KAHULUI, Maui -- Sam Choy's sure knows how to draw a crowd. His newly opened Sam Choy's Kahului in the Kaahumanu Shopping Center is so heavily trafficked, you'd swear you were on Oahu. This bodes well for his next Kahului eatery, a Chinese restaurant set to open in June. On Maui, Sam Choy’s
is no ka oiSam Choy's Kahului opens to a long bar with a fish motif. Storefront glass windows allow you to peek inside, where there's room for 170. With a full house most of the time, the pace may be too dizzying for some staffers. One server started staring into space in the midst of taking my order. She snapped out of her zombie state long enough to say that she was confused by the swirl of busboys and trays and customers.
Other staffers new to Choy's ways are still awed by the chef's portion-to-price ratio, especially at breakfast. "It's so cheap," said one busperson, "that I can bring my whole family (of 10)."
Start the day with the likes of Haleakala vanilla cream-and-strawberry-topped waffles ($4.75) or a three-egg Ma'alaea-style poke omelette ($6.50).
Daytime menus are comparable to offerings at Sam Choy's Breakfast, Lunch & Crab in Iwilei. "Fried Poke Magic" ($8.95) is classic Sam's and already a lunchtime favorite. The ogo, onion, chile pepper, soy and sesame-coated ahi is flash-fried -- the rarer the better -- and served around a mound of rice. There is also beef stew ($6.95); vegetable, beef or chicken stir-fries ($7.95) and "Sam's Phat Sandwiches." The "phat"est is Akebono's double-sized "Slamburger" ($8.50). In keeping with the stature of its namesake, this sandwich encompasses a pound of beef divided into two patties.
DINNER is where the most massive portions appear and the menu becomes more like that of his Diamond Head restaurant. An appetizer such as shrimp Christopher ($8.50) -- stuffed with crabmeat, wrapped with bacon and topped with a tangy hollandaise -- is worth sampling, but there's no need for it since meals come with soup of the day and a salad that will serve six, even if there are only two of you at a table.
Entrees include Choy's award-winning seafood laulau ($23.95) and the pulehu steak ($21.95), "just plain" made with dashes of Hawaiian salt and pepper.
Oriental lamb chops ($22.95) marinated with cilantro, soy sauce, ginger and peppers, are broiled to your taste. Four chops are offered, which runs counter to the conventional, lucky and aesthetically pleasing "rule of three." What I like about Sam is that he knows people so he doesn't want us fighting over the "old maid" or last piece on the plate, as usually happens when restaurants offer only three pieces of anything, particularly appetizers.
Even better than the lamb chops is the tender, crispy-skinned oven-roasted duck ($21.95). This was stuffed with a mash of purple sweet potato.
After a meal like this, there's no reason for dessert. If, heaven forbid, you are still hungry, sample a wedge of lava pie ($6.95), filled with espresso ice cream.
You may be vacationing on Maui, but don't plan on going near the ocean after eating at Sam's. You'll sink. Garans.
Hours: Breakfast 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. daily; lunch 10:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily; dinner 5:30 to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 5:30 to 10 p.m. Fridays through Sundays
Prices: Less than $20 for two during the day; about $50 to $60 for two for dinner without drinks
Call: (808) 893-0366
Nadine Kam's restaurant reviews run on Thursdays. Reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Bulletin. Star ratings are based on comparisons of similar restaurants:
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