The Montage Kapalua Bay, a 24-acre resort on Maui's northwest coast, has expanded its dining options with the debut of a new concept in February.
The Hideaway is a casual, family-friendly restaurant that offers a seasonally focused menu of comfort foods and an array of signature, tropical cocktails. The new restaurant complements the resort's signature restaurant, the more upscale Cane & Canoe.
"Where the Hideaway is now was originally an extension of Cane & Canoe," said Montage Kapalua Bay chef de cuisine Robert Barrera. "It was a lounge area where you could get a couple of bites to eat, but it didn't have its own identity. We wanted something that could stand on its own.
"The Hideaway offers something a little more laid-back and casual," Barrera said. "You don't have to worry about a reservation or getting dressed up, and you can stop in for a quick bite and go about your day."
The space was closed in early January for a revamp, and then reopened at the start of February as the Hideaway. There is both indoor seating and an outdoor patio with fire pits, and the restaurant is featuring live music nightly.
"Things have been going really well, and we've been getting a good draw from the local crowd," Barrera said. "We want to better serve our guests, but also we are trying to appeal to people who don't stay with us. Previously, we had a reputation among some people who thought it was a private resort, and you can't eat here if you're not staying on property. So, we want to try and get the message out that it's available."
Barrera has sourced as much as he can from the islands, including locally made sourdough flatbreads, and cheese from Maui's Surfing Goat Dairy Farm.
"At the property as a whole we are trying to focus on local products," Barrera said. "If it's not coming from Maui then we try to source it from the surrounding islands. All the tomatoes are local and the butter leaf lettuce on the burger is from upcountry."
Some of the menu highlights include a classic wagyu hamburger, lobster mac and cheese, a seared ahi cobb salad, and a coconut shrimp satay.
"It's not your typical coconut shrimp, that is battered and often saturated in oil," Barrera said. "It's nice and golden with a coconut mousse."
Barrera said he's already seeing families pack into the Hideaway for more casual, kid-friendly meals. Additionally, diners at the Hideaway are welcome to order from the more extensive Cane & Canoe menu.
"We have started to get our first wave of spring break guests, and in the past week we've seen a huge increase in children," Barrera said. "I'm starting to see families who travel together take advantage of the Hideaway the other night we had a 14 top in there with maybe eight kids and a lot of french fries."
Upcoming for Montage Kapalua Bay's food and beverage service, the team will be updating the menus for the pool outlets. Cane & Canoe's menu will undergo some seasonal changes, and Barrera is planning an expansion of the signature restaurant's steak offerings. He also plans to introduce a "twilight" menu at the Hideaway, with small plates and a varied cocktail selection.