2017 AIPONO AWARDS
The ʻAipono Awards are the first high-profile restaurant awards devoted entirely to Maui.They are awards of honor and distinction determined by our readers, and the residents and visitors of Maui. The prestigious Chef of the Year title is decided by peer review, voted on exclusively by Maui chefs and industry insiders.
Each spring, Maui No Ka Oi hosts the ʻAipono Awards Gala to benefit the UH Maui College’s Culinary Arts Program. Guests are regaled with wines and spirits by Chambers & Chambers Wine Merchants, sumptuous pupu (appetizers) prepared and served by Culinary students, and a fabulous multi-course dinner. Students enjoy the invaluable experience of working alongside sponsor restaurant chefs on the day of the event, in preparing the gala’s dinner. Ticket sales generate valuable unencumbered funds for the school, as well as scholarship money for deserving students.
This year Monkeypod Kitchen by Merriman Wailea was honored to win in 4 categories: Gold for Restaurant of the Year, Gold for Best Happy Hour, Best Cocktails, and Slver in Best Bar. Monkeypod Kitchen also had several honorable mentions in the following categories: Most "Maui-est", Best Service, Best Shorts & Slippers Dining, Best Pizza, Best Dessert, & Best Wine List! A huge MAHALO to all our of our staff back of the house & front of the house. All of your hard work and dedication every day clearly shows and we are very proud and honored to work side by side with each of you ! Here is a list of all the winners of the 2017.
….and the winners are….
ʻAipono Winners
Maui Restaurant Awards 2017
Restaurant of the Year
Monkeypod Kitchen
Chef of the Year
Jojo Vasquez, Executive Chef
The Plantation House
Maui County Farm Bureau’s Friend of Agriculture
Three’s Bar & Grill and Fork & Salad
Excellence in Sustainability
Maui Tropical Plantation
Icon Award
Nā Hoaloha ʻEkoluRESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
Gold Monkeypod Kitchen
Silver The Mill House
Honorable Mentions: Banyan Tree • Lahaina Grill • Mama’s Fish House
BEST NEW RESTAURANT
Gold Taverna
Silver Tin Roof Maui
Honorable Mentions: Fork and Salad • The Mill House
MOST “MAUI-EST”
Gold Mama’s Fish House
Silver Da Kitchen
Honorable Mentions: Aloha Mixed Plate • Monkeypod Kitchen
BEST MEDITERRANEAN
Gold (tie) Pita Paradise • Pizza Paradiso Mediterranean Grill
Silver Café Des Amis
Honorable Mentions: Mala • Mediterranean Grill Food Truck
BEST SERVICE
Gold Nick’s Fishmarket
Silver Mama’s Fish House
Honorable Mentions: Banyan Tree • Lahaina Grill • Monkeypod Kitchen
BEST OCEANFRONT DINING
Gold Mama’s Fish House
Silver Honu Seafood & Pizza
Honorable Mentions: 5 Palms Restaurant • Mala
MOST ROMANTIC SETTING
Gold Merriman’s Kapalua
Silver The Banyan Tree
Honorable Mentions: Japengo • The Mill House • The Restaurant at Hotel Wailea
BEST SHORTS & SLIPPERS DINING
Gold Hula Grill
Silver Tin Roof Maui
Honorable Mentions: Aloha Mixed Plate • Coconut’s Fish Café • Monkeypod Kitchen
BEST HEALTHY FARE
Gold Choice Health Bar
Silver Fork and Salad
Honorable Mentions: Down to Earth Organic and Natural • The Farmacy Health Bar
MOST INNOVATIVE MENU
Gold The Mill House
Silver Kaʻana Kitchen
Honorable Mentions: Humuhumunukunukuapua’a • Star Noodle • Tin Roof Maui
BEST BREAKFAST
Gold The Gazebo
Silver (tie) Kihei Caffe • Nalu’s South Shore Grill
Honorable Mentions: The Plantation House • The Sea House Restaurant
BEST BUSINESS LUNCH
Gold Café O’Lei at the Dunes
Silver Matteo’s Osteria
Honorable Mentions: Bistro Casanova • The Mill House
BEST HAPPY HOUR
Gold Monkeypod Kitchen
Silver Sangrita Grill + Cantina
Honorable Mentions: Fleetwood’s on Front St. • Sea House Restaurant
BEST ASIAN
Gold Japengo
Silver Star Noodle
Honorable Mentions: Morimoto’s Maui • Nuka • Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar
BEST SOUTHEAST ASIAN
Gold A Saigon Cafe
Silver Nutcharee’s Authentic Thai Food
Honorable Mentions: Maui Thai Bistro • Tiki Tiki Thai Cuisine
BEST BURGER
Gold Teddy’s Bigger Burgers
Silver Cow Pig Bun
Honorable Mentions: Cool Cat Café • Fatt Chicks Burgers
BEST HAWAI‘I REGIONAL CUISINE
Gold Kō Restaurant
Silver Humuhumunukunukuapua’a
Honorable Mentions: Banyan Tree • The Plantation House
BEST PACIFIC RIM CUISINE
Gold Japengo
Silver Pacific’O
Honorable Mentions: Roy’s • Spago Maui
BEST LŪ‘AU
Gold Old Lāhaina Lū‘au
Silver Drums of the Pacific
Honorable Mentions: Feast at Lele • The Grand Luau at Honua‘ula • Royal Lahaina
BEST MEXICAN
Gold Sangrita Grill + Cantina
Silver Roasted Chiles
Honorable Mentions: Amigo’s • Fernando’s Mexican Grill • Las Piñatas Maui
BEST ITALIAN
Gold Sale Pepe
Silver Taverna
Honorable Mentions: Casanova Italian Restaurant and Deli • Marco’s Grill & Deli • Pūlehu, an Italian Grill
BEST PLATE LUNCH
Gold Da Kitchen
Silver Aloha Mixed Plate
Honorable Mentions: Honokowai Okazuya & Deli • L&L Hawaiian Barbecue • Tin Roof Maui
BEST PIZZA
Gold Flatbread Company
Silver (tie) Pizza Paradiso Mediterranean Grill • Prison Street Pizza
Honorable Mentions: Monkeypod Kitchen • Pizza Madness Maui • Sale Pepe
BEST NOODLES
Gold Star Noodle
Silver Sam Sato’s
Honorable Mentions: Maui Thai Bistro • Thai Chef Restaurant
BEST FISH & SEAFOOD
Gold Mama’s Fish House
Silver The Banyan Tree
Honorable Mentions: Fleetwood’s on Front St. • Lahaina Grill • Paia Fishmarket Restaurant
BEST STEAK
Gold Ruth’s Chris Steak House
Silver Duo
Honorable Mentions: Lahaina Grill • Makawao Steak House
BEST SUSHI
Gold Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar
Silver (tie) Japengo • Miso Phat Sushi
Honorable Mentions: Kai Sushi • Nuka
BEST FISH TACO
Gold Coconuts Fish Café
Silver Sangrita Grill + Cantina
Honorable Mentions: Maui Tacos • Paia Fishmarket Restaurant
BEST FOOD TRUCK
Gold Maui Fresh Streatery
Silver Thai Mee Up
Honorable Mentions: Kinaole Grill Food Truck • Mediterranean Grill Food Truck • Ono Tacos
BEST POKE
Gold Tamura’s Fine Wine & Liquors
Silver Foodland
Honorable Mentions: Eskimo Candy Seafood Market & Café • Like Poke?
BEST SHAVE ICE
Gold Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice
Silver Local Boys Shave Ice
Honorable Mentions: Breakwall Shave Ice Co.
BEST DESSERT
Gold Pūlehu, an Italian Grill
Silver Lahaina Grill
Honorable Mentions: Kimo’s Restaurant Maui • Leoda’s Kitchen & Pie Shop • Monkeypod Kitchen
BEST BAR
Gold Taverna
Silver Monkeypod Kitchen
Honorable Mentions: Down the Hatch • Fleetwood’s on Front St. • Pint and Cork
BEST COCKTAILS
Gold Monkeypod Kitchen
Silver Fleetwood’s on Front St.
Honorable Mentions: Banyan Tree • The Mill House • Taverna
BEST LOBBY LOUNGE
Gold Lobby Lounge, Four Seasons
Silver Botero Lounge
Honorable Mentions: Fairmont’s Luana Lounge • The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua
BEST WINE LIST
Gold Lahaina Grill
Silver Nick’s Fishmarket
Honorable Mentions: Merriman’s Kapalua • Monkeypod Kitchen
Each spring, Maui No Ka Oi hosts the ʻAipono Awards Gala to benefit the UH Maui College’s Culinary Arts Program. Guests are regaled with wines and spirits by Chambers & Chambers Wine Merchants, sumptuous pupu (appetizers) prepared and served by Culinary students, and a fabulous multi-course dinner. Students enjoy the invaluable experience of working alongside sponsor restaurant chefs on the day of the event, in preparing the gala’s dinner. Ticket sales generate valuable unencumbered funds for the school, as well as scholarship money for deserving students.
This year Monkeypod Kitchen by Merriman Wailea was honored to win in 4 categories: Gold for Restaurant of the Year, Gold for Best Happy Hour, Best Cocktails, and Slver in Best Bar. Monkeypod Kitchen also had several honorable mentions in the following categories: Most "Maui-est", Best Service, Best Shorts & Slippers Dining, Best Pizza, Best Dessert, & Best Wine List! A huge MAHALO to all our of our staff back of the house & front of the house. All of your hard work and dedication every day clearly shows and we are very proud and honored to work side by side with each of you ! Here is a list of all the winners of the 2017.
….and the winners are….
ʻAipono Winners
Maui Restaurant Awards 2017
Restaurant of the Year
Monkeypod Kitchen
Chef of the Year
Jojo Vasquez, Executive Chef
The Plantation House
Maui County Farm Bureau’s Friend of Agriculture
Three’s Bar & Grill and Fork & Salad
Excellence in Sustainability
Maui Tropical Plantation
Icon Award
Nā Hoaloha ʻEkoluRESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
Gold Monkeypod Kitchen
Silver The Mill House
Honorable Mentions: Banyan Tree • Lahaina Grill • Mama’s Fish House
BEST NEW RESTAURANT
Gold Taverna
Silver Tin Roof Maui
Honorable Mentions: Fork and Salad • The Mill House
MOST “MAUI-EST”
Gold Mama’s Fish House
Silver Da Kitchen
Honorable Mentions: Aloha Mixed Plate • Monkeypod Kitchen
BEST MEDITERRANEAN
Gold (tie) Pita Paradise • Pizza Paradiso Mediterranean Grill
Silver Café Des Amis
Honorable Mentions: Mala • Mediterranean Grill Food Truck
BEST SERVICE
Gold Nick’s Fishmarket
Silver Mama’s Fish House
Honorable Mentions: Banyan Tree • Lahaina Grill • Monkeypod Kitchen
BEST OCEANFRONT DINING
Gold Mama’s Fish House
Silver Honu Seafood & Pizza
Honorable Mentions: 5 Palms Restaurant • Mala
MOST ROMANTIC SETTING
Gold Merriman’s Kapalua
Silver The Banyan Tree
Honorable Mentions: Japengo • The Mill House • The Restaurant at Hotel Wailea
BEST SHORTS & SLIPPERS DINING
Gold Hula Grill
Silver Tin Roof Maui
Honorable Mentions: Aloha Mixed Plate • Coconut’s Fish Café • Monkeypod Kitchen
BEST HEALTHY FARE
Gold Choice Health Bar
Silver Fork and Salad
Honorable Mentions: Down to Earth Organic and Natural • The Farmacy Health Bar
MOST INNOVATIVE MENU
Gold The Mill House
Silver Kaʻana Kitchen
Honorable Mentions: Humuhumunukunukuapua’a • Star Noodle • Tin Roof Maui
BEST BREAKFAST
Gold The Gazebo
Silver (tie) Kihei Caffe • Nalu’s South Shore Grill
Honorable Mentions: The Plantation House • The Sea House Restaurant
BEST BUSINESS LUNCH
Gold Café O’Lei at the Dunes
Silver Matteo’s Osteria
Honorable Mentions: Bistro Casanova • The Mill House
BEST HAPPY HOUR
Gold Monkeypod Kitchen
Silver Sangrita Grill + Cantina
Honorable Mentions: Fleetwood’s on Front St. • Sea House Restaurant
BEST ASIAN
Gold Japengo
Silver Star Noodle
Honorable Mentions: Morimoto’s Maui • Nuka • Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar
BEST SOUTHEAST ASIAN
Gold A Saigon Cafe
Silver Nutcharee’s Authentic Thai Food
Honorable Mentions: Maui Thai Bistro • Tiki Tiki Thai Cuisine
BEST BURGER
Gold Teddy’s Bigger Burgers
Silver Cow Pig Bun
Honorable Mentions: Cool Cat Café • Fatt Chicks Burgers
BEST HAWAI‘I REGIONAL CUISINE
Gold Kō Restaurant
Silver Humuhumunukunukuapua’a
Honorable Mentions: Banyan Tree • The Plantation House
BEST PACIFIC RIM CUISINE
Gold Japengo
Silver Pacific’O
Honorable Mentions: Roy’s • Spago Maui
BEST LŪ‘AU
Gold Old Lāhaina Lū‘au
Silver Drums of the Pacific
Honorable Mentions: Feast at Lele • The Grand Luau at Honua‘ula • Royal Lahaina
BEST MEXICAN
Gold Sangrita Grill + Cantina
Silver Roasted Chiles
Honorable Mentions: Amigo’s • Fernando’s Mexican Grill • Las Piñatas Maui
BEST ITALIAN
Gold Sale Pepe
Silver Taverna
Honorable Mentions: Casanova Italian Restaurant and Deli • Marco’s Grill & Deli • Pūlehu, an Italian Grill
BEST PLATE LUNCH
Gold Da Kitchen
Silver Aloha Mixed Plate
Honorable Mentions: Honokowai Okazuya & Deli • L&L Hawaiian Barbecue • Tin Roof Maui
BEST PIZZA
Gold Flatbread Company
Silver (tie) Pizza Paradiso Mediterranean Grill • Prison Street Pizza
Honorable Mentions: Monkeypod Kitchen • Pizza Madness Maui • Sale Pepe
BEST NOODLES
Gold Star Noodle
Silver Sam Sato’s
Honorable Mentions: Maui Thai Bistro • Thai Chef Restaurant
BEST FISH & SEAFOOD
Gold Mama’s Fish House
Silver The Banyan Tree
Honorable Mentions: Fleetwood’s on Front St. • Lahaina Grill • Paia Fishmarket Restaurant
BEST STEAK
Gold Ruth’s Chris Steak House
Silver Duo
Honorable Mentions: Lahaina Grill • Makawao Steak House
BEST SUSHI
Gold Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar
Silver (tie) Japengo • Miso Phat Sushi
Honorable Mentions: Kai Sushi • Nuka
BEST FISH TACO
Gold Coconuts Fish Café
Silver Sangrita Grill + Cantina
Honorable Mentions: Maui Tacos • Paia Fishmarket Restaurant
BEST FOOD TRUCK
Gold Maui Fresh Streatery
Silver Thai Mee Up
Honorable Mentions: Kinaole Grill Food Truck • Mediterranean Grill Food Truck • Ono Tacos
BEST POKE
Gold Tamura’s Fine Wine & Liquors
Silver Foodland
Honorable Mentions: Eskimo Candy Seafood Market & Café • Like Poke?
BEST SHAVE ICE
Gold Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice
Silver Local Boys Shave Ice
Honorable Mentions: Breakwall Shave Ice Co.
BEST DESSERT
Gold Pūlehu, an Italian Grill
Silver Lahaina Grill
Honorable Mentions: Kimo’s Restaurant Maui • Leoda’s Kitchen & Pie Shop • Monkeypod Kitchen
BEST BAR
Gold Taverna
Silver Monkeypod Kitchen
Honorable Mentions: Down the Hatch • Fleetwood’s on Front St. • Pint and Cork
BEST COCKTAILS
Gold Monkeypod Kitchen
Silver Fleetwood’s on Front St.
Honorable Mentions: Banyan Tree • The Mill House • Taverna
BEST LOBBY LOUNGE
Gold Lobby Lounge, Four Seasons
Silver Botero Lounge
Honorable Mentions: Fairmont’s Luana Lounge • The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua
BEST WINE LIST
Gold Lahaina Grill
Silver Nick’s Fishmarket
Honorable Mentions: Merriman’s Kapalua • Monkeypod Kitchen