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At the recommendation of friends, we reserved a table for dinner at Mama’s Fish House in Paia, on the north shore of Maui. I called several days in advance from the mainland, and even so, prime time seating for the weekend was fully booked. I took a 6:00pm seating on Sunday night.

We arrived an hour early, our day trip truncated by persistent drizzle. The staff graciously accomodated us; they seated us immediately at the best table in the restaurant, at the railing, facing the beach. In retrospect our timing was serendipitous, for we were able to enjoy the view for an hour before the sun set. After dark, the beach is lost to shadow.

The service began with an unexpected amuse-bouche, a shot of tasty crab bisque in an espresso cup. I was delighted to see that they brought one for Raphael as well, and more delighted when he made an icky face after the first taste. More for me.

Mama’s menu takes the high-end dining practice of naming the source of every ingredient, e.g. the French Laundry’s “Cloverdale Farms Rabbit” or “Wolfe Ranch Squab,” to a new and somewhat ridiculous level: naming the fisherman that caught each fish! For my entree I selected the “Mahimahi caught by DeWitt Lickle along the north shore of Maui.” I can tell you that Mr. Lickle catches one hell of a mahimahi; it was as good as the best fish I’ve ever eaten (the Dover Sole at the French Laundry).

The restaurant’s setting and decor are a visual treat — open-air dining a few dozen feet from the surf, decorated inside and out with Polynesian memorabilia. My companions were gaga for the Lotus flower arrangements. I don’t understand flowers, but I was digging the reprinted advertisements from WWII-era weapons makers in the men’s room. Strange but true.

Our server was helpful, offering honest recommendations and guidance, steering us toward his favorites. From beginning to end, the service was excellent, with one exception: the food was slow to arrive. Between the toddler-chasing, the architectural tours, the appetizers and so on, I didn’t notice how much time had passed until someone mentioned it. I doubt this is typical, but our Mama’s dining experience lasted two and a half hours.

The desserts were excellent. I was as stuffed as my mahimahi, but the server talked us into splitting the banana crisp and the chocolate mousse. Four forks flew… two fingerprint-smeared plates remained. I won’t admonish you to “save room,” because it’s senseless. Eat a bunch of fish first, but have dessert anyway. What the hell; you’re on vacation.

One of my dining companions commented that Mama’s serves the best food on Maui. He’s an accomplished chef, and he spends a month on the island every year, so this is saying something. I hope to return frequently to continue my personal comparison of Mama’s to every other fish house on Maui; until I’m finished, I’d be inclined to agree with him. It was truly great.

Here’s a long-exposure, post-sunset panorama of the view from our table.
See all photos from Mama’s Fish House