Restaurateur Matteo Bruno will launch Hana on Little Collins Street on 4 May, 2017.
The venue is inspired by the coastal town at the eastern end of Maui, and Hawaiian born head chef Mario Manabe has created a menu that follows the seaside theme, focusing on raw seafood, with just a handful of the savoury options served hot.
Guests can choose to begin with individually portioned items such as mudcrab with tempura apple and ginger; and tapioca crisps with poke, avocado and yuzu, or order share plates including kingfish with jalapeno and lemon ice; snapper ceviche, kumquat, tigers milk; and grilled lobster with carrot and cardamom puree and pickled shitake.
Desserts include Hawaiian favourite, Haupia, (a coconut milk-based dessert); as well as a pineapple and rum tart; and a lime cheesecake.
Manabe, who was raised in Hawaii, was classically trained and worked as Curtis Stone’s sous chef for four years in both the United States and Australia before collaborating with Matteo Bruno on this project.
“Working with Mario in what I believe to be Melbourne’s first Hawaiian restaurant has been incredible. He is a serious talent and we can’t wait to showcase our menu to Melbourne and beyond,” said Bruno.
Cocktails at Hana are all tiki focused and named after beaches and waterfalls on Maui, including the Twin Falls Jungle Bird and the Honolua Bay Sharknado, a mix of dark rum, Cointreau, passionfruit, lime, orange and orgeat, served in a shark’s head tiki glass.
The Hana Colada is made with coconut, freshly juiced pineapples and Jamaican rum. It can be ordered as a single serve or upgraded to a ‘volcano’, for two to four people.
There’s also a list of natural, orange, bio-dynamic and minimal intervention wines.
Once occupied by Hairy Canary, the site has been transformed by Samantha Eades (refurbishment at Chin Chin, fitouts at Hawker Hall and The Meatball & Wine Bar on Flinders Lane). The design features neon pink lights, custom made Monstera-leaf wallpaper and pineapple shaped light fittings.
Hana will be open from 12pm–late from Monday through to Saturday.