By Vanessa Wolf

Makena Beach’s Steak Au Poivre from an earlier wine dinner. Photo by Vanessa Wolf.

The Makena Beach & Golf Resort celebrates Oktoberfest with a special four course dinner featuring the best beers of Eastern Europe paired with Chef De Cuisine Kurt Lesmerises’ fresh take on classic German dishes.

The dinner is this Wednesday Oct. 16 at 6:30 p.m. at the Molokini Bar & Grille.

Oktoberfest, a 16-day festival held in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, is the world’s largest fair.

It began in 1810 as a festival to honor the crown princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghause.

By the end of the 19th century, the festival placed an emphasis on the beer of the region, serving beers in the now signature glass mugs and instituting beer halls throughout the festival. Today, over 7 million liters of Oktoberfest beer is served at the festival.

“We have been celebrating different wineries and vineyards every month now at the resort, this month we wanted to introduce something a little different and hold a dinner featuring great beer alongside our great food,” said Makena’s Director of Food & Beverage Leo Mallari.

The meal starts with an amuse bouche of Cheese Strudel featuring a Westphalian ham and Roquefort blue cheese filling, baked into a fresh puff pastry.

It is paired with the Czech Republic’s famed golden lager, the Pilsner Urquell.

The first course highlights what many consider the best hefeweizen beer on the market today, Germany’s Weihenstephaner-Hefeweissbier.

Brewed by Beyerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan in Freising Germany, the beer is paired with a German Beet Salad made with fresh tender-roasted beets, herbed goat cheese, Granny Smith apples, pickled red onions and a sweet and spicy caraway and clove vinaigrette.

The second course pairs the classic German dish jagerschnitzel with Paulaner’s Marzen beer, an institution at the Bavarian festival.

For the dish, prime veal cutlet is breaded and sautéed until golden brown and is served with a warm German potato salad, vegetable medley and a bacon and mushroom bordelaise.

Another featured brewery at the Munich Oktoberfest is Spaten.

During Makena’s tribute dinner, Spaten’s Dunkel Dark Lager is paired with Steak Rouladen, a beef roulade stuffed with Maui onion, Black Forest ham and Emmenthaler Swiss cheese, and served on a bed of braised red cabbage, brown butter spaetzle and a port wine demi glace.

For the dessert course, a German-style chocolate cake is topped with chocolate buttercream tart cherries and whipped Bavarian cream and paired with Ayinger Celebrator’s Doppelbock.

Featuring live entertainment, the Makena Beach and Golf Resort’s Oktoberfest dinner is offered at $60 per person, plus tax and gratuity.

Seating is limited, and reservations are required.

Call (808) 875-5888 for more information.

We welcome your feedback. Please let us know if you hear of any new restaurants opening or reopening, total menu overhauls, or simply know of a hidden treasure you want to share. Have a restaurant you want reviewed (or re-reviewed)? Drop us a line – Vanessa(@mauinow.com)