Japengo and Hali‘imaile Distilling Company team up for the December 2018 Tastemakers Dinner. Courtesy image.

The Maui Tastemakers Series at Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa returns at 5 p.m. on December 8 with local Hali‘imaile Distilling Company’s cocktail pairing menu. The Haliimaile Tastemakers menu celebrates the local distiller’s vodka, gin, whiskey, and rum in creative cocktails paired with Chef Gevin Utrillo’s award-winning Japengo fare.

“Japengo’s fresh, local Hawaiian seafood and Hali‘imaile’s locally-produced spirits are a natural complement to one another,” said Gevin Utrillo, Japengo’s Chef de Cuisine. “We’re looking forward to sharing their local products with our Japengo guests.”

Tickets for the Maui Tastemakers Series are limited and cost $95 plus tax and gratuity per person. The menu for the December 8 dinner will be accompanied by assorted craft cocktails and dishes will feature:

Reception with Blackened Ahi Pop served with crab, avocado, maui onion, ponzu, garlic crumble, spicy aioli and tobiko.
Trio of Smoked Lomi Lomi King Salmon, Saki Steamed Opihi and a traditional Tamago.
Sous vide and lavender seared Lamb Chops with a rum demi-glace, tomato jam and savory bread pudding and Lobster Dynamite with an unagi drizzle, lemon zest, itogiri pepper and crab onigiri.
Mango Cheesecake with vanilla anise cream, white chocolate cherry almond bark and a buttermilk crumble served with raspberry champagne sorbet.

For more information about Japengo or to make a reservation for this Tastemakers dinner, please call 808-667-4796.

Japengo is open nightly featuring dinner and sushi bar service from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., lounge service from 5 to 10 p.m. and happy hour from 5 to 6 p.m.