Oktoberfest Girls at Umalu

The Hyatt sure knows how to throw a party!

Last year for Umalu’s Grand Opening, the Hyatt Resort and Spa, Kaanapli, hosted an event par excellence complete with live bands, dance contests, the Budweiser Girls and elaborate food stations showcasing the restaurant’s exceptional selection of pupus and entrees.

Last Saturday, to celebrate Umalu’s One Year Anniversary (which happened to coincide with Oktoberfest) organizers once again lived up to previously established event planning expectations.

The night started with entertainment by the Ompapa Trio, a German style band which set the tone for the evening. Servers dressed in their finest Oktoberfest costumes greeted guests with party favors in the form of keychain bottle openers, courtesy of sponsor, Gordon Biersch. Participants who paid the $25 entrance fee received six food and drink tickets to be used at various food stations and the bar.

Chinese Salad in Carryout Boxes

Although Brats with all the appropriate trimmings were the only real nod to Bavarian cuisine, the balance of the island-centric menu included many Umalu favorites; Uncle Kimo’s Ahi Poke Nachos, Chinese chicken salad in cute carry-out style packages, Kobe beef sliders on poi rolls with caramelized onions, edamame guacamole, lomi salsa, “Surfing Goat” chevre & firecracker caviar appetizers. Yum! Inside the adjacent food court we discovered a grand selection of sussigkeiten — aka tortes, cakes and Napoleons. Yummier, still!

As the sun set, closing yet another stellar day in paradise, The New Project Band took the stage. The Motown inspired music along with the tapping of a few Gordon Biersch kegs sent the festivities into high gear. Ja, ja, there was dancing! Naturlich there was toasting! Bestimmt there was flirting and feasting! There was also considerable celebrating at the end of the season closer being broadcast on big screen behind the bar area, creating an even greater sense of community and intimacy at the party.

We would never want to wish away today, but before the night ended we were already looking forward to Umalu’s next anniversary. In the meantime, stop by Umalu any time you’d enjoy “a shady spot,” which is what the name means in Hawaiian, or if you simply want to catch sport broadcasts in an upscale outdoor location, or when you long for Uncle Kimo’s Ahi Poke Nachos, which is just about every day for WCM.

Night View of Umalu

Umalu is located Oceanside next to the giant cascading waterfall and pool at the beautiful Hyatt The inviting bar and toes-in-the-sand seating under colorful beach umbrellas offer an enticing place to relax, dine on one grinds, and enjoy Maui’s island ambiance!

It's That Time! Raise Your Stein!

As we reported last week in Dis ‘n Dat, every weekend in October, Brigit & Bernard’s Garden Cafe presents a wonderful Oktoberfest tribute. It’s the closest you can get to the annual Munich based festival of beer, brats, lederhosen, and drindl  without leaving the island!

Every Friday/Saturday in October, special OktoberFest Beer, all-you-can-eat buffet replete with schnitzel, wursten, leberkase, sauerkraut, rotkohl, kartoffeln and other such tongue twisting specialties that are oh-so-ono this time of year, are rolled out along with a real, live Oohmpah band, “The Dorfmusikanten.” Get your best Chicken Dance on and enjoy some knee-slapping fun that will have you yodeling before the night is over. Only $38 for all you can eat and entertainment.

WCM Staffers have attended two years running and, having actually lived in Germany and dined often in Milwaukee, we can say with some authority it is the real deal, Mein Schatz. Save room for Apfelstrudel! Schmecht lecker!

Reservations recommended. Call 877-6000. Brigit & Bernard’s, 335 Ho‘ohana St., Kahului.

Jumping on the Blasmusik Bandwagon, Cafe Marc Aurel is hosting a one-night only Oktoberfest which is sure to be great fun. Of course the entire WCM staff is looking forward to attending  Café Marc’s Oktoberfest party, Wednesday October 14th, 7:00 p.m., when Beers from Germany and the US will be presented by Bruce ‘Frazier’ from Paradise Beverages. Included are: Paulaner, Warsteiner, Sam Adams and St. Pauli Girl. Reservations are recommended so please call 280-6363. $25 admission.

Umalu at the Hyatt Kaanapali is celebrating their One Year Anniversary Party under the Oktoberfest Tent, joining Café Marc Aurel and Brigit and Bernard’s festival effectively expanding Maui’s Oktoberfest line-up by 50%. Celebrating all things Deutsch (in particular beer and sausages) Saturday, October 17, 5-10 p.m. Admission is $25 and includes 6 food or drink tickets.

The Umpapa Trio will entertain from 5-7 p.m., The New Project Band from 7-10 p.m. Island style and German food available at various food stations positioned around the open-aired Oceanside venue now celebrating its One Year Anniversary! (Can it really be that long ago we first reported on Umalu!) If you burn through your scrip too fast you can get $6 well drinks and $4 drafts all night.

Here’s to a bountiful harvest! Lebwohl!