PO‘IPU — A wine dinner and the “Keiki Ukes in Paradise” ‘ukulele competition are two debut events for Koloa Plantation Days, marking the first time Keoki’s Paradise has become involved with the 10-day celebration, which opened last Friday with the
PO‘IPU — A wine dinner and the “Keiki Ukes in Paradise” ‘ukulele competition are two debut events for Koloa Plantation Days, marking the first time Keoki’s Paradise has become involved with the 10-day celebration, which opened last Friday with the KPD Rodeo.
“We’re really excited about doing these two events,” said Manette DeCosta, Keoki’s marketing manager.
“Derek Kessler, the Keoki’s general manager, is a wine dinner kind of guy and is especially excited about that event.”
The Keoki’s Paradise Koloa Plantation Days Wine Dinner will take place Thursday starting at 6 p.m., featuring guest Alan Jahns of JMD Beverages presenting “Pinot Envy,” showcasing the pinot family, including a side-by-side comparison of the 2009 pinot noirs from Beaux Freres and Ken Wright.
The different pinots and a Koloa Rum Co. special will be paired with cuisine from the different ethnic groups in Hawai‘i and a dessert from Sugar Mill Cupcakes.
“We used to have the cooking demonstrations at the Koloa Town Courtyard, which showed people how to cook the different foods, but that was replaced by Mixed Plate – Live Music,” said Melissa McFerrin, the KPD event coordinator. “Having Keoki’s Paradise do a wine dinner continues the tradition of letting people know the different kinds of food we enjoy in Hawai‘i.”
Tempura shrimp rolls and spicy ahi poke will be paired with Chehalem 3 Vineyard Pinot Gris as the Japanese offering, and Bethel Heights Pinot Blanc Estate will be paired with long bean and grilled eggplant salad as the Filipino offering.
Beaux Freres Pinot Noir Willamette Valley and Ken Wright Meredith Mitchell will be paired with steamed skin-on local fresh catch as the Chinese offering, and Tyrus Evan Syrah Walla Walla will be paired with a loco moco, “Keoki’s Style,” as the Hawaiian dish.
All of this will be topped with the Sugar Mill Cupcake offering graced with a Koloa Rum Co. selection.
DeCosta said both events have a limit on capacity, but Keoki’s Paradise will make every effort to ensure that people wanting to participate in the events are accommodated.
On Sunday, Keoki’s Paradise will rock with ‘ukulele music from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the “Keiki Ukes in Paradise,” where students from kindergarten through 12th grade — as well as a special open group division, up to four members — get to vie for the Kamoa ‘ukulele which will be given away.
There is no cost to enter and supporters and families get to indulge in the special Keoki’s Paradise lunch buffet at a special price. Competitors get the buffet for entering the contest.
Call Derek or Manette at 742-7534 for more information on these two events highlighting the Koloa Plantation Days.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 ext. 245 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com
