Lahaina / Hawaii / United States
T ake an all-star group of Maui restaurant professionals young, energetic, and innovative. Add a young chef who is one of Hawaiis rising stars. Put them in one of the islands best locations Kapaluas Pineapple Hill overlooking the golf greens, the groves of Norfolk pines, and the shimmering blue of West Mauis sea channel. Combine two intentions a menu to delight the senses of the most jaded gourmand, and an easy-going atmosphere where everyone can feel at home. The result? Pineapple Grill Kapalua Resort, a new generation in the tradition of great Maui dining experiences. Were creating a fun atmosphere without sacrificing a sense of elegance, says Pineapple Grills Managing Partner Chris Kaiwi. We want a locals favorite place, relaxed but upscale. Youll want to dress up, but you wont have to pay over-the-top prices. Kaiwi and his management team have years of experience in the Maui dining world. Kaiwi himself hails from Kailua, O ahu, and he learned the business by working for many years with the Chart House Restaurant and the TS Restaurant chains both in Hawai i and in California. The Pineapple Grill team has designed a sense of theater, of excitement, into the wholly renovated restaurant. Guests enter past the huge bar, a black-marble island with plenty of stools for bar-top dining. On the right is the exhibition kitchen, sizzling with action and savory with aromas. The dining area, floored with antique teak and ornamented with original murals by Maui artist Fred Lorenzo, is completely air-conditioned and captures breathtaking views at every turn. ( What a place for watching West Mauis top golf tournaments on plasma TVs in AC comfort under slowly turning fans next to a panoramic view of Kapaluas verdant greens! ) Noted San Diego interior designer JLorene Gage contributed the ingenious layout plan, which subdivides the split-level dining room into numerous themed mini-rooms. For example, the Honu Room, with its sea turtle motif, offers cozy small-table dining. The Aloha Room features a huge teak-inlaid koa table capable of seating a single group of 14 guests, ideal for family gatherings or small wine parties. Venues both indoors and out are perfect for private parties and cocktail receptions. The large lanai, capable of seating 80 - 100 guests, features sensational views over the golf greens, the glittering sea, and West Mauis inspiring sunsets. The design plan creates choice and diversity. Every item on the menu contains a surprise, an innovation, and a new taste experience. Nearly every ingredient Chef Ryan works with comes fresh from a high-quality locally raised source. For beef, the chef goes to the all-natural, Maui-raised meat of Maui Cattle Company. His produce is all locally grown, including greens and poha berries ( goat cheese, too ) from Kula, pohole ferns from Hana, and exotic mushrooms from the Big Island. What Im most excited about is sharing the wonderful flavors, produce and other ingredients that are grown here on Maui and throughout Hawai`i, says Luckey. For residents and visitors alike, Pacific Island Cuisine created with only the best and most flavorful ingredients, always makes for a memorable meal. The driving force behind Pineapple Grill is David and Lesley Cohn, the San Diego entrepreneurs who created the Cohn Restaurant Group. This collection of nearly a dozen eclectic fine-dining houses has earned numerous awards not only for its superb cuisine but also for its efforts in community service and industry enhancement.
