Location, location. Ah, yes, an oceanfront location. So many restaurants here purport to be right on the water, but a rare few can claim to be as close as the Sea House – just a rubber slipper toss away.
Built in 1961 as part of Napili Kai Beach Resort, Sea House was originally named Tea House of the Maui Moon and grandfathered into its prime spot.
On calm days, Napili Bay is ideal for snorkelers, standup paddle boarders, divers, swimmers and sun worshippers. On monster wave days, there may be new meaning to salt rim on your margarita.
I’ve always loved Sea House for its prime location – and now Napili Kai’s Executive Chef Alex Stanislaw is elevating the cuisine to new heights.
“Being at the Sea House, I feel like I’ve come full circle,” says the seasoned chef, who started his career at adjacent Kapalua Bay. “It feels good to be back on the bay again, and I can’t imagine a more beautiful setting for the creation and enjoyment of great food.”
Many of us Maui diners have followed Stanislaw’s career path, from former Erik’s Seafood Grotto to his 21 years at Plantation House Kapalua.
Now he’s wooing us with crudo sashimi, Kula onion soup, and shrimp-and-lobster mac and cheese at the comfortable and easy-going restaurant with spectacular ocean and sunset views.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary last year with an extensive renovation, freshening and enhancing of the interior design, it is open for breakfast, lunch, happy hour and dinner service and Stanislaw is putting seafood on the front burner.
“I’ve always liked working with fresh fish,” he says. “I want every person that comes in the restaurant to eat fish. It’s the last wild animal we can eat, as it’s not full of chemicals and hormones, it’s clean and fresh, and there are a million things you can do with it to enhance it.”
One signature fresh fish entree is brushed with basil pesto, rolled in panko, then sauted and served on rich and creamy three-cheese risotto with charred corn, fresh peas and mushrooms.
“It’s rich without being filling,” Stanislaw explains. “We also have a special on the menu every night called ‘Lawa Pono Ko’ or ‘respectful, bountiful basket.’
“It’s an homage to the Hawaiian-ness of Napili Kai, and based on whatever we get locally and fresh each day. Last night we served fresh hapu’upu’u, local Hawaiian sea bass, that we salted and seared and served on a ‘hash’ of Oahu fingerling potatoes, Maui corn, Kula onions, Maui green beans and guava-smoked bacon, all roasted together. We finished it with a limu (seaweed) salsa verde of flat-leaf parsley, Kula onion, lemon juice, limu ogo, limu lipoa, Maui olive oil and Kauai salt – everything we can get that’s fresh and local and flavorful.”
Of course, the fish shined, and the local accompaniments were enhancements, not overpowering gratuitous extras.
“This restaurant is such a treat to work in, and the kitchen crew is a great group to captain,” he says. “It’s like I’ve been entrusted with an heirloom to continue to nurture and mentor and have fun with.”
Sink your teeth into specials on prime rib Mondays and Wednesdays with Hawaiian Ranchers’ beef; surf and turf from Fridays to Sundays; and oven-roasted lobster tails with Tuesdays and Thursdays for dinner. There is also an early-bird special of three courses of salad, entree and dessert nightly from 5:30 to 6 p.m.
Wine recommendations come with each entree; gluten-free icons are next to various dishes; and sides and vegetarian foods are plentiful and full of taste.
At breakfast, wake up to corned beef hash made in house; Thai crab omelets; and fluffy Haleakala pancakes baked in the oven with caramelized brown sugar, and fresh bananas and pineapples.
Stanislaw works a few opening shifts and watches the sun come up.
“It’s breathtaking, even after all these years. It reminds me of back in the day, jumping into a canoe early-early, and how beautiful and quiet and calming Maui is in the predawn morning. It sets me up for a great day at work every time. To hang my hat here as the executive chef is amazing. It’s been a perfect fit since day one, and I’m excited every day about what we’re doing and where we’re going.”
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