Restaurant Insider with Anne Lee: Kapa Hale

Valentine’s Day special (contact for cost)

Chef Keaka Lee and his wife, Heather, celebrated the third anniversary of their restaurant, Kapa Hale, in December. Diners can look forward to a new tasting menu, a Chinese New Year celebration and something special for Valentine’s Day. There’s lots of new things in store for this amazing dynamic duo and their team.

AL: What do you have in store for January?

KL: Winter is here, and we have launched a new tasting menu ($69). Along with a bite of falafel on the trio starter, we have new entrees to choose from: Hawaiian lechon kawali with a laulau chimichurri or a green curry pasta with Kolea Farm spinach and leeks.

Lunch KFC

Our lunch KFC (contact for cost) has a tasty barbecue nori sauce that is so good, you’ll be asking for extra rice.

AL: With Chinese New Year around the corner, will you be offering a special menu?

KL: We will be having our annual lion dance to welcome the Year of the Dragon at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 10. Specials will include almond cookie ice cream ($6) and good luck pork dumplings ($15 for three pieces).

catering options

AL: We can’t forget Valentine’s Day. Will you be offering something special?

KL: On Feb. 14, we will be offering our annual dinner prix fixe Me-N-U, where you can choose between two menu options on this day of love ($125-plus per person). No a la carte items will be available, and credit card information will be required to confirm the reservation.

For lunch, we will have Noodling Around specials: ramen and pasta. And, be on the lookout for “Palentine’s” Brunch specials.

AL: Does Kapa Hale offer catering? KL: We love bringing some of our KH flavors from our kitchen to your special gatherings. We offer customizable menus for catering and special events. From vegan to carnivore and bento to catering pan, we have a variety of menu items to choose from. Please give our team a call to let us know the occasion and how we can help to celebrate. Credit card is required to secure the date.

Kapa Hale’s annual Chinese New Year celebration

AL: We love your brunch. What are some of your bestselling dishes from that menu?

KL: We love seeing the community join us for weekend brunch. There are so many fun favorites to choose from: Green Eggs and Ham (contact for cost) includes a soft scrambled egg with salsa verde and grilled pork belly; Keaka’s Fried Chicken and Waffle (contact for cost) includes country gravy and maple syrup; or Okonomiyaki Omelette (contact for cost) uses lomi lomi tomato, bonito flakes and furikake. We always have our staple Loco Moco (contact for cost) using local beef and a sunny egg.

AL: I love Da Kahala shuffle — it makes me want to do a little shuffle when I eat it. Can you share what ingredients are in this special dessert?

KL: We loved this dessert so much that we named it after our beloved Kahala neighborhood. It has two delicious layers of carefully crafted chocolate mousse on a buttery Oreo crust, topped with a silky coffee syrup and Kahlúa whipped cream.

AL: Anything else you want to share?

KL: Kapa Hale celebrated turning three in December and is beyond grateful for all of the continued support and encouragement.

Look out for new ways to support Maui. We have menu items with proceeds being donated to help the rebuilding of the Lahaina community: Lahaina Refresher and Guri Guri for Maui.