Never would have thought our first meal in Maui would be at an Asian restaurant.
Was a bit iffy at first, but so glad we decided to go for it as it wasn’t the normal Asian cuisine you would find at any restaurant in Hong Kong.
Star Noodle is a hidden gem located off the beaten path, in the middle of a light industrial area in Lahaina that serves Asian inspired, fresh in-house made noodles. The chef, Sheldon Simon, gained notoriety there and was a contestant on Top Chef, Seattle!
Their menu offered a wide range of share plates, which was perfect for our family of 6. Prices were reasonable, service was great, and the portion size was impressive!
Obviously ordering noodles here is a must, and since Hawaii is famous for SPAM, we ordered a large portion of the Fried Saimin. I thought the pan-fried ramen-style wheat noodles with kamaboko, spam, egg, bean sprouts, and scallions was a little too dry and bland. But I really liked the combination, and the noodle tasted great!
Mom loves tempura, so we couldn’t leave the place without ordering a plate for her. Despite being a share plate, this dish only came with two pieces of tempura. They were, however, shrimps on steroids and it tasted marvellous! It was deep fried to perfection and drizzled with Faux’nagi Sauce (ehrm.. not sure what that is) and garlic aioli Yums!!
The Duroc pressed pork served with Hoisin sauce, shiitake, and cucumber inside a steamed pork bun was a pleasant surprise. The buns were light and fresh and not too doughy. The pork however, was slightly overcooked. But I liked the dish and it kinda reminded me of the Peking duck wraps!
The Vietnamese crepe with shrimp, pork, and bean sprouts inside is a must-order item on the menu! The crepe was nice and crunchy and goes perfectly with the sweet/sour Nuoc Cham sauce! You gotta use your hands on this one so it can get very messy to eat!
Last but not least… Hawaiian Beer!!!
Cuisine: Asian/Fusion
Price range: $20 – 30 USD/person
Recommendations: Vietnamese Crepe
Location: 286 Kupuohi St, Lahaina, HI 96761, United States
Website: www.starnoodle.com/
Itch-to-eat (out of 5):
that-itch.com 