Maui’s Sam Sato’s

Whenever I go to Maui I always try and make it to Sam Sato’s for lunch. If you never been there you’ll be amazed at the amount of people who are waiting in line to be seated at this hole-in-the-wall eatery. Oh yeah, as far as I know they don’t take reservations. The wait is usually 30-45 minutes but its all part of the experience. If you are from Maui, you will almost always run into someone you know there. If you are from one of the other islands, there is a good chance you will run into your cousin’s aunty’s sister’s brother-in-law or something li’dat, and end up talking story in the parking lot.

As for the food, it’s not gourmet food, its comfort food, the kind your mom or grandmother used to cook. They're known for their dry noodles or what I call dry mein, which comes with a light, saimin type broth on the side. They serve plate lunches too; my Dad likes the spare ribs. A lot of people like their azuki and lima bean manju, but if you are going there for lunch, you should try the dry noodles.

During this last visit to Sam Sato’s I got the dry noodles, a hamburger, and a side of french fries to share. The hamburger is a homemade patty, not the pre-packaged stuff, although a little smaller in size. The french fries are your basic cafeteria style fries, but we eat it Maui style – with mayo, mustard, and ketchup. Yeah you might think that’s weird or crazy, but don’t knock it till you try it!

Like I said this place is all about the experience and the comfort food. The place is crowded and cozy, but once I started eating my dry noodles I just forgot about everything. I was reminded of those days when I used to go to my grandmother’s house after elementary school and she would cook up something for me to eat as I was watching Sesame Street.

Yes that’s the feeling and flavor you get from Sam Sato’s. Running in to people you haven’t seen in awhile and memories of a simpler time and simple food for the soul…

Check out Sam Sato’s the next time you are on Maui:

1750 Willi Pa Loop in Wailuku