Ko Restaurant returns with a revamped menu rooted in Hawaii's sugarcane plantation past

ByJericho Saria KGO logo

Tuesday, February 24, 2026

Ko Restaurant returns with revamped menu rooted in Hawaii's past

MAUI, Hawaii (KGO) -- At Ko Restaurant, the Fairmont Kea Lani's fine dining establishment, dinner is more than a meal, it's a love letter to Hawaii's past. The beloved Wailea restaurant has recently reopened after a full renovation, debuting a revamped menu from Executive Chef Matt Dela Cruz.

"Our concept here at Ko is to give the guests a little bit of the deeper culture of Hawaii, and it's deeply rooted in its multiple ethnicities that laid the core and the foundation of what makes Hawaii, Hawaii," Dela Cruz says.

That foundation traces back to the sugarcane plantation era, when waves of immigrants from Portugal, the Philippines, Korea, Puerto Rico, Japan, and China intermingled with native Hawaiians, shaping the islands' cultural and culinary identity. "Coming to Ko is not like anything else," says server Leanne Poffenbarger. "From when you walk in the door to when you leave, it's just a different experience that everyone should try."

Dela Cruz, who proudly calls himself "a product of Hawaii," channels those influences into dishes that feel both nostalgic and inventive. A lemongrass steamed onaga arrives with a tableside pour of fish bone broth that is meant to be sipped like dashi. The crispy skin kona kampachi is paired with ulu (breadfruit) hummus and finished with finger lime and Tahitian lime beurre blanc. The wagyu strip loin kalbi ssam invites diners to build their own lettuce wraps with banchans made with locally sourced produce.

Sourcing is central to the experience. Ko partners with local farms like Waipoli Greens, whose hydroponic practices conserve precious island water. "It's a symbiosis, right? You need to take care of the farmers so they take care of you," Dela Cruz says. "The best of the best is what we want to serve."

Yet beyond the polished plates and sustainable sourcing, Ko's magic lies in its sense of ohana, or family. "You come into my house, I get you fed, a good buzz on, and get to share a little bit of story," Poffenbarger says. Dela Cruz echoes the sentiment: "Anybody can come here and have a great meal. You know, it's a family environment. Hawaii is family first."

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