Our fourth course is Australian lamb chops dusted with macadamia nuts and rosemary, and accompanied by a side of broccolini and date jam. It’s paired with a Willamette Valley 2014 Dobbes Family Estate pinot noir. The tender lamb nestles beside silken potatoes puréed with slow-roasted shallots and copious amounts of brown butter.
Tarzan is going quietly ape over the lamb when Pastry Chef Marko arrives with a dessert sampler I can only call divine. The Hawaiian Lave (French for lava) is a take on s’mores; as Marko flambés the marshmallows, the burnt sugar sweetens the air, making me dream of fireside cookouts. A deconstructed Napoleon is dressed for the evening in chocolate pearls and a feuilletine crisp. As we sip crystal-clear pineapple and mango consommé with sweet mango “ravioli,” Marko presents us with a final gift of exquisite handmade chocolates.
The chefs bid us adieu, and utterly content, Tarzan and I descend the candlelit staircase and meander along the path through the trees. Next to home, this is one tree house we’ll want to experience again and again.
Hotel Wailea
555 Kaukahi Street, Wailea
808-874-0500 | HotelWailea.com
