Mala Ocean Tavern   Mark Ellman, one of the original Hawaii Regional Cuisine gang, made his culinary mark in 1988 with his late, great Avalon restaurant in Lahaina. He sold it to work on his money-making Maui Tacos. Then in 2004, he and his wife Judy returned to higher-minded food with Mala. In a former cannery on Mala Wharf, the deck hangs over the water (al fresco tables at sunset are hard to get). The focus is on smaller plates and tapas-style eating, although there are also heartier entrees (a whole moi, hoisin-glazed baby back ribs). The menu is Hawaii-meets-the-Med (and beyond) with Persian-inspired chicken wings in a sweet-spicy sauce made with pomegranate molasses, and Arabic-flavored meatballs on triangles of pita dolloped with yogurt. A must order: the fresh catch with a green mojo sauce fragrant with cilantro. It's a bustling spot, with Maui locals crowding the bar, where they sip mojitos and grind the Rolls Royce Kobe beef burger topped with bacon and caramelized onions.   1307 Front St., Lahaina. 808-667-9394. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays. Reservations recommended. AX, DC, DS, JCB, MC, VS. No checks. Lunch: $$. Dinner: $$-$$$.  Web site: www.malaoceantavern.com