Mama's Fish House

We had our last dinner in Maui at this local favorite.  While the menu prices rivaled those of Lahaina Grill, the white linen and suited waiters was replaced by blue Hawaiian patterns and casual button ups.  The food is less fancy, but still tasty.  We were kind of in a hurry to get through our meal since some people in our party were trying to catch flights to the airport that same night.

Bread & Butter
Warm and soft.

Cream of Mushroom Soup
Compliments of the house.  Solid.

Ahi in a Fresh Coconut marinated in lime and coconut milk, tahitian style

I've never had ceviche marinated in coconut milk.  The coconut flavor wasn't too distracting.  The citrus was bright and worked nicely.

Macadamia Nut Crab Cakes fire and ice relish
The Flatulent Snorer loves his crab cakes.  Nice choice.  Not too chintzy on the crab meat.

Lobster Luau Soup
I didn't get to try this but 3SB seemed pleased.

Mahimahi and Kauai Shrimp in Mama's Bouillabaisse Broth garlic toast, aioli
Please see comments above.

Kalua Wild Boar
Please see comments above.

Mama's Stuffed Mahimahi tristan lobster and crab baked in a macadamia nut crust
OK, this one I actually ate.  The Annoyer sang the praises of this dish.  Almost everyone on Yelp did the same.  No doubt, it is their signature dish.  The filling of lobster and crab was darn tasty.  The mahimahi was a bit overcooked for my liking and some Yelpers had similar complaints.  Everyone at the table seemed to gobble up this dish.  It was good, but not worth $58 no matter how fresh that mahimahi was.

Mahimahi hamakua ali'i mushrooms, garlic butter, white wine, capers
I wanted the short ribs, but The Annoyer, again, made me feel bad for not ordering seafood.  I think I was fished out by the end of the trip.  Still, I chose a different mahimahi dish.  I loved the mushrooms and white wine.  I think the capers might have made the sauce a tad too sour.  Overall, still a good dish but not worth the $50 price tag.

Bread Fruit
It's very confusing that bread fruit is called fruit.  It has the texture of a sweet potato, being very starchy and a little bit sweet.  Not my favorite.

Polynesian Black Pearl lilikoi chocolate mousse in a pastry sea shell
The dessert is beautiful, mimicking a black pearl in a clam shell.  The mousse was smooth.  The lilikoi added brightness.  It worked nicely.

Mama's Fish House was expensive, but there wasn't as much griping over the price tag like at Lahaina Grill.  Better food in a more casual ambience seemed to make everyone a little bit happier.  Unlike the desserts at Lahaina Grill, the black pearl was beautiful and special.  I can get the desserts at Lahaina Grill anywhere, and better at that.  While the mahimahi in Hawaii is probably the best in the world, I'm still not sold on the fish.  They do a good job here though.  You could probably make me happy stuffing a piece of broccoli with lobster and crab.   If you like mahimahi  and/or other wild local fish and can fork up the cash for it, then come to Mama's Fish House.  If you're on the island and want to try one of the top restaurants, come to Mama's Fish House.

10 - You NEED to eat here

9 - Awesome!
8 - Very good

7 - Good 

6 - OK 

5 - Average

4 - Not bad 

3 - Not good

2 - Terrible

1 - Do NOT eat here