Merry times @ Merriman’s

I know I mentioned this restaurant on a previous post, but it was SO great, I thought it deserved more than 3 lines.  This quote captures the essence of Merriman’s passion: 

"We showcase the food, not a complicated preparation, so our guests authentically taste the organically grown lettuce or vine ripe tomatoes from Waimea."

–Peter Merriman

The restaurant purchases produce from the local island farmers daily. These seasonal and fresh products are used both in their menu and in the chef’s nightly specials.

This harmony between the farmer, the season, and the chef create the dining experience at Merriman’s that brings people back to the island year after year.

How brilliant is Peter Merriman?!

Anyways, our dining experience was fabulous!  First of all, the views were amazing. 

So we enjoyed a few cocktails while watching the sunset…

But then the wind and rain decided to join in on our little partay…so we headed inside for shelter dinner.

Even inside, the view was still pretty spectacular…

We started the meal with a bottle of Malbec (Ben Marco 2007) and some bread.  The sommelier was really nice, and helped my Dad choose something that would compliment the meal, even though our orders were all over the map(trust me, for a serious wino like my Dad, this was no small feat). 

He was very knowledgeable, and later in the meal brought out two different Cabernets for us to try, just for fun.  He didn’t tell us the vintage or varietal, so it was a blind tasting.  Kyle and my Dad liked one, and my Mom and I preferred the other…can you guess who had the more $$$ taste?  Well, the Cab that my Mom and I chose was way more expensive…so we women clearly have the more refined palettes 🙂

Anyways, the Malbec was delicious, and the fluffy, warm bread melted in my mouth. 

To start the meal, I ordered a salad of mixed organic greens, haricot verts, and crushed macadamia nuts, topped with a vinaigrette dressing.

I scraped the plate clean, and I don’t even like nuts  :)  My parents shared a beet/citrus salad (no photo), and Kyle got the special (pictured below), which featured pan fried abalone, on a bed of organic arugula, with cherry tomatoes and several other greens.

Merriman’s has it’s own abalone farm, so Kyle enjoyed the succulent morsels sans guilt.

Then the entrees arrived…

Kyle ordered the Mixed Plate, which allowed him to sample their best dishes.  From left to right: Mahi Mahi, grass fed island Filet Steak, and seared Ahi.

He couldn’t stop raving about it, so it must have been amazing.  My Dad got the same, and loved it as well.

My Mom got Merriman’s Original Wok Charred Ahi, which was the full entree of the far right of Kyle’s plate.

 

Even my Mom, with her itty bitty stomach, polished this off (ok, she may have passed a few bites off to Kyle and my Dad)…but still, that just shows you how savory and delish her meal was.

I ordered a few different sides of veggies (the only ones that were dairy free actually), including the green beans, beets, and macadamia nut brown rice.

I basically inhaled the nutty brown rice…it was, in a word, YUM.  The beans were great, too.  You can seriously tell when products are fresh, and the difference is immeasurable.  The beets were good, too, but perhaps could have been (should have been?) complimented with another flavor? Anyways, my only complaint (and it’s hardly that) would be the lack of vegan options.

 

The thing I appreciated most about Merriman’s is their passion for creating food with organically grown produce and chemical-free products.  All produce is locally AND organically grown.  And aside from certain items on the wine list, everything is Hawaiian grown.

In fact, Peter Merriman was somewhat of a visionary for his ideas…the thought of growing produce other than sugar cane and pineapple, which clearly dominated the Hawaiian farming landscape, was unimaginable…and yet, that is exactly what he did. 

He (and 12 other prominent Hawaiian chefs) started encouraging farmers to produce an abundance of vegetables and fruits never grown before on the island.  Today, many other local growers, farmers and ranchers produce a variety of select items, from fresh organic mushrooms and greens, to award-winning goat cheese and range-raised, hormone free lamb and beef.  Today they work with several partners to serve the finest ingredients.

As the home of Hawaii Regional Cuisine, Merriman’s honors the connection between the farmer, the cook, our community, our earth.

From their website:

“Hawaii Regional Cuisine has grown into an agricultural, economic and political movement; I often reflect upon how proud I am that Merriman’s restaurant supports local farmers and the local economy while offering fresh, authentic food at its peak flavor.

Every day, we must eat, and make choices about how to live and how to spend our money. The money we spend for food generates a large part of our economy. Choosing to patronize a restaurant founded on regionally grown products strengthens the local economy and community.”

How could you not appreciate a business with such a commitment to protecting and honoring the earth?

At Merriman’s our pledge is:

• to continue to support the local farmers, especially farmers who are choosing sustainable agriculture methods that support the earth and nourish the earth so that it is fertile and rich for future generations;
• to offer you the finest local interpretations of Hawaii Regional Cuisine. Our menu changes daily, with you in mind;
• to continue to promote Hawaii Regional Cuisine and raise awareness among residents and visitors alike, so we have a better understanding of good food, really good food, and how good food positively effects our families, our community and our economy.

“We hope you, too, are inspired to support local farmers and a healthy Hawaii through Hawaii Regional Cuisine.” –Peter Merriman

I could go on and on, but instead, I’ll leave you with some photos of our desserts…

Molten Chocolate something or other with vanilla bean ice cream.

Clearly, Kyle hated it.

I think this was a cheesecake?  It was my Mom’s order, but my Dad kinda hoarded the plate.

I “shared” the seasonal fruit sorbets…(mango and passion fruit).

And by “shared” I mean, tasted once, and decided nobody was getting another bite.  I know.  I’m so generous.