Hawai‘i is starting the season off hot with new dining experiences sure to leave you in high spirits.
Herb crusted ahi and the Pua Loma served at Pacific’o on the Beach. PHOTO BY SPENCER STARNES
When stopping at Pacific’o on the Beach this summer, meet the four women making their mark in the food and beverage scene. At the stunning oceanfront destination in Maui’s landmark, Lahaina, farm-to-table dining is helmed by co-owner and culinary visionary Qiana Di Bari. For those planning a special seaside celebration, assistant event and restaurant manager Laura Webster curates outside-the-box ideas based on the client’s needs. Now serving as executive sous-chef, McKenna Shea fills plates with unbeatable tastes. “If I could pick one dessert to eat all summer long, I would choose the Tropical Pavlova—a fruity meringue with local Lahaina mango coolis,” she says. And bar manager Mari Howe creates the restaurant’s innovative cocktail program, also using fresh local ingredients from Pacific’o’s O’o Farm. “Our Pua Loma cocktail is bright, refreshing, and perfect for summer,” she says. Enjoy the recipe! pacificomaui.com
PHOTO BY SPENCER STARNES
Enjoy the classic Paloma cocktail with a Hawaiian twist!
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. Blanco Tequila
.75 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
.75 oz. Tropical Macnut Syrup*
.5 oz. Giffard Pamplemousse Rosè Liqueur
Splash of Club Soda
Step 1: Combine all the ingredients except club soda.
Step 2: Shake and strain over fresh ice in a tall Collins Glass. (I like to add the soda before pouring it into the glass so it gets mixed in.)
Step 3: Garnish it with a fresh slice of ruby red grapefruit and a Pua (flower). We use edible Nasturtium flowers from O’o Farm.
*The Tropical Macnut syrup is equal parts Macadamia Nut Orgeat, Liliko’i (passion fruit) and Pineapple syrup.
Ewa Beach’s Kitchen Door Napa opened this summer with a Blessing Ceremony to celebrate its inaugural restaurant at the Wai Kai development of Hoakalei Resort. “Our new two-story waterfront restaurant is the perfect place to enjoy a meal,” says Michelin-awarded chef Todd Humphries, who partnered with Maui-born restaurateur Richard Miyashiro and Tim Seberson. “Guests who visit our dual-concept restaurant will enjoy flavorful dishes featuring seasonal ingredients.” On the upper level of the 7,200-squarefoot space is the full-service restaurant Plaza Grill with lanai seating and lagoon views outside and an inviting wraparound bar with front-row seats to the open kitchen inside. A spiral staircase leads to the lower level into the Boardwalk Cafe—the second dining concept with a choice of take-out or a quick dine-in experience on spacious boardwalk seating.
Catering to a broad-ranging set of appetites, the menu showcases diverse cuisine influenced by the active visitor in mind. Think salads, wood-fired pizzas, Asianinspired noodles, local seafood, steak and housemade desserts. “We’re ecstatic to debut Kitchen Door Napa in Wai Kai, where guests can share a memorable meal and immerse themselves in the local culture and cuisine,” says Humphries. kitchendoorwaikai.com
Tuna tartare on the menu at Kitchen Door Napa at Wai Kai. PHOTO COURTESY OF RESTAURANT
“I take great pleasure in boldly defying culinary limitations,” says chef Vikram Garg, who has transformed esteemed restaurants worldwide, including Hawai‘i’s iconic Halekulani, Park Lane Lounge Ala Moana, and TBD… Now, guests can join Garg in his first solo venture and independent flagship masterpiece, UMI by Vikram Garg, located at the House of Welcoming Waters, Halepuna Waikiki by Halekulani.
“UMI, like the ocean, represents my culinary philosophy and commitment to nurture my guests, connect cultures, sustain agricultural origins, and exceed expectations,” he says. Expansive menus featuring superior seasonal ingredients, refined traditions, progressive techniques, vibrant cultural infusion, masterful execution, le chariot tableside service, and his signature bespoke chef’s table will be offered. “I dedicate this menu to discovering and celebrating quantum interpretations of what I call the Ocean’s Harvest,” he adds. “I am already smiling as I know what is to come.” umibyvikramgarg.com; @umi_vikramgarg
UMI interiors. PHOTO BY RIC NOYLE PHOTOGRAPHY
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