kept us out of trouble and never lead us wrong...

books:

	• Top Maui Restaurants 2008 From Thrifty to Four Star: Indispensable Advice from Experts Who Live, Play & Eat ... James Jacobson, Molly Jacobson Maui Media, 2007 - 238 pages average customer review:based on 61 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

By far the best guide to Maui restaurants

My wife and I spend a couple months on Maui every year, and we eat out every day, so we thought we knew a lot about Maui restaurants. I even have a website of my own reviewing Maui restaurants, hotels, condos, sights and activities, so I constantly try to keep up on the latest and best Maui restaurants in all price ranges.

But this book, Top Maui Restaurants, taught me much more. It helped me find out about many excellent restaurants I was not familiar with even after years of going to Maui. It helped me learn about what are the best things to order at certain restaurants. It helped me choose restaurants based on what I most wanted for any given meal based on food types, ambiance, and service.

Most guides to Maui restaurants just tell you the basic facts (location, type of food, hours of operation). This book of restaurant reviews gives you all of that, plus so much more, with detailed expert evaluations and opinions. It's like the difference between looking up a restaurant in the phonebook compared to reading a full-page review of that restaurant in a local newspaper. These authors know Maui restaurants!

Maui Jon

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This is the only way to eat on Maui

This book is well written and well organized. After about 5 minutes you are using it like a pro and making plans on where and when to eat while on Maui. The new 2010 edition is out and I have just ordered it since I was so impressed with the 2008 addition. Some of the restaurant reviews on the internet are so bad you wind up not wanting to eat at all. This is like calling your brother and sister and asking what they recommend. Thanks for all the "hard" work eating constantly and telling us what you think!

UPDATE! I have gone through my new 2010 edition and I was very happy to see that they added some tips about what to see and where to go. I had done some internet research on where to do my shopping and where to get wine and then I find a nice section answering these questions with a host of other goodies. I was also on the fence on some tourist attractions and after reading the insights provided in the new 2010 addition I have made informed decisions instead of just rolling the dice. James and Molly have done another superb job. Top Maui Restaurants 2010 from Thrifty to Four star: Indispensable Advice from Experts Who Live, Play and Eat on Maui

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A 'MAUI WOWIE!'

I have never written a review for a book or anything else. (Really!) I just had to pass on the delight I experienced in reading this book. Why, you ask? 1.) It's incredibly well-organized, providing all the information you will need to make well-informed decisions about one of the most fun things to do anywhere, which is eat. 2.)It is well-researched by a couple who have tried all the restaurants in the book during many visits. They live on this island, and they don't just rely on one visit, but return often to continue to reevaluate the conditions. They attempt to remain anonymous for obvious reasons. And they send friends to these restaurants and get their opinions. Wow. 3.)It is well-written, and believe me I readily admit to being a snob in that category. They tell you what's good, and know where these restaurants are getting their supplies from. They know the cook's reputation and history. They even tell you about the parking around the restaurant. The writing isn't dry and formulaic, but down-right prosaic, and very funny when called for. There's just a wealth of information on so much about everything, that I would have wanted to read it even if I weren't going to Maui!! And 4.) They have a special rating that appealed especially to me. It's called the "...love in food". When I read that, I understood what I always felt when I made bread and wanted to hand-knead it instead of tossing it into a machine. I always thought of it as 'loving' the bread, instead of just making a product. It's what anyone does when they create a special dish for someone they care about. It's what someone does when they make a quilt instead of buying a blanket, or creates a perfume, and if that "speaks" to you as it did to me, you'll understand my enthusiasm. The authors rate the restaurants on this factor, because it does matter for the reasons mentioned above, and the fact that it makes one slow down and really enjoy, instead of just filling the 'hole' and moving on. Oh, and as if that weren't enough, the authors have a blog where you can ask questions, and get really speedy and informative answers! I wrote and asked about cooking classes on Maui and had a fantastic response within the hour! In a place where the general attitude is "Hang loose, Bruddah" this was way above 5 stars!! This was Mega wowie. Even if you're not going to Maui, but just want to fantasize a bit, Buy This Book!! Wowie, and not the stuff that will get you busted, but will make you happy.

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kept us out of trouble and never lead us wrong...

I had gotten Molly and James first version of this book for our initial visit to Maui. It was a god-send in steering us in the right direction for food decisions both good places to hit and the "misses" to avoid. I had heard due to family health issues (of parents) that an updated version probably wouldn't happen. Imagine my pleasure and surprise when just a couple weeks before our departure for a return visit to both Maui and Hawaii (the big island, which isn't covered) I got the announcement of the release of the 2010 version of this foodie's "bible for eating".

Since I found their calls and assesments in their original book so dead-on I didn't even attempt any of the restaurants they had less than good reviews on with our recent visit. I was surprised there was a couple places we missed on our first visit which had gotten hearty recommendations that had fallen off the cliff, in that they were no longer rated well by James and Molly. So we simply avoided those.

We were budget traveling and needed to keep the cost of our meals in control.
If you're a first time visitor to Maui, you may be surprised at general restaurant prices in Maui, where, for instance a pizza (14" medium) can easily run in the mid $30 range. (we stayed in Lahaina, which has MANY food options and is a lovely walking town to get to many of the local spots).
Since our accomdations had a kitchenette, I walked to one of the recommended local grocery stores (also supplied in this book) and picked up items for breakfasts and snacks during our stay.

Did we splurge on food? Absolutely. Selectively and with the guidance of this clearly written and laid out book. We attended "The Feast at Lele" and enjoyed every moment of both the private table service (no buffet lines, here) and show.
Also Molly and James have strong positive recommendations to a meal/show combination that simply can't be beat. We attended Ulalena and ate at Ruth's Chris. As they say in their book, trying to describe the show is futile. It is something that simply MUST be experienced and any explanation of it makes it less than the sum of what it is. (As a note, I URGE you to pick up the pamphlet at the front counter of the theatre. It contains a breakdown of the various scenes that you will soon experience.) Simply SPECTACULAR. The meal at Ruth's Chris did not disappoint. There is a "show combination" menu one can choose from, or there are "upgrades" where one pays the difference for more eating options. The experience? Exactly what one would expect from Ruth's Chris.

We also found out about an "early bird special" at Son'z at Swan Court. Located only a few minutes drive north of our place in Lahaina. Fortunately we can say our experience was much better than James & Molly's. Maybe because we were there for their early eaters special (I believe it starts at 5:00pm, but check to be sure) the service was attentive and not over-attentive like the experiences that our guides expressed in the book. The food was wonderfully prepared and pleased both myself and my lovely dining partner (my mom). The price was amazing for both the view and the food. Maybe those that run Son'z have read and taken to heart the reviews of Molly and James. I hope our most pleasant experience wasn't a fluke and others have a similar "nirvana experience" that is easy on the wallet.

As I said, we were on a budget. So along with our splurges, we needed to find places that served good food that fit our taste buds that were more budget friendly. Upon our arrival to the island after flying in from LA we knew we'd be hungry. We're in Hawaii! What is more Hawaiian than seafood? My first instinct was to go to Mama's Fish House for lunch. But even lunches are pricey there. With the guidance of Top Maui Restaurants I easily located another option near the airport in the town of Paia. Fancy? Nope. Great food? Absolutely! Mom thought burgers had to be "burgers" (ground beef made into patties). So she was a bit put-off when she saw on their chalk-board menu the various fish burgers. I assured her that my "close personal friends" Molly and James recommended the Ono burger. After a long flight, I assure you there is nothing that will put a smile on your face like making your first stop in Paia (think of it as a "hippie town" with the Hawaiian vibe)... Very cool, very kicked back and this fish joint will please your wallet and your tummy! When we were through there we walked across the street for desert. Taking Molly's advice we each got a small gelato after we each sampled several flavors to make that difficult decision. They provide "generous" samples, so one is able to get a whole mouth taste of each taster.

I love mexican food, my lovely traveling companion (mom) doesn't. I wanted to find something we could both enjoy. Again with the aid of Top Maui Restaurants 2010, we were once again pointed exactly in the right direction. There is a place very near "Cool Catz" that was rated well by our intrepid guides that serves local "plates". I asked our server if we could split a plate (some places won't allow it, others will with a separate plate charge). She smiled and said "absolutely!" With that we ordered an app of musubi and their house lunch plate with a couple Kona beers. With two sharing the plate, there was still food left over when our bellies cried surrender. There was a rice noodle soup, pork lau lau and kalua pork, along with the requisite two scoops of rice and one scoop of macaroni salad. With the quality and quantity of food provided, this became mom's "go to lunch spot" The variety they offered also ensured one would never get bored "eating the same old thing".

One day I was severely craving some mexican, so since there was a well rated mexican joint literally upstairs from mom's new favorite eatery, we parted company and I experienced a family owned mexican place that fixed my craving and put a huge smile on my face. As Molly and James say "the food was made with lots of "love". After I finished I rejoined mom as she was wrapping up her meal (she's a slow eater LOL) Without the assistance and guidance from Molly and James, we probably wouldn't have found either of these places and certainly I wouldn't have dropped off mom one place to eat and then wandered off to get my "fix" of my mexican food.

I guess that's really what it comes down to. After reading their Top Maui Restaurants I feel like Molly and James are "good friends" that try really hard not to lead one astray. Have we met? hehehe, no. Though I see we missed their first Mai Tai party of the year by about one month.

Not only will they guide you thoughtfully and safely through the mine-field of eateries regardless of your budget or food tastes, they will provide you with many worthwhile tips that will make your stay on Maui a better experience. Where to get the best poke or want to know where you can pick up some Maui Cattle Co. beef? It's in there.
Want to travel the world famous "road to Hana"? and like me wanted to experience it and enjoy the views rather than get frazzled while making the drive? That too is in their book.

After our second visit to the island of Maui, with Molly & James guiding us much of the way, I can truly say their book is invaluable

Mahalo, Molly and James & Aloha

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2010 REVIEW OF TOP MAUI RESTAURANTS

Top Maui Restaurants 2010 from Thrifty to Four star: Indispensable Advice from Experts Who Live, Play and Eat on Maui

HAD A LOT OF FUN WITH THIS EDITION..........LEARNING ABOUT NEW PLACES TO VISIT OUR NEXT TRIP, WHICH STARTS NEXT WEEK..................AND WAS ENJOYABLE TO READ WHAT ARE CURRENT OPINIONS OF RESTAURANTS WE HAD VISITED IN OUR PRIOR 28 TRIPS TO MAUI.......
.........SHAME ABOUT THE CHEZ PAUL CLOSING...
.....AND EXCITING TO READ OF THE GOING ON NOW TRANSFORMATION OF SEAWATCH RESTAURANT.........THE VIEW AND THE BREAKFASTS WERE ALWAYS PLEASING...............ALTHO WE AGREE WITH THE JACOBSONS AS TO THE SPARROW ISSUE........

SO....INFORMATIVE & UP TO DATE AS A BOOK CAN BE & NICELY WRITTEN.............
JUST OVERALL ENJOYABLE TO READ.
I ALSO BOUGHT THE ON-LINE VERSION............I RECOMMEND A PURCHASE OF BOTH.

SEE YOU AT ROY'S............TERRY TUREK FROM MINONG, WISCONSIN...........

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

This book evolved from the popular download version which has guided thousands of Maui visitors in navigating America's most expensive place to eat out.

It is unprecedented because of its scope and by virtue of the fact that it is written by restaurant critics. James and Molly Jacobson are two big-city-exiles who live on Maui and dine out an average of 11 times per week. Their honest, take-no-prisoners review guide is written with the philosophy that people who love to eat and prefer not to waste money on bad food should know the truth about Maui's well-marketed dining scene.

Top Maui Restaurants is packed with local insights and insider tips. Reading this book before and during your trip is like having a best friend in paradise who steers you away from the tourist traps and guides you to the real gems. The online version is updated every month with the most accurate, up-to-date reviews and information, and readers of this book can get the latest download free at TopMauiTips.com.

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