Eat Your Way Into 2014

By Vanessa Wolf

For those aspiring to ring in the New Year in a food coma, there are several gourmet bashes happening tomorrow night.

A canape prepared by Chef McDowell at a previous Makena event. Photo by Vanessa Wolf

The Sheraton Maui is hosting a New Year’s Eve Dinner Extravaganza with seating from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

The buffet-style feast offers specialty salads like bay shrimp and grilled fennel salad, grilled marinated winter vegetables and sugar snap pea salad with bay shrimp as well as a soup, cheese and bread board.

The seafood raw bar features chilled shrimp, snap-and-eat crab legs, 
Pacific oysters on the half shell, poke, lomi lomi salmon
 and a selection of sashimi and sushi.

There will also be a selection of dim sum, a carving station with prime rib, and signature dishes from the chef like hibachi-grilled crushed peppercorn salmon, fire-roasted free range chicken, Big Island beef curry and wok-fried ahi.

Dessert includes a Kula strawberry shortcake, tropical crème brulee, and dark chocolate lilikoi cream cake.

All this decadence will run you $85 per adult and $42 per child ages 6-12.

For reservations call 808-921-4600.

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If you prefer to be served your meal, the Westin Ka’anapali is kicking off 2014 with three- and four-course dinner options at their Ocean Pool Bar and Pulehu, an Italian Grill.

The four-course meal at Pulehu opens with an amuse bouche of a grilled oyster, followed by a Tabasco mignonette with fingerling potato skins and deviled eggs.

The second course brings scallop and bacon with a walnut Parmesan risotto.

This is followed by surf and turf: a petite prime filet with seared foie Madeira sauce and dino kale is paired with baked Kona cold lobster and creamed spinach.

The meal ends with a chocolate mousse, pickled Bing cherries and mint syrup.

Seating is from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.

The meal is $78 per person and reservations can be made by calling 808-667-3254.

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If you’re looking for something a little lighter, Ocean Pool Bar’s (also in the Westin) three-course meal features “firecracker” calamari salad, braised short ribs with butternut squash and an ice cream sandwich with pop rocks for $55 per person.

Seating is also from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. and reservations can be yours by calling 808-667-3254.

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A surf and turf special previously offered by Makena Beach and Golf Resort. Photo by Vanessa Wolf

Those on the south side might enjoy Makena Beach and Golf Resort’s New Year’s Eve buffet in the Molokini Bar & Grille.

Beginning at 5:30 p.m., the tapas-style menu will be available until 10 p.m. with live entertainment until 12:30 a.m.

Early birds can take in a 10 p.m. balloon drop or wait around until the real thing (and an encore balloon drop) at midnight.

The tapas-style menu will feature an Italian station with caprese and Caesar salads and crisp fried calamari.

The Asian station will be serving sushi, sashimi and “hibachi madness” with lamb, shrimp, mahi, beef and vegetables. Also expect tempura, dim sum, and crispy duck with bao buns.

The French station offers fried goat cheese, bouillabaisse, burre monte lobster tails, a variety of cheeses and truffle, shallot and pancetta-stuffed filet mignon.

Oh my!

No over-the-top buffet would be complete without a dessert assortment boasting death by chocolate cake. Flambé, soufflés and crème brulees round out the four food groups of decadence.

All that plus champagne will set you back $85 per adult and $50 per child ages 5 to 12. For reservations or more information call (808) 875-5888.

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Celebrants in Hana can attend Travaasa Resort’s Ka’uiki Restaurant’s New Year’s Eve Prix Fixe dinner.

Inspired by local farmers, fisherman and ranchers, the meal begins with your choice of puff pastry filled with goat cheese mousse, Big Island abalone paired with Hamakua alii mushrooms or Seared Maui Cattle Company beef carpaccio salad

For an entrée, select between a series of “Duos.”

The first is a roasted Kona cold lobster and Hana Bay fresh catch; meat eaters may prefer the natural prime rib eye two ways and vegetarians appear to have their choice of a cauliflower goat cheese fondue or a cheese mix plate with Maui lavender honey.

For dessert, there’s a hot chocolate melt with Kona coffee ice cream.

The dinner is offered at $125 per person or $50 per child under the age of eight.

Bon appetit and Happy New Year!