New restaurant boasts exotic flavors
Maui Grill, which opened in April, brings the exotic flavors of Hawaii here to Salem.
They offer breakfast, lunch, dinner, and take-out. Dinners are served with steamed rice, mashed potatoes, or bow tie pasta, soup or salad, vegetable of the day, and mango bread. They have a number of choices for both medium- and higher-priced entrees, and plenty of vegetarian options.
Lunch at the Maui Grill offers sandwiches and smaller versions of the dinner entrees, with fries instead of pasta, in the $7 to $9 price range.
They have a patio for outdoor seating, and a full bar which offers tropical drinks with names such as Tidal Wave, Volcanic Blast, Lava Flow, Shark Bite, and Hurricane.
When we went for dinner, I tried several curious-sounding combinations of tastes, such as pineapple cream cheese wontons served with jalapeno jelly. For an entree I chose the Pacific Islander, which is mahi mahi, shrimp, and crab sautéed in garlic and herbs, with pasta tossed in a kahlua cream sauce for $14.95. It was rich and creamy and blended nicely with the seafood. The pineapple coleslaw, although one of the more unusual options, was a pleasant surprise. A highlight of the menu was the mango bread. Similar to banana bread, this dark brown, moist treat was simply delicious.
Everything at our table drew high compliments. The macadamia nut crusted mahi mahi entree was topped with a fresh fruit salsa which was rated “out of this world.” The vegetables were perfectly cooked, and everything was presented beautifully.
Best of all, portions were large, and we all went home completely satisfied.
