"People were coming here and asking if we served wine, and when we answered 'no,' they would leave," said Inthasone, who teamed up with his former New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel executive chef Ken Furuta to open this Kahala establishment back in June. "Even when we told them they could purchase a bottle next door, they still wouldn't stay."

But with a week-old liquor license now nailed to the wall, the bar is open for service.

"Now we can offer the complete dining-out experience," Inthasone said. "And starting tomorrow, we're going to offer pau hana specials from 4 to 6 p.m. "

Since opening, chef Furuta has tweaked the menu, removing items and replacing them with others.

"As a chef, my primary concern is what's coming out of the kitchen and whether or not guests are enjoying the food," said Furuta, who described his cuisine as Pacific Rim with

European influences. "Naturally, I worry. And if I didn't, I wouldn't be doing my job."

Those familiar with Furuta's cuisine when he was at the New Otani will find equal comfort in his menu here.

For starters, his "T.G." ahi sushi tempura ($12.95) is stuffed with crab meat and avocado, then wrapped in nori and fried to a medium-rare temperature. An accompanying wasabi aioli and balsamic-soy "syrup" gives this dish more zip.

Also appearing at the top of the list of appetizers is the trio "Surfa-style" poke (market price), which comprises of generous chunks of ahi mixed with limu, green and Maui onions, and toasted sesame seeds; steamed mussels infused with chili oil; and poached shrimp spiced with a Korean-style kim chee sauce.

When it comes to entrees, a legal-size page is filled with seafood, meat, poultry and vegetarian dishes.

"You should have seen it before we pared it down," said Furuta of the list of entrees. "We had everything imaginable on the menu."

And to some extent, they still do. Each main heading, with the exception of "vegetarian," contains six different dishes.

Under the seafood banner, patrons can choose from the crab-crusted Island catch ($24.95), seared-garlic ahi ($22.95), the kataifi-wrapped lobster "Apollo" ($25.95) and

"A Taste of the Sea" ($25.95), which includes jumbo prawns, scallops, fresh Island fish, mussels and a lobster tail, all accompanied by a sweet-chili-and-Boursin-cream sauce.

For meat eaters, try either the pineapple-lacquered pork chops served with a refreshing fruit chutney ($20.95) or the grilled New York striploin complemented with a fig-and-port-wine demi sauce.

Chef Ken Furuta prepares a wide range of Pacific Rim-like dishes.

"You want it, we got it," smiled Inthasone. "We even introduced a casual bar menu for those who just want to have an appetizer or salad, instead of a full-on dinner."

The restaurant also offers extensive breakfast and lunch menus, which overlap in time.

"We start breakfast at 9 a.m. and lunch an hour later," Inthasone said. "We want to give our guests a choice."