After being closed for six months, Kō, located at Fairmont Kea Lani in Wailea, recently reopened to the public, boasting a fully renovated space and new menu.
The eatery, whose name means “sugarcane” in Hawaiian, was originally created as a tribute to the cultures — Hawaiian, Filipino, Portuguese, Korean, Japanese and Chinese — that came together during Maui’s sugarcane era. The restaurant’s menu is inspired by “kau kau time,” when sugarcane workers talked story and shared their home-cooked meals over lunch.
This spirit of connection is what executive chef Matt Dela Cruz hopes to renew through the restaurant’s new menu.
“When the mill whistle blew, lunch wasn’t just a break — it was a gathering,” he states. “People from every culture would open their kau kau tins — little metal lunch pails — and share whatever they had. That moment of togetherness gave birth to Hawaiʻi’s mixed-plate tradition. At Kō, we’re continuing that story through dishes meant to be passed, shared and remembered.”
The new menu features a variety of pūpū-style appetizers and entrees that are designed to be shared.
The Kona kanpachi tartare ($28) features crispy sushi rice topped with kanpachi, Baika caviar, shiro soy ponzu and finger lime. The kanpachi is light and flavorful, with citrusy notes from the ponzu and finger lime.
Our server recommends the Kamuela tomato salad, which is actually a nice palate cleanser. It comes with Maui Onion vinaigrette, Surfing Goat cheese, Waipoli watercress and pipikaula. While we enjoy the refreshing tomatoes, the creamy cheese steals the show.
If you can only choose one appetizer, go for the pomegranate char siu lamb ribs ($28), served with micro cilantro, Asian pears and pomegranate char siu sauce.
The flavors work well together in this unique combination. The lamb ribs are fork-tender, and the glaze is the perfect balance of sweet and savory — we love the char siu flavor with a lingering sweetness, thanks to the pomegranate. The ribs are sticky and messy to eat, but absolutely worth it.
During our dinner, onaga is the featured catch of the day. The fish is perfectly cooked, flaky and moist, and comes with maitake mushrooms, Maui onion and ‘ulu soubise, and an umami bone broth. Dela Cruz recommends taking a sip of the broth as a palate cleanser between bites.
The Korean kalbi wagyu ssam ($79) is one of the most popular entrees. It’s served with Waipoli lettuce — to make lettuce wraps, DIY style — kimchi pears, watercress namul and beef fat rice. The entrée includes 9 ounces of thinly sliced wagyu; everything is designed to be included in the lettuce wrap and enjoyed together.
Other available entrees include crispy Kona kanpachi ($54), ‘ahi shokupan katsu ($62), ginger steamed opakapaka and crispy wok fried lobster tail (market price), and Grandma Kasumi’s fried chicken ($46).
“Every flavor on the menu means something to me,” Dela Cruz states. “It’s about elevated comfort — the dishes we grew up with, seen through a new lens, but still made with heart.”
Kō’s new menu also features several options for ‘Ohana Style dining; this menu is designed to feed two to three people. The ‘Ohana Style menu features dishes like wagyu beef tomahawk (market price) with Paniolo peppercorn and whiskey pan sauce, Pohole fern salsa verde and Hawaiian salt trio; Kō Luau ($99) with fish and poi laulau, squid luau, kalua pork, Hawaiian style ‘ahi poke and Tiffany’s kulolo; and Papa Pang’s kaukau tin ($75). The latter features breaded teriyaki Maui Nui venison, ‘ahi tataki and seasonal banchan (‘ulu mac salad, kimchi and seasonal watercress).
Papa Pang’s kaukau tin honors late chef Tyler Pang, who was the executive chef of Fairmont Kea Lani, and fully conceptualized and brought Kō to life when the restaurant opened in 2012. Overseeing Kō was part of Pang’s broader culinary leadership.
The restaurant’s desserts — created by chef de partie Amber Ching and executive pastry chef Tiffany Naughton — look like edible works of art. They’re nostalgic and feature local flavors, but feature playful, creative twists.
For instance, the Pinoy honey toast ($22) is inspired by Filipino flavors and features honey butter toasted shokupan bread topped with corn and ube ice cream, pandan puff rice and a lavender honey drizzle. Meanwhile, kūlolo malasadas ($16) feature Portuguese malasadas with housemade kūlolo, haupia cream and kiawe cinnamon sugar — a fun blend of Hawaiian and Portuguese influences.
The Kō strawberry ice cake ($16) is the ideal option if you want something light and refreshing. It’s made with strawberry sherbet that’s presented in the shape of a strawberry, and served with matcha tres leches, calamansi, shiso, Kula strawberries and a strawberry white chocolate streusel. The strawberry sherbet is light and refreshing; its silky texture is complemented nicely by the strawberry crumble and shiso-marinated strawberries.
This crème brulee is designed with coffee lovers in mind. It features a blend of Maui coffee and Maui Kuia Estate Chocolate and roasted banana mousse. The dessert’s custardy interior boasts a robust coffee flavor — it’s lighter on the banana — and is complete with a crispy caramelized shell.
The eatery also has a brand-new cocktail menu; beverages feature locally distilled rums from Kō Hana and Kuleana Rum Works, along with other creative combinations.
Kō planters punch ($24) is highly recommended if you want a drink on the rocks. Other signature choices include Kyoto Sour ($22); Pandan, Thank You Ma’am ($21), which is complete with pandan, calamansi, coconut and ube foam; and Tchin Tchin ($22). The latter is a pink martini that includes Fy gin, lychee, Molokai hibiscus, champagne and edible flowers.
To learn more, visit korestaurant.com.
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CONTACT
Kō
Fairmont Kea Lani
4100 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea-Makena
korestaurant.com
Instagram: @ko_restaurant
Open daily, 5-9 p.m.
Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
