Castaway Cafe is a hidden treasure on Kaanapali Beach
Island
dining with Helen Reed
KAANAPALI
— Have you discovered any hidden treasures lately? Well, we just did!
Tucked away on the northwest shore on one of Maui’s finest beaches is a
secluded hideaway, aptly called the Castaway.
Fronting the
shimmering Pacific and surrounded by palms and sea grape trees, Castaway Cafe is
a treasure chest filled with culinary jewels at attractive prices.
“Our concept
is for folks to have a great meal at a great price, so everyone can afford to
come here,” said Owner Gary Bush.
In the computer
business for 23 years, with nine years spent in hi-tech at Kennedy Space Center,
Bush arrived on Maui six years ago.
“When I first
visited the island, I loved it so much, I changed occupations by buying the
restaurant so I could live here,” he said, laughing. “Our chef, Tami
Ritchey, is just the best there is. We’re so lucky to have her.”
A graduate of
Western Culinary Institute in Portland, Oregon, Chef Ritchey has been in the
restaurant business for the past 23 years, with 11 years spent in Key West,
Florida. She was Chef de Cuisine at the beautiful Caneel Bay Resort on St. John,
U.S. Virgin Islands.
“I’ve lived
on islands most of my life and love to be surrounded by
Raised in
Newport, Oregon, Tami began her culinary career at an early age.
“I began
cooking on my father’s commercial fishing boats for him and his crew when I
was about 10 years old —and they never complained,” she laughed. “I had
the privilege of growing up eating lots of fresh seafood, and my mother was
great, preparing it in so many different ways. It’s a natural that I became a
cook.”
At age 14,
Ritchey began working in a seafood restaurant in Newport. “They let me make
salads. It was the safest course to start with.”
Well, she has
come a long way since her salad-making days. The textures, colors, aromas and
flavors of the dishes we tasted just mingled with perfection.
We started with
Castaway’s sweetly succulent Coconut Shrimp, tossed in fresh coconut and
served with a sweet and spicy peanut sauce.
“We’re known
for our Coconut Shrimp,” said Bush. “We sell more than you can shake a stick
at.”
Just want to eat
pupus? Don’t miss the Calamari served with lemon-garlic aioli — it’s
tender, meaty and filling!
“We buy the
whole calamari, slice it thin and marinate it in garlic, olive oil and oregano,
then flash-fry it one second,” Ritchey explained.
Or order the
fully-packed South of the Border Quesadillas, a dried tomato tortilla stuffed
with chicken, black beans and cheddar cheese. It was served with a zesty Spinach
Rice and Pico de Gallo salsa that we cooled down with a fruity Rosenblum
Zinfandel.
Soup lovers will
cherish the delicate and creamy Clam Chowder, so rich, smooth and loaded with
really tender, meaty clams. Served once or twice a week, it’s so full of
pizzazz you’ll want to order another
With the pupus,
soup and salad, we enjoyed an unobtrusive La Terres
Add to that a
crisp Rosemount Estate Reisling, an elegant Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio and a
mellow Geyser Peak Sauvignon Blanc! Sound like a liquid diet? I must explain...
A very clever
innovation Gary has initiated for his guests are his “Wine Samplers.”
Three 3-ounce glasses of various wines are served for only $5.75
“The Wine
Sampler allows the experienced wine drinker a chance to try wines from various
wine makers, and the novice a chance to taste the difference between the
wines,” Bush explained. “I find it’s a real pleasure to test fine wines,
so with these samples our guests can enjoy them, too. I want to keep prices
reasonable so everyone can enjoy a bottle of wine with their meal.”
Wine
connoisseurs can order from the Castaway Cafe Cellar C-lections with wines from
small boutique wineries. With prices ranging from $15.50 to $146.50 a bottle,
there’s a wine for every wallet.
Their extensive
wine list won the Wine Spectator “Award of Excellence” in 1998 for having
“one of the most outstanding restaurant wine lists in the world!” That’s
the world, mind you!
Bush’s father,
Dwight, makes the handsome wooden wine racks in Homeworth, Ohio, a town of
about 110 residents.
Continuing with
Chef Ritchey’s excellent entrees, Tami absolutely shines with her signature
dish, Panang Seafood Curry, loaded with shrimp, sea scallops and fresh fish and
simmered in a perfectly spicy Thai Curry with coconut milk. Served on a bed of
the freshest spinach with a mound of white rice, the presentation of pale
yellow curry and emerald green spinach was striking, and the velvety curry
sauce totally titillated the taste buds.
Local fishermen
bring in the Fresh Catch of the Day, and on the day of our visit, the fresh fish
was ono, bluenose snapper and monchong. Guests have a choice of three
preparations: Blackened with Cajun Spices, Grilled with a Lemon Caper Butter, or
Macadamia-crusted with a tropical fruit salsa. We tested all three preparations,
and all were superb.
There are so
many enticing menu choices. Hawaiian Style Cordon Bleu is marinated chicken
breasts stuffed with fresh pineapple, ham and Swiss cheese, then rolled in
coconut and oven baked, served with a lemon butter sauce.
Or try the
Tequila Spiked Shrimp —fresh jumbo shrimp sauteed with salsa fresca, flambeed
with tequila and finished with an avocado butter.
Dinner prices
are exceptional, ranging from a reasonable $12.95 to $19.95, and two pupu and
dinner specials are offered nightly.
Brought back by
popular demand is their Two For One Pasta Night, every Tuesday from 5 to 9 p.m.
With seven famous sauces to choose from, you better arrive early to get a seat!
Castaway Cafe
does it all, open from 7:30 a.m. until 9 p.m.
Discover for
yourself the hidden treasure by the sea called Castaway Cafe, located on the
beach at the Maui Kaanapali Villas Resort. Call 661-9091.
Pau for now...
Reprint courtesy of Lahaina News 6/9/1999 (www.westmaui.com)
Prices, specials, and business hours are subject to change without
notice.