New Restaurant Coming to Hotel Molokai

This summer, the restaurant and bar at Hotel Molokai will once again be open for business. Molokai’s Hiro family has taken over its operation, and is currently renovating the space for its unveiling as Hiro’s `Ohana Grill. Cameron Hiro said he and his brothers Raymond Hiro and John Pele will jointly manage the business, joined by other family members in its operation.

Cameron Hiro called the opportunity a “dream come true” when they were approached by the Hotel to run the restaurant after the previous management closed their business unexpectedly at the end of February. Hiro said he and his family envision a “classy, contemporary and casual” dining experience, focusing on dinner specials like local fresh fish and steak.

“It’s about `ohana, it’s about serving up a generation of hospitality,” said Hiro of their business. His family members will bring together years of experience as chefs, musicians and other hospitality fields.

Hiro himself went to culinary school.

“Several years into working in the food service, I always wanted to have my own place… but it just didn’t work out,” he said. He kept being employed by other restaurants, moved home in 1998, and worked for Molokai dining establishments from Molokai Ranch and KFC to Hotel Molokai.

Coming back to Hotel Molokai almost 20 years later to manage his own restaurant, Hiro said it’s not just about the three brothers.

“The dream evolved to where we’re not really running the restaurant for ourselves, we always wanted this to be a business opportunity for our children who want to come home,” he said. “It’s an `ohana thing.”

In addition to bringing on family to fill key positions, the business is also currently hiring wait staff, bartenders, cooks, dishwashers and many others.

Hiro said they’re targeting mid-July to open. In the meantime, they’re busy with renovations of the oceanfront space. They are refinishing the dining room floors, changing the look of the columns, bringing in all new furniture and décor, and installing a small, secondary stage in the corner of the dining room for more intimate entertainment.

Their menu will focus on dinner, with steak house options and locally grown food. Hiro said initially, they will also serve a light lunch menu, though will not offer breakfast. He hopes the bar will be ready to open at the same time as  the restaurant.

For updates, check Hiro’s `Ohana Grill Facebook page.