Pacific Business News: Monkeypod Kitchen to Open New Location at Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort
Outrigger Hospitality Group has selected Monkeypod Kitchen by Merriman to anchor the Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort as a part of the property’s $80 million renovation project, marking the fourth location for Monkeypod Kitchen.
Renowned Hawai‘i chef and restaurateur Peter Merriman said that opening a restaurant in Waikīkī is “a dream come true.”
“It really didn’t require much thought. If you get a chance to do a restaurant on the beach in Waikīkī, you do it,” Merriman told Pacific Business News.
Outrigger Hospitality Group last month unveiled details of the Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort renovation, a property-wide revamp that will include a remodel of existing rooms and suites, the addition of 23 guest units, refreshed public spaces, and more.
The resort will reopen in late spring, and Monkeypod Kitchen is slated to open by late 2021 after the restaurant conducts a multi-million dollar buildout that will utilize building materials such as lava rock and koa wood, along with Hawai‘i-inspired décor.
Outrigger Hospitality Group President and CEO Jeff Wagoner sees Monkeypod Kitchen complementing the revamped property.
“Everything that we are doing here is really thought through and crafted for creating a unique experience at the property, and Monkeypod does the exact same thing,”
The menu at the new Monkeypod Kitchen will be similar to existing locations, highlighting local products from Hawai‘i ranchers and farmers and fishers and including salads, hand-tossed pizza, saimin, and fish and steak entrees. New to the Outrigger restaurant will be a la carte breakfast offerings.
“We anticipate that 2022 is going to be a pretty strong year for the industry here in Hawai‘i. We may not be back yet to 2019 levels, but I think we will be in a significantly different place in 2022,” Wagoner said. “The timing is perfect [for Monkeypod] — this is the time to go and do it right and create something special.”
Read the full article in Pacific Business News HERE.
Also picked up in Global Travel Media HERE.
