Advertisements for a newly opened Italian restaurant on Maui’s west side promising to be the next best thing to a trip to Italy were not exactly convincing. The name, Basil Tomato’s, seemed a bit cliche and the logo, the big plump cartoonish looking tomato, looked to me like a tourist trap in the making. However, advice from a local convinced us to resist judging the restaurant by its logo.
After watching the astounding sunset from the beach in Kaanapali, we took the little side road that leads to Basil Tomato’s, only a few minutes removed from the beach. Although still a bit apprehensive we were delighted to find a calm, cozy, subtly lit restaurant that promised a romantic setting at the very least.
We were seated immediately in an overstuffed booth in the veranda dining room. Candlelight glowed in conjunction with the torches outside and the cool breezes from the ocean drifted in through the open plantation shutters with just enough force to cause flickers in the light.
Within moments, just long enough to adjust our eyes to the scene, our waiter, friendly and attentive, presented menu and an adequate wine list. Since my husband wanted red and I preferred white, we were happy to find half bottles offered of both in decent vintages. We started with a carpaccio of thinly sliced beef which arrived perfectly arranged in five little mounds amid toasted bruschetta, rugula and capers drizzled with oil and bits of garlic. Next we shared the crisp and generous house salad which made good use of the local kula tomatoes, cucumbers and maui onions.
The nightly fish special, opakapaka, and its specialty preparation had been described thoroughly, but we were here for Italian food for a change of pace from Maui’s standard fish and sushi. My husband ordered the mixed grill (small fillet, pork chop and Italian sausage) to get a sense of the chef’s overall talents while I chose the veal chop served with a side of pasta. The veal chop was tender and expertly grilled, but it was the penne and meat sauce that really convinced me this place was worth another visit. It’s rare that I find restaurant pasta sauce that is up to my homemade standards!
There are a few other reasons I know we’ll return to Basil Tomato when the hankering for Italian food strikes. For one thing, the prices are quite reasonable by Maui standards with appetizers in the $7-$11 range and entrees mostly well under $25. Add to that the front door parking, easy going breezy ambiance and attentive but unobtrusive service and a return visit is nearly assured.
That, and the fact that I overheard the waiter tell the customers at the next booth that bananas foster (my favorite!) was one of Basil’s specialty desserts. Since I heard this only after we’d paid our bill, I shall just have to come back again to try it, cartoon tomato or not.