Description: Some magazines have rated the Formal Dining Room at the Lodge at Koele as the best restaurant in the state of Hawaii. Gourmet Magazine and Conde Nast Traveler say it is one of the best restaurants in the United States. Our dinner there lived up to that reputation. The service in this restaurant exceeded all expectations. I always ask whether sauces contain cream or milk, because I have lactose intolerance. Most waiters answer the question about one dish, but don’t think about what other dishes or other courses I would also need to be careful of. But this waiter not only remembered my lactose intolerance in discussing the other courses I ordered, but he also substituted (without even needing to ask) chilled shrimp for the normal, free introductory appetizer (flavored cream cheese in a mini-tomato) that they gave to the other diners. The waiter knew our names (from the reservation) the first time he came to our table. He noticed we don’t use butter, so took it away without being asked. He refilled my water with no ice, because I had asked for no ice in the first glass. And then there was the food! Wow! Each item of each course was unique: something we had never seen before in all our travels and all our years of fine dining. Our appetizers were duck salad and mushroom terrine. My wife’s entrée was moi fish on spaghetti squash and asparagus, with each piece of fish wrapped in potato. My entrée was hamachi fish on flavored mashed potatoes & leeks, covered with kumquats. My words cannot describe how wonderful each of these looked and tasted. Each of them was indescribably delicious. Her dessert was a 3-part chocolate sampler with cake, mousse, and chocolate crème brulé. Mine was a pineapple tart with an amazing sauce of juice and vanilla and rum. Of course, this superb dinner was at top Lanai prices: $13 for each appetizer, $36 for each entrée, $11 for each dessert. But worth every cent.
If you're going to Maui too, there's LOTS of very helpful information at this website:
www.mauihawaii.org
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