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Mala Ocean Tavern Review

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Mala Ocean Tavern

Fodor's Review:

On the water's edge, above the tide-tossed rocks, stands this cheery yellow-walled, open-air restaurant owned by noted Hawaii Regional Cuisine chef Mark Ellman and his wife, Judy. The menu, composed of mostly organic and locally sourced ingredients, includes flavorful flat breads and a Kobe burger with Maytag blue cheese. Don't miss the calamari, battered and fried with lemon slices and served with a spicy mojo verde(jalapeño cilantro pesto). This is a good place to try moi, the fish of Hawaiian royalty, wok-fried with ginger and spicy black-bean sauce. Fans of the Caramel Miranda dessert at Avalon (Ellman's former restaurant) can find it here. In the evening, the bar is a coveted hangout, and weekend brunch is lively. In addition, a much bigger Mala Ocean Tavern opened in Wailea in mid-2008 as a co-venture between Ellman and a number of celeb partners, including Clint Eastwood and Alice Cooper.

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