A tasty 12 days of poke

Auntie’s Kitchen on Maui is counting down the last 12 days until Christmas with a poke celebration for a cause.

Each day through Dec. 25 the restaurant is offering a poke dish created by chefs Tanya Doyle and Brian Murphy.

Among them: Curry-stmas (ahi with onions, apples, dried cranberries and toasted cashews), Tutu’s Big Fat Pigs (pork belly with onions, tomatoes, vinegar, soy sauce, patis and lime juice), Melon Kalikimaka (compressed watermelon cubes with vanilla simple syrup, finger limes and sesame seeds) and North Pole Poke (salmon with onions, sesame oil and sea salt).

A portion of the “12 Days of Poke” sales will be donated to Imua Family Services, a Maui nonprofit.

Auntie’s is at the pool at the Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort Villas. Call 667-3254.

New brewmaster at Maui Brewing Co.

Kim Brisson-Lutz has returned to Maui Brewing Co. as brewmaster after a four-year absence.

Brisson-Lutz’s 11 years in the beverage industry began at J Lohr Winery in California, but she developed an interest in home brewing after receiving a homebrew kit as a gift.

Brisson-Lutz joined Maui Brewing at its Lahaina production facility and in 2008 was promoted to lead brewer at the brewpub in Kahana. There, she worked on recipe development and other experimentation.

The Belgian ale she created for MBC, La Perouse White Witbier, won the company a silver award at the Great American Beer Festival in 2010, as well as a bronze award at the 2012 World Beer Cup.

She most recently served as lead brewer at Saint Archer Brewing Co. in San Diego.

Southern flavors reach Waikiki

TR Fire Grill opened Saturday at the corner of Kuhio Avenue and Walina Street, offering a contemporary take on Southern comfort food with additional influences and local flavors.

The “TR” in the restaurant’s name comes from the parent company’s Tony Roma’s concept, but there are no ribs on this menu.

Signature dishes include salmon and “zoodles,” or noodles made from zucchini cut with a spiralizer ($32), and chicken and waffles ($16), both available at lunch, dinner and weekend brunch.

The salmon dish includes asparagus, sweet peppers, green apples, feta cheese and pistachio romesco sauce. The chicken and waffles comprises boneless fried chicken atop a white Wisconsin cheddar and bacon dust waffle, with agave syrup.

Other Southern favorites include red velvet pancakes and shrimp and “grits,” listed in quotes because the local smoked pork sausage and shrimp come atop jalapeno cheddar polenta ($17).

Several lunchtime entrees carry over to dinner at the same price.

Evening entrees top out at $44 for wood-grilled filet of beef, while shareable options including a sweet ahi dish and flatbreads range from $10 to $18.

Located in the Hilton Garden Inn and connected to the hotel lobby but also with its own, separate entrance off the street corner, the restaurant is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for lunch weekdays and 4 to 10 p.m. daily for dinner. Brunch is 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Valet parking is available at the Walina Street hotel entrance. Visit trfiregrill.com.

Quickbites is a weekly listing of dining events. Email items to crave@staradvertiser.com.