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Side Orders • May 4, 2017

The Hibiscus Hua cocktail poured at Hula Grill Ka‘anapali will be featured on “The Booze Traveler, Best Bars, Tropical Episode” on Monday. says the restaurant management team about the Travel Channel hit show. HULA GRILL photo

HOT AS A TAMALE . . . Right after I finished writing a Cinco de Mayo piece for the inside pages, a few stragglers contacted me to promote fun on this Mexican holiday that is more about eating and drinking than an obscure battle.

But I don’t wanna taco ’bout it anymore, because after writing about all that Mexican food I just want to take a break and eat a chile relleno. However, in the interest of spilling the beans, here it is.

“Friday is Cinco de Mayo so we will not be having our monthly wine tasting until next Friday, May 12,” says Cruz Ortiz, the owner of Lahaina Coolers and a fan of Latino cuisine from her youth. “We hope to see you all here at Coolers for a few raspberry-peach margaritas. Ole!”

The besos, or “little kisses” will come in two or four pieces; and you may feast on chicken tortilla soup, chili verde plates and seafood enchiladas.

I also just heard that Down the Hatch in Lahaina will celebrate with all-day taco and margarita specials and the mariachi band, The Juan Time Weasel, will perform from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday.

The new Koa 156 Degrees is open on Front Street with a chef from Park City, Utah. Koa 156 Degrees photo

The managing partner for Hula Grill Ka’anapali reports that fun was had by all when the Travel Channel showed up on Maui to film Season 1, Episode 6 of “The Booze Traveler” in February. The episode airs Monday evening.

“We had a fun time with Jack Maxwell, the host, while filming in February,” Orrin Cross shares.

“The entire crew spent about six hours in our restaurant, at the bar, in the sand, at the beach and dining,” he continues. “It was an interesting and fun experience for our entire team. I believe the episode also includes the Maui Tropical Plantation and the Steel Horse Saloon.”

Also starring in the episode will be Hula Grill’s Bartender “Aloha Dave” Fried, with hula dancer Nalani Dudoit, musician U’a Aloha Manji and Manager Wil Noye lending a hand.

New in Lahaina is Koa 156 Degrees in the former Koa’s Seaside Grill. It was so named by its partners Seth Adams and Bryce Sorenson because of its location with sweeping views overlooking the ocean and Neighbor Islands.

“Our goal is to offer a wonderful dining experience, while serving food that genuinely makes people happy and showcases the variety of ingredients that the island has to offer,” says Koa 156’s Executive Chef Dan Vesey, who most recently worked at the acclaimed Riverhorse on Main restaurant in Park City, Utah.

So many events are forthcoming, such as the Maui Brewers Festival on May 13 at Maui Arts & Cultural Center. Of course, one of the main players, Garrett Marrero of Maui Brewing Co., was just honored in Washington D.C., with the 2017 National Small Business Persons Award along with his wife, Melanie Marrero. Garrett got to schmooze with Ivanka Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, he reports.

Maui Matsuri’s main event will be at UH Maui College in Kahului on Saturday and food trucks by Maui Fresh Streatery and Three’s Bar & Grill will be there with other local grinds.

Hmm . . . where’s that chile relleno? I’d really like to devour one right now.

* Got restaurant / dining-event scoop?

Call Dining Editor Carla Tracy at 242-6342; or email carlatracy@mauinews.com.

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