Today is Thanksgiving - and you may still be hunting down a last-minute dish to bring to your holiday function this afternoon or evening.
If you are running around in Central Maui, Mike's Hong Kong Bistro is a convenient one-stop shop for buying a tray of noodles or a tasty side dish while you take a break and have lunch.
Located on Central Avenue in Wailuku, Mike's offers a cool, air-conditioned dining room with booths and tables. It's as clean as a whistle, and the owners pride themselves in their authentic cuisine.
Article Photos
Mike Xiao is the expert chef-owner of Mike’s Hong Kong Bistro on Central Avenue in Wailuku, where you may enjoy a la carte specialties or authentic hot food from the buffet.
The Maui News / CARLA TRACY photo
The best part is, Mike's is open all the way from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily with hot buffet items, a la carte Chinese fare such as oyster-sauce chicken with cake noodles and local favorites such as hamburger steak.
While most of the dishes are Chinese, Chef-owner Mike Xiao just debuted a new ramen line in which the rich broth is decidedly Japanese.
Look around, and you will see every customer who orders one of the new ramens pick up the big bowl in both hands, and drink the broth. It's definitely a testament to the broth's soul-satisfying nature.
Basically, the soup is made in house from scratch, and Mike uses pork meat and bones and boils down the stock for hours to get the rich taste. He also uses a lot of spices in the various ramen styles.
Choose from the gomoku ramen with five hearty toppings or the char-siu ramen with plenty of pork. Or opt for the lighter chicken-veggie or miso ramens. Slurp the noodles and add a little hot mustard and/or chile paste if like your soup spicy.
"The noodles Mike's serves are al dente, just perfectly cooked," says regular customer Sandra Ban-Martin.
"Other places serve ramen with noodles that are so soggy. I'm a cook and so I like to dine at places that embody and respect good culinary practices."
Indeed, you will find the new mochiko chicken, which was just added to the menu, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
"It's got just a thin dusting of the batter," continues Ban-Martin. "It's crispy yet moist, and I think it's a great side dish to take to a party. But call ahead to place large take-out orders."
Mike's wife, Tina Xiao, who runs the front of the house, says, "We have a lot on our catering menu. Mandarin pork is so famous in China and people here are starting to rave about our version, too. The crispy gau-gee mein is also really a popular dish."
Remember, Mike's is a good spot to order takeout and catering through the holidays. Order medium pans that serve 15 to 20 people, or large pans that serve anywhere from 30 to 40 people. The most popular poultry dishes are sesame chicken and orange chicken.
Other top-selling catering items include deep-fried shrimp or mahimahi; roast pork and char siu combo, and roast duck, available in half or while birds.
For more details or to place orders, call 244-7888.
