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Maui Film Festival
The Maui Film Festival has something for your taste buds, too

by Ynez Tongson

June 18, 2009

I love eating at the movies. The smell of freshly popped popcorn coming out of my purse just brings back fond memories. Sometimes I’ll smuggle whole meals in. Forget waiting in long lines at the concession stand, I’ve got my own little buffet in my bag. (I’m lucky that none of the ushers in Maui’s reputable theaters have called me on the steam pouring out of my purse at every matinee movie I’ve attended.)  

But the Maui Film Festival is one place I won’t be packing my own grinds. There’s literally something for everyone. Of course, a festival with its own official beer (Stella Artois), official water (Hawaiian Springs) and official vodka (Ocean Vodka) is bound to be a classy and gastronomically pleasing event. 

This weekend, send your diet on a vacation while you send your taste buds to Nirvana.  

The event I’m completely salivating over is Taste of Chocolate, which will be co-hosted by the Four Seasons. As a dedicated choco-phile who can be pushed over the edge by a Hershey’s kiss, this is a dream come true. I can’t think of a better way to spend a Friday evening than feasting on chocolate Grand Marnier soufflé and savoring every bite of chocolate strawberry ganache. 

Not only that, but there will be chocolate milkshakes made with real homemade chocolate ice cream. 

I’m also really looking forward to gorging on the white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake. If the evening goes as planned, I’m hoping to connect myself to the chocolate fountain with an I.V. 

Taste of Chocolate explores the whole spectrum, from silky sweet candy to pleasantly bitter, dark aphrodisiac.  

If you’re not the type who can make a meal out of dessert, check out Taste of Wailea.  Heck, if you’ve got functioning taste buds, you should check out Taste of Wailea. It’s a compilation of the most talented culinary artists (not mere chefs, but truly artists) from Wailea’s finest resorts and restaurants. 

Some of these food wizards will be taking old island favorites and giving them expectation-defying makeovers. For example, Chef Belmonte (Ko’s) will be offering Filipino lumpia (spring roll) with chicken and Hamakua mushroom. 

You’ll never look at ahi poke the same after you’ve tried Chef Arisumi’s (Mulligan’s on the Blue) fried ahi poke with sweet chili wasabi aioli, or Chef Lewark’s (Spago) spicy ahi tuna poke in sesame-miso cones, garnished with chili aioli, pickled ginger, kaiware sprouts and tobikio.  

Others will take local produce and transform it into pleasure-inducing cuisine. Chef Etheredge (Capische? and IL Teatro) expertly pairs a Maui onion gremolata with braised lamb sliders, while Chef Waite (Mala Wailea) serves miso opaka with Molokai sweet potato and curry chive butter.  

While you’re enjoying the chow, you’ll be listening to the aurally pleasing sounds of Acoustic Soul while soaking up a beautiful Maui sunset. That is, if you can tear your eyes away from the food. 

Taste of Wailea is dinner and a movie at its finest. The ticket price not only includes the food, but also Saturday night’s Celestial Cinema triple feature.  

Tickets for all these events will be sold at the door, if available. But there definitely won’t be any leftovers. MTW