portion of the menu describes four different cooking styles and then your waiter will tell you what fish is cooked in what way for the evening. And specials of course depend exclusively upon the mornings catch.
For atmosphere I give Hula Grill a 10 out of 10. Who can argue with ocean views, open air, and sunsets, from a romantic plantation lani. I also recomment this site for a romantic night out, but it is a little noicey from the restort from walkways and the other Whaler's village restaurants.

Over all I still have to give Hual Grill a 10. It was fresh, delisious, fun, relaxed, romantic. Everything you could want in a resort restaurant in Maui.