Kona Grill Opening was amazing. It was an extravaganza topping any of recent note to introduce Baltimore's new restaurant hot-spot in downtown. Sexy, hot interior with two 1000 gallon, enormous fish tanks, lounge music, fire pits. The spot has something for everyone and is very much going to be the new dinner date spot as well as lunch with clients or a cocktail with a friend.
There were cirque du soleil like ladies swinging high in the sky,upon the velvet rope entrance. Once inside, you were promptly greeted with a Joel Gott Cabernet Sauvignon or a Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio. For the more designer choices, there were cocktails under 110 calories mingled into the mix-strawberry basil lemonade and skinny cucumber mojitos, beautifully displayed, tasty and refreshing. But my choice for the evening was the "blushing Geisha" a delightfully fragrant and tasty cocktail of vodka infused with lavender, raspberries and more.
Now onto the food, we well were "fed" sushi on a board full of the freshest raw fish and sushi there is. Except, the bed was a lovely female body-_seen left). Ohh-lala-I tuned the table and for her and fed her for fun ;-) We savored sweet & spicy (rock) shrimp, grilled shrimp, macadamia nut chicken served with KONA's signature pineapple-papaya marmalade and grilled filet offered at a special carving station. There is everything on the menu from flat breads with blue cheese and truffle oil to Kona burgers to eggroals, potstickers and wanton crisps.
Loved chatting it up with CEO Marc Buehler, Keith Berghoff, Holiday Inner Harbor Hotel Exec. As well as Rachel Phillips-Luther and Cathy Harlan McPhillips-responsible for putting on the grand production in their new city with Kona's new General Manager, Mark Underwood and Chef Daniel Baldwin.
The local PLANIT Agency helped plan the event with Kona Execs and Bonnie, Caitlin and Team leader, Matt Doud did a great job.
Oh did I mention the "interactive table" serving oyster, sea urchin and quail egg sake shooters. Well was it the shot of the server who was a male mer-man costumed into the table and gorgeously made up in the fish theme which was more tasty to look at or the designer sake? Hmmm...
Others attending the Kona Grill VIP Grand Opening were Tourism Professionals like Visit Baltimore's Bon Whiting and Renee West, Bryson Keens (and his newborn) and Chris Minnick-ROY's Baltimore, Tammy Stone Pintail Yachts and Monyka Berrocosa with friend, Jay Dugan. Hotel Execs: Jason Curtis, Marriott Intl. and Keith Berghoff, Holiday Inn Baltimore Inner Harbor. Media Folks were bountiful-John Dinkel, Ryan Sharrow, Mich Demereck of the Baltimore Business Journal, Diane/Larry Macklin and Food blogger Dara/Tom Bunjon, Walaika Haskins from Bmore Media.
The wine list is extensive as is the skinny menu. Kona Grill also is concerned with your health and will cook to order, be it dietary like vegetarian or gluten-free. Kona Grill opens its newest, 25th location, Tuesday October 5 to the public. Run, don't walk.
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