Although Bistro Casanova is off the beaten path and may be tricky to find, once you do, you might be in for a dining treat!
Tucked inside the Kahului Building on Lono Avenue is Bistro Casanova. The intimate setting is reminiscent of fine cafes in Europe, complete with white linens, small tables with candles, and a maitre d’ who dotes over patrons. Additionally, the interior consists of separate rooms, which gives the impression one is dining in someone’s home and not a restaurant.
Such ambiance makes Bistro Casanova perfect for business lunches, romantic dinners, and special occasions. Their menu consists of Italian and Mediterranian cuisine available for lunch, happy hour, tapas (small plates), and dinner. RBistro Casanova suggests making a reservation, but walk-ups are welcomed.
Let’s open their menu and look at some of the signature dishes and entrees.
The lunch menu has a wide selection to satisfy anyone’s palate. Here are some standouts:
Kaesar Salad
This salad has organic kale, shredded Brussels sprouts, roasted pine nuts, shaved pecorino cheese, and caesar dressing.
Brodetta di Mare
Clams and mussels are simmered in white wine and garlic and bruschetta bread.
Angel Hair
Angel hair pasta is tossed with spinach, pine nuts, garlic, tomatoes, and parmesan shavings. Add shrimp sauteed in white wine, garlic, and capers for an additional cost.
Hamburger
If you’re not craving Italian or Mediterranean food, this burger should do the trick. They use Maui-grown beef and cook it to perfection. The burger comes on a brioche bun and has cheddar cheese and all the fixings. For a side item, you get your choice of fries, Ceasar salad, or greens.
Tapas and 10″ round flatbreads called “Pizzette” are available for dinner, and all come with complimentary bread basked with herb butter. Pizzettes are discounted during happy hour. Here are some amazing tapas:
Seared Scallops
These sweet delicacies from the bay are served with roasted red peppers, garlic, and almond “Romesco” sauce.
Blackened New York Steak
The steak comes with a creamy, smoky parmesan cheese sauce and Numazu.
These Pizzettes are worth checking out:
- Spinach, mushrooms, sausages, and shredded parmesan.
- Homemade beef ragout, Italian meatballs, and mozzarella.
- Smoked salmon, mascarpone cheese, capers, and onions.
Like the lunch menu, the dinner menu has a large selection of food to consider for your meal. Because there are so many, we’re only listing several signatures dishes.
Paella
Folks drive from miles away to savor this Spanish dish. Their paella serves two people, and consists of saffron rice tossed with mussels, clams, calamari, shrimp, scallops, sausage, and chicken.
Linguine Pescatore
A seafood-rich dish with black linguine, shrimp, scallops, mussels, and clams. A zesty garlic tomato sauce combines all the flavors for a mouth-watering delight.
Tiramisu
This Italian dessert is a favorite with diners. The tiramisu has layers of espresso-soaked ladyfingers, brandy-laced mascarpone, and cocoa.
Since we only had time to look at a few menu items, we suggest going online to view their vast selections. It’s impressive! Bistro Casanova is reasonably priced and continues to receive glowing reviews, which is why we believe it’s well worth a visit.
Insider Tip:
– Bistro Casanova is across the street from the Maui Seaside Hotel. There isn’t signage for Bistro Casanova, but it’s on the street’s lower level. The parking lot is before the restaurant; there isn’t parking in front of Bistro Casanova.
– Service (and food quality) can sometimes be hit or miss.