127 Lahainaluna Road
Lahaina, Maui, HI, 94761-1502
(808) 667-5117, (800) 360-2606
Parking: street parking, nearby pay parking lots
http://www.lahainagrill.com/
Last Visited: July 4, 2003
Food: 5 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 4 stars
Price: $$$$$
David Paul’s is the place to go if you plan to splurge on any dining event. Whether it be a nice dinner or lunch, you will get exquisite food for an equivalently exquisite price. If you want to splurge just that much more, go for the Chef’s Tasting Menu ($74). You are guaranteed a treat, but you also need to have a hearty appetite. The tasting menu also comes with the choice of seafood or meat courses and both are delightful.
Service at David Paul’s is attentive. They are accustomed to a wide clientele and the casual atmosphere is welcoming. The colors are fresh and clean – teals, ivories, and whites. The bar is in the front of the restaurant. The art is present, but I found the dishes being served to be more eye-catching than anything else.
- The Cake Walk – Three petite towers – Kona lobster crab cake, Lousiana rock shrimp cake, and seared ahi cake - are presented on a white rectangular plate. Each tower is dressed with its own sauces and decorations and each contains a tower of flavor. I particularly enjoyed the crab cake with its avocado relish and mustard cream as well as the ahi on a small bed of rice. This is a must try dish. $19
- Eggplant Napoleon – This is another one of those towers. Another mountain of flavor made of thinly sliced morsels of smoked mozzarella, mushrooms, olives, roasted peppers, and to tie it all together, a tomato-balsamic vinaigrette. It was hard to taste each ingredient individually, but you’re definitely going for a full flavored extravaganza in all these dishes. $14
- Baby Romaine Caesar Salad – Pretty standard overall. Served in the classic way with whole romaine hearts that are dressed with standard dressing and asiago cheese. If you love Caesar, go for it, but it’s definitely worth opting out for another more exotic item. $12
- Tequila Shrimp and Firecracker rice – The presentation of this dish is great. The rice molded with the fiery rice – southwestern flavor - on one side and white rice on the other to create an attractive display. The tequila shrimp is butterflied and it tastes great. $31
- Maui Onion Crusted Seared Ahi – I really enjoyed the texture created by the onion crust on this ahi. The sweetness of the onion goes well with the delicate flavor of the fish. Excellent. This dish is served with rice and seasonal vegetables. A dish that must be tried. $39
- Sauteed Mahi Mahi – The fish is served with spinach, pancetta, gorgonzola, and mashed potatoes. The fish was cooked very nicely and the flavors of the other items complement the fish well. $37
- Center Cut Veal Chop – The veal is served with wild mushrooms and a truffle risotto. This dish was also done nicely. I preferred the seafood dishes over the meat dishes – possibly because I was thinking I’m on an island surrounded by water – seafood is the focus here. Certainly, there was nothing to complain about. $39
- Steak Christian – See above. The steak was served with a prawn and garlic mashed potatoes. The sauce was béarnaise with a demi-glace of port wine. The steak was also done nicely, but again, I really enjoyed the seafood. $39
- Kalua Duck – Of the three meat dishes, the kalua duck is the one to get. The crisp skin is what got me. The confit of duck leg is served in a plum wine reduction. Both succulent and tender, the duck is done extremely well. It comes with wild rice and seasonal vegetables also. This is a must try dish. $29
- Triple Berry Pie – I’m not a big berry fan, but if you are, you’ll like this one a lot. Raspberries, blackberries, and black currants are combined and baked in a pie. It’s berry berry all around. $12
- Road to Hana, Maui – Layers of light and fluffy chocolate cake are topped with an even fluffier chocolate sour cream mousse and all is covered in a chocolate shell. It’s a mound of heaven for any chocolate lover, and if you aren’t a chocolate fanatic, you might become one. This is still a must try dessert. $12
- Vanilla Bean Crème Brulee – For me, this wasn’t an outstanding crème brulee, but it was a very good crème brulee. If you’re deciding what to get, opt for the Road to Hana. Custard is infused with Tahitian vanilla beans and the top of the custard is sprinkled with sugar which is cooked to a golden brown. This was a little on the darker side, but the custard was still good. $10
The only bad thing about David Paul’s is that it can be a bit crowded. Tables are put in fairly close quarters, and it’s time to get somewhat cozy with your neighbors. They are literally inches away. If I could do one thing to improve the experience, I would provide a sorbet to my patrons to clear their palates between courses. Then the full flavor experienced can be discovered with each dish. All in all, David Paul’s is a must try for me, especially the Cake Walk appetizer, the Maui Onion Crusted Seared Ahi, Kalua duck, and the Road to Hana dessert.
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