It was a very successful event – this Maui Ag Fest 2011.  It was held last Saturday, April 2 at the Maui Tropical Planation in Waikapu. The event was from 9Am to 4PM.   Because it was a Saturday, I did some chores in the house first before I went to the event. I arrived there  around 11AM in time for the #MauiTweetup that @DaniaEdibleHI of  the Edible Hawaiian Islands Magazine organized.

Holly molly! – the parking lot was so full by the time i got there. There were hundreds of cars parked on the lawn already and there were a lot more coming! The place was packed! I was there to help cover the event on twitter, so I was sort of a volunteer.

Speaking of volunteers, I think one of the many factors which made this event successful were the dedication and hardwork of these volunteers.  @SlowFoodMaui did a great job liveblogging the event, so make sure you check out their blog. Roxanne of Kula Fields , @Peterliu47 and @JulieYakaCoco all did a wonderful job blogging. Private Chef @JanaMcMahon worked hard in the registration area:

Moving forward, one of the main events on this grand event is Grand Taste Education. There were about 14 chefs who used their talents in preparing dishes from the local produce. There were varied creations, all delightful to the palates.  On top of the delight in taste, our ears were delighted as well with the smooth sweet music of Joel Katz played at the eating area.

There were so many things to do and see at the festival.  Maui Thing hosted the Keiki Zone where they did a lot of kids activities including arts and crafts.  There were Wellness Presentations where Chef Teton and Down To Earth shared their knowledge and guidance on healthy eating.  The Bake For Japan  raised $3,000 for Japan.

At the center stage, live music were going on as well as hula, and then there was the huge tent for the Farmers Market.  The produce and products at the farmers market were all so fresh, and inexpensive too!  The famous AKL Lavender Farm was represented and their products were available there too. And not to forget is the huge tent designated for Education and Information.  There I saw our friend Marilyn promoting their new business called “Maui Country Farm Tours“.

If you missed going Maui County Ag Festival this year, I’d say plan on going next year.  Every year it gets better!  Below is the video of the photos I took from there.  Enjoy!

We had a date night.  It was not just an ordinary date night. It was a fabulous dinner date at the one of the most elegant restaurants on Maui: at Nick’s Fishmarket in Wailea.  I wish every couple would have a date there at least once, and more if we can afford it.  Let me share some highlights from that evening …

Our reservation was at 6:30PM.   Since we told them that this is going to be a date night, we were seated in a very nice table in the patio, overlooking the pool area, overlooking the ocean.  It was nice to be able to watch the famous Maui sunset from where we were.  Afterall, this is supposed to be a date – we were supposed to relax and enjoy the moment … and we did.  The view from where we were was gorgeous:

One of the reviews I read before we came to Nick’s is that the “service” is over the top and a bit too much.  We did not feel that at all.  We actually enjoyed their gracious service.  The operations director, Don, stopped by our table and we “talked story” for a little bit. We found out that Don started in Honolulu at Tri Star Restaurant Group in 1993 as a bus boy’s assistant. He eventually worked his way up to a captain and in 1998 re-located to Maui to open Nick’s Fishmarket Maui and was an assistant manager on the opening crew. Don became Maui’s Director of Operations in 2004, and still is now. That tells a lot about Don’s character on how loyal he is, but it also tells a lot about Nick’s.  For an employee to stay that long with the employers, they must be treating them right. That’s a good sign.

Anyway, you might already be thinking … “talk about food already … how was it?”.  The food were delicious!  For appetizer, hubby ordered the Ahi pounder and he said it was excellent.  Instead of an appetizer, I went ahead and tried the famous “Greek Maui Wowie” salad, and it was indeed a wowie! Here’s a pic. And it’s better in real life:

For the main course, hubby ordered another Ahi Dish and I ordered the Opakapaka special.  Since I am not a food critic, I won’t go much into details of these cuisine – but I am telling you – they were both  so ono. The fish were cooked just right and the side dish of vegetables and rice go along with it.  Classic cuisine with an island flair is how one magazine described it – and I agree.

By the time we finish the entrée, I was already so full. Therefore instead of us ordering a dessert each, we decided to share.  We ordered the cheese cake. It was sweetly yummy. But now I am thinking, I should have ordered their flamming stawberries because that’s something they are famous for. Maybe next time …

Last sharing (but not the least), you know those good old days when a photographer would come to you during an event and ask if you would like to have your pictures taken for a “souvenir” ?  Well, they still have them.  At first when the lady asked me if we would want a photo of us, I was hesitant.  But it’s a date, so we thought we might as well do this too.  And I am glad we did, because the photo came out nice:

I highly recommend Nick’s Fishmarket for fine dining on Maui.  Wether you are coming to Maui for a visit, or you are a resident here, it’s a great place to go to for an enchanting evening  filled with flavorful food, excellent wine, spectacular ambience and wonderful company