Spirit of Aloha | Articles | Adventures in Dining | September/October 2002

Adventures in Dining
By Betty Fullard-Leo

Fill 'er Up!

In spite of its name, Manana Garage in Kahului, Maui, is not a hangout for procrastinating grease monkeys, it's a trendy eatery featuring Nuevo Latino cuisine

Photos by David Watersun

If you haven't been to Manana Garage in Kahului, Maui, don't be misled by its whimsical name. Granted, eating there may feel as comfortable as sitting in your own carport with the boom box thumping and the neighbors dropping by for a St. Pauli Girl and poke, but it's not the same at all. In this sedate Maui town, Manana Garage is keeping the "in" crowd hanging out. With chic decor and cutting-edge "Nuevo Latino" cuisine, it's been a trendy spot for lunch and dinner from the moment it opened its doors two years ago.

Among Manana Garage's trio of owners, restaurateur and managing partner Alan Ireland contributed his expertise gained from managing New York's famed '21' Club; chef Tom Lelli came from Maui's prestigious Hali'imaile General Store; and Steve Weber and his wife, Cleves, applied their creative masterminds in making business decisions and decor choices.

Despite the name, the decor's appeal is not limited to car mechanics (who might feel right at home grabbing the gas pump handle to open the front door, then discovering on one side of the main restaurant a shiny metal garage door, which lifts up to reveal a private dining room for 30). Guys who gather at the bar lean their elbows on green safety glass and prop their feet on chrome bumper footrests. However, women smile appreciatively when they spot brilliant green, red and yellow Murano glass chandeliers overhead that cast soft light on walls painted in vivid blue, lavender, salmon-pink and orange. A pink Craftsman tool chest that serves as a cashier's stand tickled my own funny bone.

One of the happiest discoveries at Manana Garage is that the food is as dazzling as the decor. Executive chef Tom Lelli comes from a solid culinary background that began with his training at New Jersey's Academy of Culinary Arts and continued through the opening of four resort hotels before he perfected his skills working eight years in the kitchen at Hali'imaile General Store.

He admits, "I really never had dreamed of having my own restaurant, because I knew how much work was involved. But after months of talking to Steve about his ideas on how he wanted the restaurant to be, how he wanted to treat employees, how much fun it could be, I decided to make the change." Lelli and his team, including sous chef Eddie Santos and pastry chef Cindy Heacock, who both came with him from Hali'imaile, have devised a menu that makes choosing difficult.

Locals love an 'ahi ceviche appetizer that has Pacific roots, except that the fresh tuna marinated with coconut milk is pepped up with a chopped Serrano chili, cilantro and cubed avocado, then garnished with plantain chips. Says Lelli: "Most ceviches are made with white fish, but we use sashimi-grade 'ahi and don't overmarinate, so we keep the nice sashimi texture of the fish."

You can order adobo BBQ duck and sweet potato quesadilla as an appetizer or go for a main dish with similar Filipino leanings called "adobo pulled pork" created by sous chef Santos. The accompanying dip sounds truly Latin American, with an Oaxacan chili in the recipe-until you catch a hint of soy. Adding to the international flare, Manana Garage tortillas are handmade at the restaurant by a Guatemalan lady named Vicenta Lopez. For more conservative diners, succulent panko-crusted crab cakes come with Kula corn black bean salsa and habanero aioli.

Lelli says, "I've combined elements of many styles of cooking with Mexican and Latin flavors to invent our own Nuevo Latino style. I like to find out what people in these cultures cook in their own homes. To me, the magic of the food is in its simplicity."

As an entree, I ordered one of the specials, macadamia-crusted sea bass with lime chipolte butter, a melt-on-the-tongue melange of subtle flavors. I topped that off with Heacock's signature dessert, the ultimate ice cream sandwich made with sweet potato pound cake, caramel sauce, pralines and creme anglaise.

As if the food isn't magic enough, there's Fortunato, the wandering magician, who might drop by your table to astound you with card tricks and make coins appear and disappear, and live Latin salsa music to kick the energy level up a notch or two. Those who want a quieter dining experience can choose to sit outside at umbrella-covered tables lit by sparkly little lights gleaming in the surrounding leafy trees.

Manana Garage, 33 Lono Ave., Kahului, Maui, 873-0220. Open from 11 a.m. Monday through Friday for lunch and midday dining; dinner served nightly 5-9 p.m.; Wednesday through Saturday a late-night menu is available 9-10:30 p.m.

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