Hale ‘Aina Happenings: Major Milestones for Hawai‘i Restaurants in November 2013
This month: Chef Mavro turns 15, Merriman’s Waimea and Roy’s Hawai‘i Kai turn 25.
This Sunday is the 30th anniversary of the Hale ‘Aina Awards. But we’re not the only ones celebrating a major milestone:
Chef Mavro restaurant turns 15 this year and has already kicked off a series of events leading up to December 19, its actual anniversary. Right now, Chef Mavro’s pastry chef Elizabeth Dippong is offering a mini-tasting featuring some of Frankie’s Nursery’s most exotic fruit. The sampler includes a confit jackfruit li hing mui, haupia green peppercorn coulis, roasted sapote ice cream and a taste of Meli Kalima (Honey Cream) Pineapple, a super-sweet, low acid pineapple that Frank Sekiya of Frankie’s Nursery has developed. The complimentary dessert will be offered through Sunday, November 17.
Merimman’s Waimea celebrates its 25th anniversary this year and is offering a special, three-course All Big Island Grown menu during the week of December 9 to 13. The menu will feature Big Island ranches and farms such as Kahua Ranch and Nakano and Hirabara Farms. For the anniversary celebration, Peter Merriman will also be donating $25,000 to Big Island charities: The Food Basket (Big Island’s food bank), Hawai‘i Island United Way, Merriman’s Culinary Scholarship (providing scholarships for culinary school students), The Hawaiian Island Land Trust and the Kahilu Theatre Foundation.
This year is also the 25th birthday of Roy’s Hawai‘i Kai, the original Roy’s, the restaurant that earned Roy Yamaguchi Hawai‘i’s first ever James Beard Award. Since Roy’s has just come off of producing the Hawai‘i Food and Wine Festival, celebrations have yet to be planned. We’ll keep you updated!
