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First Night At The Hui Noeau And Chatting With Makena Beach And Golf Resort Chef Marc McDowell
by Jen Russo
December 01, 2011
The Hui No'eau will host a holiday-themed evening of elegant canapes, cocktails and gift shopping at First Night this Thursday starting at 5pm. They’re especially excited to exhibit guest designer Andre Morrisette’s re-envisioning of the nearly 100-year-old Kaluanui estate, which will be all dressed up for the season. Morrisette has created magical holiday decor featuring amazing window installations to be revealed that night.
Morrissette is an award-winning dancer, teacher and choreographer with credits as theatrical costumer and graphic designer. He’s been a Maui resident since 1988 and currently teaches at Seabury Hall and works as resident choreographer for the Baldwin High School Drama Department. Prior to his current “Hui Holidays” work, he produced two events at the Hui to help raise funds for their jewelry arts education program.
On Monday, Maui artist Nancy Skrimstad assisted in putting up the installations. “This has been such an inspiring day for me,” said Skrimstad. “Andre and I have wanted to work together for years–and to be able to do it here with such a newly invigorated, fresh Hui has just been really gratifying as an artist. It’s so great to see the Hui allow their artists to express themselves and explore creativity. I’ve been involved with the Hui for a long time–I would have never been able to get away with this years ago!”
You’ll be able to watch the Upcountry sunset while sipping the signature cocktail Kaluanui Sunset–Ocean vodka, cranberry juice and Limonata at this one night only event. The menu also looks divine with Ahi nicoise potato canapes, mini fresh turkey and cranberry salad sandwiches on sage buns, truffled tomato tarts, apple pecan baked brie in puff pastry and smoked salmon and marlin pates with crackers, breads, capers and onion. Plus cookies and chocolates, cheese, fruit and bread. Coffee by Coffees of Hawaii and wine will also be served.
Tickets are $30 per person and are available at (808) 572-6560 or at huinoeau.com/events.
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The Maui Aids Foundation gathers at Ambrosia in Kihei tonight (Thursday, Dec. 1) from 5-6:30pm in honor of the 30-year struggle with HIV. Commemorate loved ones, share your story and support those on the battle lines while you sip red ribbon drinks for $4 all night. HIV is no longer hot TV news but the fine folks at Maui Aids Foundation face the facts daily that HIV and AIDS are still a heavy health issue, and prevention is your best medicine. Donate $5 to the organization and enter to win prizes. The gathering will go through the night with live music with Jessica Rabbitt and Kanoa 6:30-9pm and DJ La Rage til closing.
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The Makena Beach and Golf Resort is already popular with its Saturday Japanese Buffet and lavish Sunday Brunch, but that’s not enough for Executive Chef Marc McDowell. On Friday Dec. 2, 2011 he will launch a dreamy five-station seafood lovers extravaganza buffet, with seatings at 5:30, 6, 7:30 and 8pm.
The seafood buffet showcases the waters surrounding Maui with local favorites like the poke bar, which features fresh island sashimi and an array of poke preparations. Carving stations will offer traditional preparations of mahi mahi steamed in ti leaves and served with Thai coconut curry vegetables (as well as hand-carved prime rib with a caramelized onion port wine demi glace).
Chef’s selections include Makena crab au gratin potatoes, beer batter mahi mahi with a jalapeno remoulade, steamed clams with crusty bread and garlic butter, cilantro and macadamia-crusted opakapaka with grilled pineapple salsa, seared prosciutto and basil salmon with orange marmalade gastrique. Kids will love the shrimp fried rice with scallop fettucini and lobster fritters with pineapple sage salsa. Desserts are traditional–mini pumpkin pies, apple crumble bites, pineapple rum colada bites and warm Molokai sweet potato soufflé.
A skilled team of five will start preparing the buffet a full day in advance. McDowell will also carve an ice sculpture as a display featuring an unlimited supply of peel-and-eat tiger prawns, oysters and Dungeness crabs. He also keeps his own garden of greens and herbs. I got a chance to ask him about using his garden-grown goods in the buffet.
MauiTime: What items will be featured in the seafood buffet from the garden?
Marc McDowell: Our garden features over 80 exotic herbs and 100 different types of vegetables. We use all of them in the dishes featured at our resort. Here is what will be featured at the buffet: poblano peppers for the shrimp caesar salad, French tarragon in the tortellini artichoke salad, basil and chives and dill in the lobster and scallop seafood terrines, lemon thyme in the chowder, bronze fennel in the seafood bisque, red barron scallions in the pokes, kaffir lime in the whole steamed mahi mahi with Thai coconut curry, pineapple sage in the salsa for the lobster fritters, chocolate mint in the chocolate mousse. Fresh ginger in the pokes, whole mahi mahi, Thai green eggplant and bottle gourd and red velvet okra in the Thai curry vegetables, African spice basil in the seared proscuitto and basil salmon with orange marmalade gastrique, jalapenos in the remoulade for the Wisconsin beer batter, Alaskan peas in the sautéed medley of vegetables, lemongrass in the steamed clams. Just to name a few…
MauiTime: How does this seafood buffet rate compared to your other two already popular buffets?
McDowell: Except for the aquaponic baby lettuce, prime rib, vegetable dishes and desserts everything has some sort of fish or shellfish ingredient fresh from the islands of Hawaii.
MauiTime: What dish are you most excited to showcase at the seafood buffet?
McDowell: How can you put me on the spot like that? All of our items reveal some kind of unique preparation or flavor combination that compliments the seafood featured. Just read the menu and everything just pops out at you and makes you think that has to be the best!
MauiTime: Duly noted–come with an appetite. What was the inspiration to showcase seafood specifically at your Friday night buffet?
McDowell: I think the south side of Maui needed a place to enjoy fresh island seafood where the ingredients are homegrown and the dishes are all made from scratch. Being that we are on an island surrounded by the Pacific ocean and have some of the freshest ingredients nurtured by some of the best soil on earth; this buffet gives us a chance to showcase the bounty of ocean combined with the unique flavors of Hawaii. I am using any fish that's growing in my back yard like mahi, ahi, opakapaka, swordfish.
The Friday Seafood Buffet is offered every Friday night for $50 (plus tax) per person, $25 (children aged 5-12). Children under five eat free. Reservations are recommended and seating is limited. Call 875-5888.
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I’o will be bringing in the Westside raw food experts and chefs of Choice Health Bar to pair their exquisite raw wine with at this month’s installation of Wine Club on Friday. Are you Naughty or are you Nice? I’o decides you can have it both ways, pairing healthy raw foods with their most sinful raw wine. Cost is $35 (no reservations needed) and it starts at 8pm beachside at I’o at 505 Front St., Lahaina. Call 661-8422 for more info.
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On Saturday local chef Zouhair Zairi will sign copies of his new book Moorish Fusion Cuisine at Barnes & Noble in Lahaina. Zairi describes his new book as part coffee table book and part cookbook. The tome features his inspirational story and journey as a chef and includes amazing full page photos all shot in his kitchen and property in Kula. The book signing starts at 2pm.
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Sensational humpday entertainment and food. This is the way to kick off the first Wednesday of the holiday month. It’s the latest installation of tasty jazz and art with amazing food and ambiance brought together by the guys at HawaiiOnTV.com and Chef David Paul. A delicious three-course dinner with champagne is just $45. Drink specials will feature Godiva Vodka Martinis and there will be live jazz with Gene Argel, Paul Marchetti and James Zangrando. There’s also an art show with fine art by Gabriel Burchman, glass art by Rick Strinni and surf art by Kim McDonald. It runs 7-10pm with no cover. For more information call 662-3000.