Restaurants don’t typically last for more than 30 years without doing things well. China Boat Restaurant has served up its flavorful Chinese favorites since 1987. Today, locals on the westside of Maui recommend this place for its tasty dishes and extensive menu.
As a family-owned restaurant, you get the type of service and food preparation you would expect from such an establishment. You’ll enjoy freshly made dishes that satisfy the palate and stomach.
To further emphasize the family orientation of the restaurant, the food typically comes served family-style when you dine in. This form of service means that the entrees come on separate plates that those at the table split and spoon individual portions of several dishes onto their plates. With the family-style dining, rice with every entrée would be redundant for those ordering multiple dishes. Therefore, you order a side of rice for each person.
When dining at the restaurant, you can enjoy the option for indoor or outdoor dining. Complimentary fried won tons with dipping sauce give you something to nosh on while waiting for your meal.
This unpretentious restaurant in Lahaina serves consistently good classic dishes, such as sweet and sour chicken, won ton soup, and fried rice. It also has sinus-clearing spicy dishes for those who like extra heat with their meals. You’ll see these spicy items clearly labeled on the menu with chile pepper. The hardest part is narrowing down your options. Luckily, by ordering family style, you can choose multiple entrees to share and taste a little of several dishes.
Favorite dishes of past customers to China Boat that you should try include the following:
Mapo Hot Szechwan Tofu
Mapo Tofu is a spicy dish that has both numbing and heat spices. It comes in a bright red sauce. Since China Boat has Mapo Tofu on the vegetarian menu, make sure to add meat if you would like pork with it. Otherwise, it will be a vegetarian dish. Regardless of whether you order this dish with meat, you will still have a tasty, extra-spicy treat that works well for anyone who enjoys spicy foods and tofu.
Candied Walnut Shrimp
Not everyone likes spicy foods, and those who want a little sweetness to balance out the savory should try the Candied Walnut Shrimp. Plump shrimp have a crispy coating that comes with a sweet, candied walnut sauce. Diners who have sampled this dish have raved about it becoming their favorite of the restaurant.
Sauteed String Beans
Don’t forget to order vegetables for your meal at China Boat. You won’t be disappointed with the Sauteed String Beans. These green beans come cooked in a flavorful sauce with juicy, crisp water chestnuts. The taste of these beans just might convert vegetable haters to try some.
Sweet and Sour Chicken
There is nothing outstandingly different about the Sweet and Sour Chicken at China Boat, except its execution. It has a good balance of pineapple in the sauce. Plus, the chicken has the perfect balance of batter to meat. Like most other dishes at China Boat, though fried, the chicken does not taste greasy or heavy.
China Boat has satisfying dishes for everyone, even with a listing of multiple vegetarian options. Fulfill your craving for comforting Chinese food when you visit China Boat in Lahaina.
Insider Tips:
-Drive to the back of the building to find a large parking area with designated parking for the restaurant.
-Entrees do not include rice. Order white or brown rice as a side to your entree if you want something to soak up the flavorful sauces. Fried rice only comes in entree sizes.
-When ordering to-go, get several entrees and share, family-style with individual portions of rice for each person. This gives you the chance to try more dishes on the menu.