By Anni Caporuscio

Labeled just ‘Ahi’ on the menu, this fat piece of ahi is, Oh, so fresh! and crusted in wasabi peas, sitting atop flavorful firecracker rice, topped with a little salad of sea asparagus, carrots and other crisp veggies. It’s poised amidst a chili soy reduction and herb oils.

Labeled just ‘Ahi’ on the menu, this fat piece of ahi is, Oh, so fresh! and crusted in wasabi peas, sitting atop flavorful firecracker rice, topped with a little salad of sea asparagus, carrots and other crisp veggies. It’s poised amidst a chili soy reduction and herb oils.

While looking at the RumFire menu, I discovered I don’t have a name for what they do. Asian? Seafood? Traditional? Hawaiian? Italian-influenced Thai?

“Our menu is of a global influence inspired by local produce; it reflects the incredible diversity of our guests,” said Executive Chef Roger Liang, without blinking an eye.

My server, Debbe, said they serve “Pacific Rim, a Hawaiian Fusion, with a particular Asian influence, especially evident in the appetizers.”

These explanations helped me a great deal, as I tried to imagine such improbable blends of ingredients: brussel sprouts and miso, sea-asparagus with rum-apple reduction, “forbidden pasta”.

And then dinner was served — and I loved it.

Many of their dishes exemplify Kaua‘i cuisine, with pickings from the sea and our organic farms.

A note on RumFire’s service: unflappable. Nobody broke their cool; and I tried, believe me, with all my questions.

The Coconut-Crab Luau Dip is a new take on a traditional Hawaiian dish. Chef Liang and his staff turned a luau leaf into a dip with rich coconut and hunks of crab and crispy naan bread to scoop.

The Coconut-Crab Luau Dip is a new take on a traditional Hawaiian dish. Chef Liang and his staff turned a luau leaf into a dip with rich coconut and hunks of crab and crispy naan bread to scoop.

The atmosphere is upscale and comfortable, contemporary like no other place on Kaua‘i. And with three walls of windows facing the ocean, every table has a view.

RumFire is at the Sheraton Kaua‘i Resort and Spa in Po‘ipu. They’re open for dinner Tuesday to Saturday, from 5:30 p.m., with different closing times depending on the day. They also have a bar that closes later than the dining room.

It’s worth mentioning RumFire reserves its best table, #53, for a program called “You Dine, We Donate,” in which Sheraton matches the check and donates to a local nonprofit organization. This month, Life’s Bridges will benefit from the program.

And then on Aug. 16, the 2nd Annual RumFest will showcase rum makers from around the world, pairing rum with food. There will be live music and a silent auction benefiting our furry friends at Kaua‘i Humane Society.

Visit rumfirekauai.com or call 742-4RUM (4786) for reservations or more information.

  • Anni Caporuscio is a food lover and can be found daily at her Kapa‘a business, Small Town Coffee.
The Kaua‘i Shrimp and Clams is all about seafood: It’s a play on the classic Italian clam pasta but with an Asian flare. The broth is a thai-curry coconut lobster broth. The clams and the shrimp came from just down the road at Kauai’s shrimp farm, and the shrimps are big and meaty. The pasta is squid ink.
Executive Chef Roger Liang, Chef de Cuisine Russly Morietta, Manager Ivan Salazar, and Abby the Intern.
The candied bacon in the Bacon and Beet Salad makes the Kilauea arugula and Kunana Dairy goat cheese naughty. Spicy and sweet and fresh.
For dessert, Kaua‘i Coffee Creme Brûlée, served with a cinnamon biscotti and a thick layer of sugar. Paired with the Zaya Guatemalan rum.
Mango Mojito, one of RumFire’s signature drinks, is made with light rum blended with mango puree and fresh mint. Speaking of rum, manager Ivan brought a Ron Zacapa 23, Zaya, from Guatemala. It had heavy notes of vanilla and was aged in oak barrels. Next, for contrast, Ivan brings a 35 Zacapa, which smelled and sipped like a fine cognac.

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