This week’s topics include more cooking on vacation while watching the ocean, eating cat food, some seafood grilling tips, my first luau review, mini reviews of 2 restaurants on Maui, my apparent impersonation of Rachel Ray, a follow up on my professed love for Chipotle, and a wonderful visual that I share with you.
What am I working on? More cooking on vacation. No, we’re not still on vacation, though I wish we were…. More cooking on the grill. I know what you’re saying: “Wannabe Foodie - why were you grilling so much on vacation?” Because I could watch the Pacific Ocean while doing so and holding my cocktail! And, yes, it was gin with a wee bit o’ vermouth and some blue cheese olives, you Vodka “martini” heathens!
The veggies were sliced and tossed in some olive oil, garlic, and kosher salt. The salmon was rubbed with olive oil, fresh cracked pepper, and some Hawaiian sea salt. The scallops and shrimp marinated for an hour or so in a simple marinade of dry white wine, garlic, and fresh lemon juice. A little salt and pepper right before they went on the grill. Great ingredients, so I didn’t want to mess with them too much. The veggies went on first (onions on first as they take the longest), and then the salmon until it was ready to be flipped, and then the shrimp and scallops went on as they only needed about 2 minutes or so per side on a hot grill.
The Review? Pretty awesome. The salmon and scallops were close to perfect medium rare to medium, the shrimp were moist and succulent, and the veggies had a nice char, though the zucchini was a little overcooked. The caramelized sweetness of red onions on the grill is wonderful. Served all of this with a nice salad, a fresh loaf of French bread, and a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. Not bad for a wannabe on vacation.
I’ve often wondered why so many people don’t like salmon and other seafood. I think I know why. Most people (and many restaurants) simply overcook seafood. Salmon cooked medium rare melts in your mouth like butter. Salmon cooked well done smells and tastes like cat food. Overcooking scallops is almost worse. You can get away with overcooking shrimp a bit, but large sea scallops truly go downhill after medium. They lose that sweetness that makes them so delicious. The same is true for most other seafood. I know this sounds like my steak rant, but people, please don’t overcook your seafood. It’s already dead and you’re just wasting your money if you do. Use a thermometer until you get the hang of it and remember that most food will continue to cook once you take it off the heat. If you cook a thick piece of salmon to medium rare, it will be closer to medium when you serve it. The thicker the piece, the more ‘carry over’ heat.
Mini Review of Old Lahaina Luau, Lahaina. Old Lahaina Luau Yes, I know luaus are cliché and are known to have piss poor food and cheesy entertainment. But, the Red did a lot of homework and this is supposed to be the best on Maui. They greet you as you check in with a tray full of wicked strong Mai Tais, and it’s open bar from there. I like where this is going. The entertainment was good, the service was friendly and responsive, and the food was really pretty good! Fresh, raw Ahi poke (More Info Here), octopus (Things 1 and 2 had some of each), whole pig cooked in an underground oven called an Imu, and lots of other tasty food. However, the pig was the star. It was cooked for hours in the Imu and you could really taste the smokiness. Now I really want to cook a whole pig this summer! Some food porn pictures of the pig coming out:
Check out the big boy working the Imu. He could easily be working a pit in Alabama. Never trust a pit master who doesn't appear to eat his own food.
Coconut’s Fish Café, Kihei. Coconut Fish Cafe This is a relatively new restaurant named after the proprietor’s cat, Coconut, and it’s supposed to have the best fish tacos on Maui. I obviously didn’t try all fish tacos on Maui, but this was not an outrageous claim. They’re good. Really good. You pick the type of very fresh fish (ono, mahi mahi, etc.), and it comes grilled on corn tortillas with cheese, home-made cole-slaw, and fresh mango salsa. The fish is grilled perfectly and the taco is loaded with layers of great flavors. I’d love to have that salsa recipe as that’s what brought the whole taco together. What I’d do for that recipe. If anyone has a good recipe, please email it to me. Thing 2 ordered a fabulous seafood gumbo (yes, he’s adventurous for a 9 year old).
Fat Daddy’s Smokehouse BBQ, Kihei. Fat Daddy Yes, I had BBQ on Maui. What’s your point? As you know, I’m a BBQ snob and I’m here to say that Fat Daddy’s is the real deal. They smoke with kiawe wood, which is a cousin of mesquite, so the flavor is familiar, yet different. The aroma of that smoke permeates the restaurant (there seems to be a theme here…). I ordered an ice cold schooner of Longboard Lager, which is not the best beer in the world, but ok on a warm day. Things 1 and 2 and I shared the Who’s Your Daddy Sampler – ½ pound each of brisket, spare ribs, pulled pork, and smoked brats. Brisket – pretty good, though not righteous. Pulled pork – excellent, with a nice bark and sauce. Spare ribs – absolutely fabulous. Juicy, nice smoke ring, good rub. Brats – very good and you could really taste the mellow smoke flavor. Made in natural casings as well, so you still got that crunch on the outside even after the smoking. Well done, Fat Daddy! Those ribs are competition worthy, and that’s saying something!
Am I Impersonating Rachel Ray?! What's with all of these pleasant restaurant reviews! Am I impersonating Rachel Ray?! Should I throw out my good knives and buy cheesy orange ones? Is it possible that I simply like all food? Am I intentionally picking restaurants with good reputations? I think I’m just getting soft and it's disgusting. I need another Tamayo to review to bring out my true foodie curmudgeon.
A Follow up on My Love of Chipotle. A number of you have pointed out that Chipotle isn’t authentic Mexican food. I agree completely. However, I never said it was authentic Mexican food. I just said it was good. I like nothing better than eating authentic Mexican food out of a truck in East L.A., or eating it anywhere for that matter. Liking Chipotle and authentic Mexican food are not mutually exclusive. Let it go, you Mexican food purists. And no, the irony of me saying that isn’t lost on me.
Random Travel Note. I promised to share random travel notes in my inaugural blog post. I travel a fair amount for work and sometimes for pleasure. Spend that much time in airports and airplanes and you’re bound to see some interesting stuff. This week’s note comes from a men’s room in the Honolulu airport. Leave it alone, you sick monkeys… A large man in a tank top was washing his armpits with paper towels in front of the mirror, right in front of one of the sinks. I really have nothing to add to that visual I just gave you.
Comment? Question? Think I’m Just Full of It? Feel free to post a comment below or email me at renofoodiescott@gmail.com.
WF
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