Maui Culinary Academy

This review is for the Pa’ina Café which is on the campus of the University of Hawaii Maui College and is part of the Maui Culinary Academy program. You don’t have to be a student to eat here.
ATMOSPHERE:
This is the cafeteria of the school so don’t expect any restaurant cues. The main cafeteria is on the first floor. It’s bright and airy with communal tables of all sizes, with big windows for great outdoor views. The kitchen is divided into stations boasting specific names and cuisines. You order direct and pay for everything at the cashier line. Utensils, napkins, and condiments are last. I’ve been here a few times and it’s never overly crowded.
STATIONS (SEASONAL:)
Farm To Table — Sandwiches.
World Plate — Entrees.
Paniolo Grill — Entrees.
Raw Fish Camp — Sushi. Name comes from an old section of town on Maui.
Campus Café — Burgers & quesadillas.
Patisserie — Cookies & scones.
Ramen X — Ramen! Yes!
FOOD:
French Dip — O M G. This has to be THE best sandwich I have ever eaten! The meat was super soft and loaded with flavor. The cheese and horseradish (yuck, I’m so not a fan but could handle it in this sandwich) was gooey goodness. The bread which could’ve been toasted a bit more was fresh & soft. And the au jus — wow, this was super salty deliciousness! Came with a side of either pasta salad, which I had and tasted okay, or a green salad. Got some sour cream & onion chips which went perfect with it.
Cheeseburger — Pretty good taste. They use Big Island cattle for the hamburger. Came with crinkle cut fries in a light seasoned salt.
Penne Alfredo — Penne pasta, grilled chicken, and bits of zucchini, asparagus, onions, and mushrooms in an alfredo sauce. The flavor was a bit mild but still enjoyable.
House Special Ramen — The broth had a nice shoyu based flavor and not overly salty. The noodles were fresh and cooked perfect. Toppings included bean sprouts, char siu, a poached egg, bacon (odd,) a big square of nori seaweed, fishcake, spinach, green onions and bamboo shoots. Pretty good portion size for $ 9.50.
Edo Ya Special — Available in shoyu, shio, or tonkotsu broths. I chose the latter because no one that I know of makes this on Maui. The broth is smooth and creamy, the noodles are homemade and soft. It was drizzled with a chili oil for added flavor and topped with a soft boiled egg, spinach, bamboo, char siu, green onions, and nori. The char siu was the only disappointment of the dish as it had zero flavor and was too lean and tough with no fat — better for your health but not great as a topping. The portion was just right.
SERVICE:
The majority of the staff working in the kitchen are students. Some very eager, some timid but generally good service.
OVERALL:
Great food, great prices and good sized portions = a definite return!
TIP:
Hours are Monday — Friday 11am to 2pm, but a word of caution, sometimes one or more of the food stations may be closed due to unforeseen events schedules, class time, presentations, or even a lack of enrollment. Check online as it’s currently updated.