The Mill House at Maui Tropical Plantation
With its décor of rusty old turbines, equipment parts from a closed sugar mill, and an actual steam locomotive like the ones that used to haul sugarcane, The Mill House is an artful reminder of Maui’s agricultural past. Tropical water features, eye-catching sculptures, and a serpentine array of white dinner plates above the bar are a visual feast. This restaurant holds a special place in our hearts for two reasons. The first is that our daughter Kali and her husband, Kazuya, held their wedding reception here in 2016. The second is the well-curated menu Chef Jeff Scheer and his culinary team create. Our private gazebo sits apart from the restaurant, overlooking the pond and the mountain slopes beyond. Our knowledgeable server, Jaimee Petroff, is dedicated to our every whim, and paces our courses. The first appears on a wooden board bearing a sampler of appetizers: kanpachi tartare, tender chickpea cakes, and hoisin oxtail rillettes. Next: tapas-sized portions of ceviche in a citrus vinaigrette with a hint of jalapeño; a spunky, vinegary beet salad juxtaposed with triple-cream Cambozola; and kalbi steak with green papaya slaw and crunchy Waikapū macadamia nuts. Every bite reflects Scheer’s culinary prowess. Vegetarian potato gnocchi tossed in Calabrian butter marries well with kiawe-wood-fired chicken with roasted turnips and sweet baby carrots, and pan-seared kanpachi. Somehow, we find room for buttermilk panna cotta and chocolate pie with raspberry ganache. Sitting in this quiet space, listening to the water falling, we linger, reveling in our life on Maui. 1670 Honoapi‘ilani Hwy., Waikapū, 270-0333
