The folks behind the Flagstaff House are heading west...far west.
The Monette brothers, sons of Flagstaff House founder Don Monette and now owners of that restaurant, have established a second beachhead in the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel on the Big Island of Hawaii.
They designed two separate concepts for the hotel -- the
fine-dining Monettes and the Bar M Cafe, full of contemporary cocktails
using local fruit juices and herbs -- and opened both two weeks ago.
This expansion was quite a departure, considering that the Flagstaff House was a solo enterprise for 38 years. But when executive chef
Mark Monette and general manager Scott Monette were approached by the
hotel, they were intrigued by the possibilities, according to spokeswoman Rachel Losowski.
"The
Prince Resorts Hawaii was looking for a high-quality, four-star
restaurant that was family-owned," she says. "The Monettes just fit into the
culture and what they were looking for."
And the feeling was mutual. "The Monettes liked the
hotel because it's prestigious and has an
exclusive location overlooking a beautiful beach in Hawaii," Losowski continues. "Mark was
also intrigued by the access to quality, fresh local ingredients."
But while Mark Monette is adding a lei to his chef whites, we Coloradans don't need to hop on the next red-eye to the Big Island to try his take on island cuisine. Because through April, the Flagstaff House is offering a special, five-course dinner focusing on the flavors of Hawaii. The cost is $58, with an extra $35 for wine to go with the meal.
The Flagstaff House is located at1138 Flagstaff Road in Boulder; for more information, call 303-442-4640.
