Newlywed Sarah Pecson of Lahaina picks up a small steamer pot for two packed with clams, crab, lobster, shrimp, corn, French baguette and aromatic broth. The Maui News / CARLA TRACY photo
For almost 40 years now, Cary and Karin Button have owned Oyster Seafood, a top wholesale distributor to hotels and restaurants on island.
Their Maui Prime Fine Foods retail store that is adjacent to Oyster Seafood at Emerald Plaza in Lahaina boasts the freshest seafood around — as chefs often attest. Gourmet food lovers, too.
“We love the steamer pots,” says newlywed Sarah Pecson of Lahaina. “It’s our go-to for special occasions. Tonight, it’s my husband Alfred’s birthday, and so I got the small pot for two. When we have family in town, we get the bigger pots for everyone.”
These steamer pots range in price from the small pot for $99 that feeds two people to $129 and $149 for the prime or Cajun pots that feed four to six. You can go all the way up to the game day and holiday pots for $149 or $169 that feed six to eight hungry diners.
The best part is, you get to keep the pot. So you may take it to the beach and have a seafood feast oceanfront over a kiawe grill or use it in your kitchen.
“We give you the pot filled with white wine, garlic, butter, seasonings, corn, seafood and broth,” says employee Jason Mahon. “All that you need to do is provide the fire and steam it on your grill or stove for half hour or 45 minutes. We also provide a French baguette to dip into the white-wine garlic broth. The Maui Steamer Pots are like a Maui-style clam bake, and we get such amazing response from everybody. You may order them with any of the live products that come from our lobster and crab tank.”
“We have tons of oysters, live lobsters and live crabs,” adds Cary. “Whatever anybody wants.”
As for cheeses, Maui Prime has a savvy cheesemonger in the form of Diane Stanislaw, the wife of acclaimed Maui chef Alex Stanislaw of the Sea House in Napili Kai Beach Resort in Napili.
“We try and bring in a variety of cheeses from all over the U.S. and the world,” says Diane. “We are completely happy to give you a taste and offer suggestions on cheese platter selections. And we wrap small packages of cheese and sell them for a dollar each.”
Maui Prime also likes to support local vendors, such as Rebecca Woodburn-Rist and her Haleakala Creamery goat milk caramel sauce.
For the holidays, Maui Prime is the place to go for game meats and a number of gourmet turkey options.
“For Thanksgiving, we will have local Maui axis deer venison racks and we will have fresh, free-range turkeys for pre-ordering,” says Jason.
Home cooks will find bone-in prime rib roasts, New York steaks and rib eyes.
“We’re carrying Maui Cattle Co. steaks and ground beef again and are happy to have those guys back,” says Jason about the local meats.
While in store, you may shop for fine wines, olive oils, crackers and other culinary items.
• Maui Prime fast facts: Located in Emerald Plaza at 142 Kupuoni St., Suite F7 in Lahaina. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. For further details, call 661-4912 or visit www.mauiprimefinefoods.com.
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