Kitchen Door Wai Kai is a fresh, local offshoot of the Napa Valley native, Kitchen Door Napa.
Kitchen Door Wai Kai combines cultural elements from Napa Valley, California, and Ewa Beach, Hawai‘i, where the restaurant is situated on Keoneula Boulevard. The family friendly establishment has classically trained chefs and consists of the Plaza Grill with its ocean and mountain views, and the adjacent open-air Boulevard Cafe along the lagoon.
Opening a few months ago in March, Kitchen Door Wai Kai is still building its brand in the community. With promotional strategies still “in development,” Keith Mallini, Director of Operations at Kitchen Door Wai Kai, has been tasked with honing in on the West Side restaurant market. While some regular guests and nearby neighbors already know of Kitchen Door Wai Kai, we need to attract and make it worthwhile for locals to come and try our food, says Mallini.
Emphasizing identity is essential for Kitchen Door Wai Kai. Aside from making great food and servicing customers, Mallini’s top priority is to establish character for Kitchen Door Wai Kai by not only focusing on but practicing sustainable measures and always providing honest cooking.
Everything from the menu is freshly grown, caught, bought, thoughtfully cooked, or obtained in an effort to promote sustainability. Being able to maintain the highest standards of sustainability and honest practices can be tough in an industry like the restaurant business, but Mallini is determined to do just that.
In a recent effort toward sustainability, Kitchen Door Wai Kai partnered with Head High, an ocean positive, carbon neutral winery company from Sonoma County striving toward zero emissions. This collaboration is the latest of what Kitchen Door Wai Kai has planned for the future, says Mallini.
“Ultimately, we want to stimulate, promote a certain mood. We want our guests not only to have a great meal, but to also feel satisfied and have a good time,” explains Mallini, who has managed numerous restaurants over the years while always enjoying a business challenge. He’s thrilled to lead Kitchen Door Wai Kai and the team to success.
Kitchen Door Wai Kai’s dual-dining concept allows guests to sit and dine inside at the Plaza Grill, or stroll across the boardwalk and grab a quick bite at the Boardwalk Cafe. The decision to incorporate this indoor-outdoor concept was greatly encouraged and supported by Mallini, who felt it delivers both class and comfort, and offers a great option for guests.
When creating the menu, Mallini notes he wants to maintain the brand of Kitchen Door Napa while incorporating local preferences. Luckily, there is a strong crossover when it comes to the Californian-derived menu items intertwined with local tastes.
Chef Joe Rose, Kitchen Door Wai Kai’s Director of Culinary, says the restaurant management took great inspiration from the menu served at the Napa location. Items like the Yuzu Kosho Chicken Ramen were heavily inspired by local Asian flavors and tastes, while still retaining the same offering as Napa. Other menu classics like the popular Mushroom Pizza were added to the menu without diverting from the original.
The outdoor Boardwalk Cafe takes notes from distant Napa Valley neighbors like Monterey Bay and Pier 39, with its “Seafood Shack” themed offerings and light meals.
Mallini plans to continue expanding Kitchen Door Wai Kai’s offerings to better fit with the various local communities in West O‘ahu. He is devoted to establishing Kitchen Door Wai Kai as the premier destination for dining at Wai Kai.
Welcome to the West Side.
