Lahaina Fish Company | News, Sports, Jobs

I hadn’t been to Lahaina Fish Co. for quite some time. After a recent stellar lunch there, I won’t make that mistake again. I say, run, don’t walk, to this landmark restaurant on Front Street.

The food is impressive, the views are epic, parking is validated for three hours at the Outlets of Maui mall, and prices are really reasonable for a restaurant right in the heart of the historic district.

“It’s like a ship that needs constant care and maintenance,” says longtime Executive Chef Keith Salvador, in essence a “Maui boy” who’s been with the restaurant since its inception 25 years ago.

Coming from a family of chefs, including dad Al Salvador and uncle Bill Salvador, who won Chefs Olympic gold medals in Frankfurt, Germany, Keith was exposed to his dad winning at food shows and traveling around. He was the only family member born in California, but he came back to where his roots are in 1983.

“Being here in Hawaii as a chef, it’s a great way to make a living,” says the father of three. “My daughter Amber is a hostess here. I also rediscovered paddling and sit in seat two for Kahana.”

Salvador says his food is “progressive” and that he touches on trends, such as gluten-free and vegetarian items, but he still serves “the home runs that people come to Hawaii for, including cream sauces and butter, to try to balance the menu out.”

You’ll find wok-fried Brussels sprouts, Upcountry arugula salads, classic wedges, steamed broccoli, asparagus in garlic-chile sauce, roasted seasonal squash, and taro and lentil steak as healthful choices among the many more.

“We have at least six varieties of fresh fish daily, including opah, ahi, monchong, ono, opakapaka, mahimahi and different types of sea bass. Besides fish on the regular menu, we’re running specials like fresh Hawaiian ono, grilled or pan-seared with firecracker shrimp and spicy Portuguese-sausage stuffing with mashed potatoes and cole slaw,” says the veteran chef. “Please come and check us out.”

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