TIFFANY’S RESTAURANT & BAR
ADDRESS: 1424 Lower Main Street, Wailuku, HI 96793
WEBSITE: https://tiffanysmaui.com/
My wife Cami and I were headed to Maui after scoring an unbelievable flight deal to the island during Black Friday last year. After getting everything squared away with our bags and rental car, it was around the middle of the afternoon. We survived mostly off of snacks for most of the day so far, and we were eager to have a hearty meal. So we looked within a short driving distance of the airport for a place to eat and found Tiffany’s Restaurant & Bar. I had saved off the restaurant on my Google Maps list a while back after learning that Top Chef alum Sheldon Simeon, who I saw compete on the show during both his seasons, was a co-owner of the place. A quick look at the menu showed us a bunch of dishes that sounded delicious, so we headed on over.
Located in the town of Wailuku, Tiffany’s definitely had the feel of a neighborhood spot where locals would come and gather. Given the fact that it was 4PM, the crowd in the dining area was definitely light, but started to pick up quick by the time we were finished eating about an hour later. The dining room itself was bright and spacious, with a mixture of booths and tables for seating. Sitting at the bar was also an option, and there were a number of TVs tuned in to sporting events going on.
There was a lot on the menu to choose from, and given the fact that we were pretty hungry, we had to restrain ourselves from ordering half the menu since a lot sounded good. Between the different meat, seafood, and comfort plates, there is definitely a variety of items to choose from. We ended up trying to balance the food out with one meat, one seafood, and one rice dish: garlic chicken, panko mahi, and the kimchi fried rice.
When our food started to arrive at the table, it definitely looked and smelled great. I will say that the garlic chicken and kimchi fried rice could have easily fed a third person at the table, with how generous the portions were. That breading on the outside of the garlic chicken looked super crispy, even after being tossed in a garlic shoyu sauce. It was garnished with sesame seeds and scallions, served with a gochujang mayo dipping sauce if you were looking for a bit of heat. The savory flavor from the garlic shoyu was strong, but not too overpowering, with some sweet notes in there as well. The chicken thighs were still very moist, and the gochujang mayo added that third layer of flavor to go along with the sweet and savory.
The panko mahi fish sticks were fried really crispy, with the white fish holding up well. The tartar sauce that was served with the mahi complemented the fish nicely, a classic combination. That kimchi fried rice also ended up being the right dish to help balance out the richness from the garlic chicken. The rice itself was a bright orange color, most likely a byproduct of being cooked with some of the kimchi marinade. There were pieces of kimchi in the rice itself, along with sausage pieces and topped with a sunny-side up egg.
I think for me, I would have preferred there to be a bit more amount of protein inside the fried rice as a dish on its own. But if you take into account the rice is pairing with other dishes, I blended the garlic chicken and the kimchi fried rice together and it was just right. The kimchi fried rice ended up being Cami’s favorite dish of the three, while my crown went to that garlic chicken that was just bursting with flavor.
The only thing that would have made the visit even better than it already was is if chef Sheldon ended up being at the restaurant when we visited. He is one of my favorite contestants from Top Chef, and I always liked the energy and enthusiasm that he brought on the show during the seasons he competed. You can also pick up signed copies of his cookbooks while at the restaurant, which are located in a hutch in the corner near the front. I’m really glad that we made the stop at the restaurant while on Maui, especially since it had been on my list for a little while. All of the food was fantastic, and we would certainly like to visit again on another trip to the island to hit up some of those other delicious sounding dishes as well.
Let’s now take a look at Tiffany’s Dish Spotlight. Asterisks (*) below mark my recommended dishes.
** Panko Mahi **
Strips of mahi mahi, breaded and fried to golden brown. Served with tartar sauce.
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** Garlic Chicken **
Fried chicken thighs tossed with a garlic shoyu, topped with sesame seeds and scallions. Served with gochujang mayo for dipping.
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** Kimchi Fried Rice **
Fried rice with sausage and kimchi, topped with scallions and a sunny-side up egg.
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And finally, here are my rankings for Tiffany’s:
Food: 5 / 5
The food that we tried was delicious, with layers of flavor and generous portions. That garlic chicken and kimchi fried rice pairing really hit the spot after stepping off the plane. The other dishes on the menu also sound just as enticing to explore on future visits back as well.
Atmosphere: 4.25 / 5
I thought that the open atmosphere of the dining area was pretty nice, with the booths and tables spaced out apart well enough. Definitely had the feeling of a communal space for people to gather for some good food.
Service: 4 / 5
Even though the restaurant wasn’t too busy when we got there, our waitress, Lyn, sometimes had periods of time where we couldn’t find her in the dining area, leading us to flag someone else down for some water refills. The kitchen, on the other hand, was super quick about getting us out our food in about 10 minutes after we ordered.
Price: 5 / 5
For the price and the portions, you really couldn’t go wrong. Generous plates of food that tasted fantastic, with leftovers for us to serve as another meal.
Overall:
18.25 / 20
(91%)
Categories: Hawaii, Restaurants
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