Wednesday 19th July
After a big day yesterday time to chill out, we rise late, it’s Matthews last day on Maui, and he wants to do some last minute shopping at the outlet mall in Lahaina. After breakfast we take that now well worn road to browse these shops again, Matt is successful in finding some more extreme bargains but you can only fit so much in your luggage, can’t you.
Back at the hotel, Amanda’s brother Jimmy, wife Susan and daughter have moved in, the first of the clan to gather at our place for drinks this afternoon.
As the afternoon wears on, Amanda’s sister Sandi arrives then Kate and husband Jim arrive and then brother Gary with new partner Tracey. This is such a memorable occasion with Amanda being able to spend so much time with her siblings.
At the end of the afternoon we go our seperate ways for awhile to reconvene at Fleetwood’s restaurant for dinner tonight.
We had such a good night at Fleetwood’s with Matt on his birthday and on our previous visit last year that we had no problems in recommending the venue for dinner tonight. Of course Fleetwood’s has a good reputation as the hip place to dine in Lahaina as well. Not tonight though, they are way off song and out of tune. Usually there is live music but this is cancelled as the band calls in sick. Not really an issue as we had asked for the quietest table in the room so that we could all at least talk to each other. In fact the second floor was extremely quiet with most patrons heading upstairs to the rooftop where we ate with Matt. We had tried to book the rooftop but due to the size of our party were declined. In addition to our group of three, Amanda’s sibs and partners, Sandi’s son and wedding photographer Kaua with very pregnant wife Tania and son Cayman came along with also Susan’s and Jimmy’s Gabrielle.
All started well with drinks ordered and served quickly, then menus discussed and meals ordered. Some of the party ordered simple salads that came out in a reasonably timely fashion, but then a big wait for main courses (entrees). After several prompts the meals were served close to 10.00pm. Those who ordered meat dishes found them tepid, vegetables accompanying the dishes also tepid apart from the fingerling potatoes that were obviously added last to plates left cooling on a bench somewhere. The worst of the dishes was the most expensive the beef Wellington served with lobster and shrimp was inedible due to the time the dish was left out. Leaving Jimmy and Susan very disappointed. Meanwhile we had consumed more than a little wine, I order a bottle of merlot to accompany the meal and it is served chilled. I send it back, they search for another bottle but it seems they have no wine other than house wine from the bar that is not chilled, weird to say the least.
Amanda’s brother registers a complaint to the server and we are attended by we presume a person of responsibility, he listens to the complaint and scurries away not returning with a explanation just instructing the staff to discount our bill.
All in all a very disappointing experience to end the day, certainly way below the standards we have come expect of Lahaina restaurants of which there are many and varied.
We depart later than we wanted to, to go our own seperate ways back to our hotels, some saying good bye for this trip and some for now. Amanda Matt & I return through the night to our hotel and our beds, early rise tomorrow to take Matt to the airport for his flight back to Adelaide.
