Cane and Canoe - Maui, Hawaii

This is a new restaurant, recently opened in June of 2014, just a matter of months before our arrival. It's housed in a relatively new luxury hotel, Montage Kapalua Bay, replacing some very exclusive and private residences that have been there since the Kapalua Bay Hotel was destroyed in 2006.

During the time of the Bay Hotel, a restaurant on the property housed several mural sized paintings by the iconic Hawaiian artist, Pegge Hopper. When the hotel was removed, there were many questions regarding the whereabouts of these exquisite works. We found the answer at The Montage Kapalua Bay when visiting Cane and Canoe for dinner.

Upon entering the hotel, two areas on the main floor proudly present Hopper's treasures. We were so excited and relieved to see them, it started a conversation with some of the staff. We were told that the pieces were found sitting in a dumpster - yes, the perfect spot for what are obviously works of some size and skill. In addition, it was discovered that another creation had ended up in another area of the island and was in the process of being returned to its rightful place. It is believed that Ms. Hopper herself returned to do some touch ups on the paintings prior to their re-hanging. There are a total of six or seven of them currently on display in various areas of the hotel. Hooray for the Montage!

Reclining Woman and Flowers

Woman Under Palm Tree

Two of these places are in the Cane and Canoe restaurant and lounge. The dining area is an open, airy outdoor space with wonderful natural wood and stone. The chairs are made in a woven design with several fabric covered banquettes adorned with multi-coloured throw pillows. As the sun dipped beyond the horizon, contemporary tiki torches were lit for a more intimate dining experience.

For starters, I had a light hamachi poke. Hamachi is yellowtail and poke is the Polynesian version of a ceviche - small cubes of the fresh fish mixed with herbs in a light sauce. This one sat on a bed of paper-thin slices of cucumber and was topped with chopped avocado and a dollop of local caviar. Paired with it was a handful of house made fingerling potato chips.

My husband started with the Keahole lobster bisque. It was a tad thinner than the typical creamy bisque and made with local Kona lobster. Kona is an area on the Big Island, otherwise known as Hawaii. The bisque had a rectangular piece of herbed bread in the centre of the bowl topped with some lobster knuckle meat and spread along the inside of the bowl was Greek yogurt for a bit of tang. It had a more unusual flavour than the traditional kind made with Atlantic lobster.

Our server brought us an extra taste - his favourite item on the menu. A play on the traditional Chinese noodle dish, Chow Fun; instead of noodles, thin slices are calamari are used. Join this with charred scallions, crispy bean sprouts, smothered kale and spicy slices of lap cheong, a Chinese sausage, and a flavourful appetizer is born.

My entree was a lovely, tender piece of monchong fish in a rich flavoured broth and surrounded by potato gnocchi, marinated cherry tomatoes and strips of braised fennel. The fish was topped by two beautifully prepared Kauai shrimp. My husband's main course was grilled blue marlin. His fish swam in a lighter broth along with sliced new potatoes, bacon, Manila clams and braised radish and turnip. Both dishes were so delicious, it's going to be difficult to try something new on our next visit.

As if we weren't full enough - but dessert had to be sampled if for no other reason than to report it on this blog. So, we shared what can only be likened to beignets. These are a New Orleans staple, akin to donuts but without the hole and they are just soooo much better. So, these beignets type pieces were sprinkled with granulated sugar instead of powdered sugar. This automatically negates the choking and coughing that ensues when one accidentally inhales the powdered version. And they were served with two dipping sauces - mocha chocolate and maple bacon. Now, I know for some people like my husband, anything containing the word 'bacon' naturally means unbelievably good but I just can't seem to marry a breakfast meat with a sweet finish to a lovely, sophisticated meal. But he enjoyed it all the same.

A small note about the new restaurant's logo that I think bears mentioning. One of the great crafts made by Hawaiian artisans is the quilt and quilted items. Each has a very distinct design that symbolizes something special to the artist. On the aprons of the staff at Cane and Canoe is one of these designs. It is 'X' over cross shaped in embroidered purple. The cross lines are canoes standing on end and the 'X' piece is the leaf of the sugar cane plant. It's a minor thing but something that took consideration. It reflects Chef Riko Bartolome's dedication to the use of local Hawaiian resources.

There are holidays and THEN there are holidays - Maui August, 2014

Recently, I posted an entry regarding my experience on Via Rail. This was the beginning of a very interesting - and lengthy - journey culminating in a river cruise down the Douro River in Northern Portugal. In addition to the train debacle, we enjoyed a two week Transatlantic cruise from Miami to Copenhagen, Denmark. This was followed by several days in Lisbon with fans from the Premiere League football (soccer) final prior to the aforementioned river cruise. The final leg was spent in London as is our usual routine. I counted it up and, during this six week period, we packed/unpacked 10 times. Don't get me wrong, it was a fascinating trip and I'm thrilled to have been able to do it but, truthfully, I was exhausted.

Today, I'm writing this entry from paradise. Now, THIS is a holiday. THIS is where one lies around like third base doing as little as possible. THIS is where there are no flight schedules (except coming in and going out), no meeting times, no reservations, no deadlines. Just bring a book and some music and get comfortable.

Aloha! Welcome to Maui - make yourself at home. Where the sound of the nearby surf lulls you to sleep and where the gentle cooing of doves awakens you to a new day.

This is my home for several weeks every summer - Napili Surf. You will find me (and my husband) on one of these chairs in a pair of sunglasses lying on a blue and white striped beach towel with ear buds in my ears and my kindle at the ready. Cooling trade winds blow fairly consistently insuring that I am seldom overheated. This almost always results in a refreshing nap - that is unless there happen to be a number of boisterous children nearby. This, fortunately, is not a common occurrence during this particular time of year.

And this is the view from the lawn. This is Napili Bay - full of sun worshippers, snorkelers,  boogie boarding children, fools on paddle boards for the first time (now, that's really funny to watch) and often, a black lab or two chasing a yellow tennis ball into the ocean. The waves are not usually strong enough for surfing as there is a reef a ways out that naturally protects the bay. But from time to time news travels the network that "surf's up" and the beach is suddenly full of long boards and long shorts for a few runs on the waves - no matter how short lived.

The property here at the Surf is a series of studio and one-bedroom condo units. There are two pools here for those of us who can no longer negotiate the sand on the beach. We have a full kitchen with all the conveniences - microwave, dishwasher, corkscrew, coffeemaker, etc. - making it easy to just stay home. We even have a self-serve laundry on site. There is a wonderful farmer's market twice a week just down the road and an excellent fish market with fresh catch every day. There are several full service supermarkets as well for all your grocery needs. For those Canadians reading this, the grocery stores even have a rather large section of alcohol removing the need for yet another shopping stop. Now, there are many fabulous restaurants here on the island, one of which I'll get to in the next entry, but my point is that there is no need to meet a reservation time if you just don't want to.

I realize there are those who couldn't stand to simply lie around all day. For you, there is plenty to see and do on the island of Maui. One of the oldest dormant volcanoes is right here - Haleakala is the place to go to experience one of the most glorious sunrises in the world. It stands at 13,000 feet, so if you go pre-dawn be sure to bring some warm clothes because it can be pretty cold up there. 

There is the road to Hana - a narrow drive, full of hairpin turns, through Maui's rainforest - stunning waterfalls and spectacular views will be your reward. Lahaina is the main town here on West Maui - full of shops and restaurants - and aging hippies. This is a fun place to be. For really upscale shopping, you need to go over to South Maui and the Shops at Wailea. This area has the most expensive resort hotels, thus the upscale shops. 

Many first-timers will take a helicopter tour of the island. While rather pricey, it's a great way to see the beautiful natural wonders of the valley isle. Another newcomer experience is a boat ride/snorkeling trip out to Molokini Reef. This is a large reef near Red Hill on the south side that has one of the most amazing collections of reef-dwelling creatures anywhere. In recent years, it has been terribly overcrowded but that may be changing. There are hiking trails, arboretums, black sand beaches, zip lines, horseback riding, parasailing adventures and, of course, golf. There seems to be something for every activity level on Maui.

If you want to see more than this, consider leaving the island for the day. There are three islands off the coast of South/West Maui that provide it some protection from Mother Nature. The island of Moloka'i is in the photo above - this is what we see from our little patch of beach. There are inter island flights and ferries from Lahaina every day that make it possible to make a short visit. Moloka'i is rather undeveloped, with a population of only 7000. And that's how the residents want it. They have fought tooth and nail to keep cruise ships from docking there, and they've won. The next island over is Lana'i. It's a small island with just a few resorts but they're beautiful developments and, if you're a golfer, this is the place to be. The third island, Kaho'olawe is, as yet, uninhabitable although the state is busy cleaning it up. During WWII, it was used as a testing area for land mines so, needless to say, it is not yet safe.

So, when is a holiday really a holiday? When you don't have to do anything at all - unless you choose to. 

Aloha!

3 Days in Hell on Via Rail - May, 2014

What a lovely, relaxing alternative to air travel - or so we thought - we're so sick of the stress and tension of long flights and airports. We decided to begin our 6 week European journey by taking Via Rail,Canada's passenger train, from Edmonton (it doesn't depart from Calgary) to Toronto to visit friends. We booked a cabin for 2, the top option for this transit, thinking it would be rather romantic. We felt quite confident as Via Rail is quite progressive in its attitude toward passengers with disabilities. Because of my limitations I need a travel companion to assist me so, with a letter from my doctor confirming this need, the company allows the companion to travel free of charge. Yeah, my husband and I went 2 for 1! The positive experience stops here.

We arrived at Edmonton's station around 10pm after having a nice dinner with a friend. The scheduled departure was midnight so we'd given ourselves plenty of time to check in our luggage and I was told that as I had a disability I would be able to board a little earlier. We needn't have worried. Eventually, an employee announced that the train was delayed coming in from Jasper due to a snow storm. Now, for those of you who are not familiar with this area of Canada, this is not at all unusual in May. Anyway, we sat and waited. There wasn't anything around the station and, aside from 2 vending machines, nothing inside the station either. And still we sat. And the employee came out again to announce further delay. Finally, the truth came out - the train was stopped just outside of the city while 2 freight trains travelled through. An appalling fact, that passenger trains have lowest priority - and one that we discovered would haunt us the whole way. So, some time after 2am the train arrived at Edmonton station. And we waited for passengers to disembark and for the train to be prepared. I won't say "cleaned" because I saw very little evidence of this. When we were finally invited to board, we stumbled down a dark, uncovered platform in the rain to our assigned car. And then we got to our cabin. I laughingly call it a cabin - more like a 35 sq. ft. closet with bunk beds. Seriously? Honestly, my closet at home is not much smaller. And seeing as I can't, my 72 year old husband got to crawl up the tiny ladder to his bunk. What is this, summer camp? Although what 8 year old is crawling into bed at 3am?

I will admit that the configuration was somewhat better during the day with the beds stored and 2 leather chairs in their place. And having a toilet and sink in the cabin was more convenient than having to bathe after a total stranger in the shower at the end of the car. Really? For space saving purposes, a counter piece flips up over the sink for extra storage but what a pain. If one actually puts items on it then every time the sink is needed the counter must be cleared in order to access it. This, of course, is so convenient in the middle of the night after using the bathroom. Are you sure you want to wash your hands?

The dining car was the other nightmare. Now, the food was rather good considering the limited space and resources and the serving staff was pretty efficient but being forced into a seat next to any rube is one sure way to ruin even the most gourmet meal. Frankly, people who travel by train on a regular basis, and there are a fair number, are not the most stimulating group. The conversation leaves something to be desired. Sadly, that's all there is on this journey other than reading. It's a good thing my husband and I are avid readers because there is no TV, internet, radio, newspapers - no connection to the outside world whatsoever; not even a satellite signal for a cell phone. And due to delays, the few stops we made - Saskatoon, Winnipeg - were in the wee hours of morning. So, am I going to wake up at 2am just to get off at Winnipeg for a cellphone signal? Who am I going to call?

Needless to say, this train is a petri dish. Windows can't be opened and, if you don't get off at the stops, the only fresh air available is by taking your life in your hands standing between the cars. To say that I was sick as a dog after we arrived in Toronto is an understatement - nothing but tiny germs floating all around us on that nasty little train.

I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that we couldn't wait to get off the thing. There's nothing to see outside in the way of scenery unless you enjoy endless prairie and nothing to do inside so... But wait! Remember the 3 hour into Edmonton? Well, as we chugged along over the course of 3 days, freight trains full of bitumen, grain, containers or whatever required us to pull onto a side track and stop, waiting for every one of them to pass. By the time we arrived at Union Station in Toronto, we were a paltry 7 hours late. Yes, I said 7. Scheduled to arrive at 9:20am but we finally crept into our berth at 4:30pm. Remember the "regulars" I mentioned? Not only were these folks unconcerned by this, they seemed impressed that we actually got there on the expected day. What's wrong with this picture?

This is my cautionary tale - just say no!

How stupid am I?

OK...so I feel a bit dense, really, about this one but perhaps it's only because I'm still a bit of a newbie about this cane and travel stuff.  Recently, I was at my hairdresser chatting with a lovely elderly woman about travelling with a cane.  Unfortunately, she also needed to use one.  

If you will recall, a few years ago, I lost the tip of my cane getting back on a cruise ship and went many days without a replacement.  My advice in that entry was to always travel with a spare.  While that advice still holds (and, trust me, there's always one in my suitcase), this wonderful lady at my hairdresser innocently asked if I had gone to the medical clinic on board to get a replacement.  

Well, HELLO!  To be perfectly frank, this never even crossed my mind at the time nor had it ever until that afternoon.  So, lesson learned.  If you happen to be without a spare cane tip and you lose yours at sea -- go to the ship's doctor -- don't just go tap-tap-tapping along without one for 3 days!

Astrid y Gaston Lima, Peru

Lima's finest eatery is Astrid y Gaston in the Miraflores district.  This is a shopping, eating, partying area of Lima.  This marvelous place has recently been listed as one of the top 15 restaurants in the world - not in Peru, not in South America - the world!!  And rightly so.

The building is actually rather nondescript from the outside - it is next door to three guitar shops.  But once inside - the walls are covered in terrific contemporary paintings, unfortunately none for sale.  And at the back is the open kitchen framed in a high gloss fiery red.  I didn't go back and test it but it almost looks like glass.

We ordered a very interesting Peruvian wine (yes, they make excellent wine here) from the Ica area called Tacama.  There are some areas of inland Peru which are higher in elevation, thus cooler, and well-suited from vineyards.  This blanc to blanc wine is a blend of sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and viognier.  It's a young wine with layers of mineral notes.  Really quite good.

Okay, normally one doesn't make reference to the bread that is brought to one's table but here it's worth it.  It was fantastic!  Five different kinds, all made in-house.  A brioche with chili peppers, a very dark pumpernickel, a multi-grain, an olive bread and a cheese that was almost as dense as cake.  For good measure, they threw in a chili breadstick as well.

I started my meal with a smoked, grilled octopus.  For those of you who remember my blog on Rio - this was as tender as the one in Rio without the mafia.  It was covered in a chorizo sauces and plated with purple foam and a coated potato.  Peru is known for its immense variety of potatoes.  My husband started with tres cebiches - one was a traditional preparation and the two others progressed to something more contemporary - the second was done with coconut milk and chilis and the third was done with substantially more heat.  

For mains, we both had a fish dish.  I had a deep sea fish, sautéed, on a bed of green asparagus risotto and wonderfully fried baby artichokes.  This was one of the best fish I've ever had - perfectly cooked and tender and beautifully spiced.  My Husband had an Amazon fish (there's a first), sautéed as well, served with swiss chard and saffron risotto.  

We'd eaten so much bread that we had to share dessert.  Oh my!  It was a chocolate ball with crunchies and marshmallow cream and raspberry compote inside.  Then warm chocolate sauce was poured over the ball so that the whole thing began to melt.  Now, for someone who doesn't care much for chocolate, I must admit that this was a little scoop of heaven - smooth and creamy.

What a fantastic meal - wine and bread and wonderful food creations.  My husband swears that it's the best meal he's ever had.

courtesy of www.tripadvisor.com

Lima, Peru May, 2013

We visited three sites in Lima - a very unusual city - that gave us a sense of its history and development.  Our first stop was at the Pacific Ocean - on which the Park of Love is perched.  The lovely place sits atop the cliffs of Chorrillos right at the ocean.  The park is set on several levels ultimately leading down to the beach.  One of its highlights is a series of mosaic tiles in several low walls, used to write romantic quotes.  A multi-coloured creation inspired by the great Gaudi of Barcelona and his beautiful Parc Guell.
The park is also full of glorious flower beds lining the stairs at each level.  The park's most inspiring element is a large elevated sculpture.  The Kiss, created by Victor Delfin in 1993, is the primary focus of the park both for the size of the piece and its title.  All the various parts of the park work hand in hand to make this experience a very welcoming, romantic atmosphere.

Playa Mayor provided some history of Lima - this is the main square and the birthplace of the city.  With a beautiful fountain in its centre, the plaza is surrounded by important buildings - the Cathedral of Lima, the Presidential Palace, the Archbishop's Palace and City Hall.  What is most interesting about this site is the variety of architecture.  Each side of the square seems to have been influenced by a different period.

Cathedral of Lima

Our most fascinating stop was at the Monastery of San Francisco - a structure designed in the high Spanish Baroque style, completed in 1774.  The monastery is devoted to the founder of the Dominican order, St. Francis of Assisi, with some 60 monks continuing to live on the premises.  In the public areas ('cause that's all I could see), one can view paintings by both local and European painters of the Mannerist style depicting the life of St. Francis.  Surrounding the courtyard are walls of hand painted tiles where azure blue and sunshine yellow dominate.  The monastery's most significant offering is the Museo de Catacombs.  Below the church itself are preserved catacombs, still housing femurs and skulls of centuries of believers.  Disturbingly, this is also where secret tunnels lead to what was a Tribunal of the Inquisition.  Unfortunately, no photographs are allowed so I am unable to provide evidence of my visit.

this is the entrance to the church itself

Lima is a fascinating city with numerous influences both from other places in South America as well as the rest of the world.  The people are most welcoming and they are eager to expose you to the delights of their metropolis - they are very proud of what Lima has to offer.  If you ever get the chance to travel here, take it!

Zaza Bistro Tropical, Rio de Janeiro

This place is eclectic and funky, just the venue to be in the Ipanema district.  It sits on a corner with cushioned benches outside the gate at street level.  Up the steps are wonderful seats on the wrap around porch for waiting or enjoying a drink with friends.  There are wonderful coloured twinkle lights hanging from the house's white trim and its azure blue facade is most inviting.  

Once inside, you can enjoy your meal at the charming bistro tables downstairs or you can sit on the cushions on the floor at the tables upstairs.  No matter where you choose, the walls are decorated with painted phrases of writers and philosophers and shadow boxes of every shape and size, containing items from all the world's religions.

This diversity is clearly reflected in the myriad of ingredients and cuisine styles.  I started with whitefish ceviche with fruit and cilantro, using wafer-thin potato crisps as a spoon.  I really appreciate ceviche, the fish (or scallop) is so tender and the flavours - lime, for instance - blend so well.  The flavours chosen are also the ingredients used to cure the fish or scallop.  Heery had Zaza's take on the Caprese salad.  This time, a whole tomato was hollowed out and filled with black olive tapenade.  How I love olives!

The mains were equally interesting.  I had flambeed shrimp with risotto al limone (lemon) - it was deliciously rich.  Heery had a special whitefish with a puree of bananas and...fresh (I'll say it again, fresh) hearts of palm.  This is a Brazilian wonder - no pulling mushy stalks out of the can.  Brazil is its home turf.  It was unbelievable!

We finished with a fabulous dessert.  A petit gateau filled with caramel and green tea ice cream on the side.  Since caramel and ice cream are two of my dear husband's favourite sweets, this was the perfect choice.

This meal was a terrific way to begin our trip as it was a lovely two block walk from our hotel on our very first night in Rio.

courtesy of www.restauranting.com.br