Hana Ranch Provisions, which closed abruptly in September due to building structural problems, will not reopen.
“To restart after a several- month delay is too great a challenge for us to tackle at this time,” general manager Tricia White said in a news release.
The restaurant opened in August 2015 with a menu built around produce from Hana Ranch. Within a year the restaurant had received accolades from publications including The New York Times, Vogue, the Food Network, San Francisco Chronicle, Thrillist and many local media outlets, including this one. The restaurant received the Honolulu Star- Advertiser’s 2016 ‘Ilima Award for best neighbor island restaurant.
“I’m grateful for what we were able to achieve in a short amount of time and saddened that we had to close,” said executive chef Gary Johnson.
With the closing of the restaurant, which was the largest customer for Hana Ranch products, the ranch has scaled back its farming efforts. More recently the ranch has partnered with Maui Preserved in Haiku to rent commercial kitchen space to continue to operate its Hana Burger Food Truck, located at the ranch.
Koko Head Cafe hosts benefit
The aims of the Surfrider Foundation’s Ocean Friendly Restaurant program will be celebrated in a benefit Thursday at Koko Head Cafe.
The statewide program, launched on Earth Day 2016, recognizes restaurants that seriously curtail the use of foam and plastic products.
Koko Head Cafe was one of the first of more than 100 restaurants certified as ocean-friendly. Chef Lee Anne Wong will serve a menu of seafood and vegan appetizers, accompanied by Lanikai Brewing Co. beer.
Tickets to the 5:30 p.m. event are $20 and available online at eventbrite.com (search for “ocean-friendly”).
Hawaii Prince adds Honolulu Coffee
Honolulu Coffee is opening another Waikiki location later this month in the lobby of the Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki.
The operation replaces a coffee shop run by the hotel. In addition to coffee, it offers branded chocolate bars, chocolate-covered Kona coffee beans and jams, as well as honey from Big Island Bees.
The company has seven locations on Oahu, three on Maui, two on Hawaii island, three on Guam, 24 in Japan and one in Canada.
The hotel is undergoing a $55 million renovation, due to be completed in the spring, when the hotel will be re-branded as the Prince Waikiki.
Wine Speak dinner to visit France, Italy
Rick Lilley, wine director at 12th Ave Grill, pays tribute to “the quiet heroes of viticulture from France and Italy” at a Wine Speak dinner, 6:30 p.m. Jan. 25.
Wines come from grapes grown in areas of high elevation and steep slopes, which Lilley says yield bold, complex flavors.
The menu: grilled octopus (with Domaine Giacometti, Patrimonio Rouge “Cru des Agriate,” Italy 2014), pan-seared monchong (Chateau Feuillet, Valle d’Aosta “Petite Arvine,” Italy 2015), 12th Ave Grill meatloaf (Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe, Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rouge “Telegramme,” France 2013) and burgundy-poached pears (Patrick Bottex, Vin du Bugey-Cerdon “La Cueille,” France).
Cost is $95. Call 732-9469.
Napa vintner offers 5 courses at Hoku’s
Trefethen Family Vineyards owner and winemaker Janet Trefethen will host a dinner at Hoku’s at the Kahala Hotel & Resort on Jan. 25.
The five-course meal will feature wines from the Napa Valley, Calif., estate: Kona kampachi (with dry Riesling, 2014), Ahi Cannoli Style (savignon blanc 2015), Kahala Seafood Carta Fata (Harmony Chardonnay Reserve 2014), a duck and foie gras croquette (merlot, 2013), Hawaiian Rancher’s Natural Beef (cabernet sauvignon 2013 and 1994 magnum) and a pineapple tart with Thai basil sorbet. Cost is $150.
Dinner is at 6 p.m. Call 739-8760 or visit kahalaresort.com (click on “Dining”).
Quickbites is a weekly listing of dining events. Email items to crave@staradvertiser.com.
