Isana has been a fixture in North Kihei for 29 years, and its latest incarnation is the brightest yet. The new owners are well-known Maui restaurateurs Johnny and Christine Arabatzis, who bought the building and added “Brave New Kitchen” as the Isana tag line.

The Arabatzises have been in the industry for decades, yet they are still a young couple on the way up. Isana is their third restaurant. They started with Pita Paradise in Kihei and moved it to Wailea Gateway nine years ago, where it’s a huge success.

Johnny grew up at his father’s former Greek Bistro, where he played hide-and-seek around the booths as a toddler.

“We both are from Maui, and we actually met in grade school,” said Christine, beaming at her husband across the table. “We’re high school sweethearts and have been together since St. Anthony’s.”

She is designer, office maven and front-of-the-house greeter. Johnny is a seasoned fisher. They’ve hired a competent team of sushi and hot-food chefs to handle the kitchens.

“For the design, I worked with Wailani Artes,” said Christine. “She also did Pita Paradise. The idea was to keep it comfortable and island style. We implemented lava stone and opened up views.”

The yakiniku tables are gone, replaced by long, rectangular monkeypod tables that invite groups to gather. Smaller tables and sushi bar and lounge seats are other options.

As for the food, it’s as fresh as it gets. “I launch out of Kahului or Kihei,” Johnny said. “My boat is 34 feet. About five or six of my friends also catch fish for us.”

These days he is hooking up to boatloads of ahi. Carl Wenger is catching uku and onaga. “Jon Jon Tabon brings in fish, too. Basically, all Hawaiian species come in the door,” Johnny said.

The Isana walls are covered with poster-size pictures of him with all manner of prized pelagic and bottom fish, including a 187-pound yellowfin tuna. Hawaiian fishing implements are displayed between the posters and behind the bar — all designed by artist Steve Carroll.

Formerly with Ichiban, Executive Chef Ren Padilla tempts with hot items such as fish bites sauteed with bean sprouts, green onions, ginger and oyster sauce ($14). He makes his own fish cake ($13). And his specialty oxtail soup draws raves for its aromatic broth and ginger ($22).

Executive sushi sous-chef is Junior Bernardo, who worked at Miso Phat and other sushi bars. Between Padilla and Bernardo, sushi bar starters, classic sushi rolls and specialty big rolls fly out of the kitchen. The Chef’s Sashimi Platter on a recent visit was a masterpiece of thickly sliced salmon, big-eye tuna, uku, kampachi and hamachi ($65).

Crowd-pleasing share plates are presented with white rice, macaroni salad and specialty sides. Choose from crisp fried chicken in creamy ginger-sriracha sauce or kalbi ribs with sweet-shoyu ginger glaze ($23-$28). Slurp pancit noodles topped with head-on Kauai prawns, Maui onion and shiitake mushrooms in savory garlic sauce ($29). Order oysters on the half shell ($5 for one piece and $48 for a dozen) and Broke Da Mouth Roll with spicy tuna, cucumber, local shiromi, avocado, spicy mayo, tobiko and green onion ($23).

Sip an ice-cold beer or a craft cocktail such as the Hokulea with Maui Ocean vodka, Canton ginger liqueur, fresh lime and basil or the Li Hing Mui Mango Margarita with tequila and house-made sweet-and-sour during daily happy hour or when indulging in karaoke on the weekends.

“We do pass-the-mic karaoke from 10 p.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays,” said Johnny. “You don’t need to sign up.”

Isana is jumping with a sea of repeats in the evenings but is a little slow at lunch as word is still getting out. It’s cool, clean and revitalized with the freshest catch and two of the best sushi chefs on island.