Take the cuisines from every continent touching the Pacific Ocean, blend them together and put them on a plate. That’s the idea at Mahina, Isla Bella Beach Resort’s new take on fine dining.
Helmed by executive chef Pavy Keomaniboth, Mahina’s culinary experience is rare in the state of Florida. “We did our homework, and we say this with the utmost respect: we believe that there is no other true Pacific Rim restaurant (in the state),” said Keomaniboth. “It means we’re taking all cultural cuisines and tying them into a melting pot. Any continent that touches the Pacific Ocean, that’s the Ring of Fire. On my menu, we have Japanese, Korean, Polynesian and Micronesian influences. You name it and it’s there, tied into one specific dish that makes sense.”
Keomaniboth’s upbringing and extensive culinary experience lend authenticity to the menu’s offerings. Originally from Hawaii, he attended the Western Culinary Institute of America before spending years as a Hyatt chef in Bellevue, Washington, Columbus, Ohio, and Green Bay, Wisconsin before being displaced by COVID-19 layoffs.
As an executive chef with multiple offers from competitors, Keomaniboth said the Keys environment and belief in Mahina’s concept ultimately drove him to the islands. “At the end of the day, it’s not about money,” he said. “It’s about how happy I am and how happy our customers are, and I truly believe that sunshine is one of the key ingredients for happiness. Everybody is born to be outside. Because otherwise, you’re going to live under a rock, and life is going to pass you by.”
Mahina’s dishes are designed for an educated palate, but thanks to the rise of culinary content in multiple media forms, diners are more equipped to understand the unique blends of flavors, textures and colors. “There are so many more educated diners now, because there’s the Food Network and people reading more books and articles,” said Keomaniboth. “There’s a science behind it all.” He cites influences from renowned chefs Gordon Ramsay, Thomas Keller and Hiroyuki Sakai as he crafts each dish with contributions from the Pacific Rim and beyond. “Some people say, ‘it’s an Asian restaurant,’ but it’s Asian influence with Portuguese, Italian, French, you name it.”
Since launching the restaurant in December, Keomaniboth said he was surprised by an unusually even sales report across the menu. “There is no favorite,” he said. “It caught me off guard, because typically in a Pacific Rim restaurant, a pasta dish won’t sell as much as a protein or seafood dish. But our squid ink linguine is unique. Not everyone uses that ingredient, and people want to try it because they’ve seen it on TV.” Though no one dish stands head and shoulders above the other, Keomaniboth pointed to the Hawaiian style Ahi tuna poke, lobster crusted mahi-mahi with macadamia nut orange brown butter, and a 14-ounce Kurabota pork chop marinated for 24 hours in Thai herbs as some of his personal highlights.
Find Mahina at Isla Bella Beach Resort, 1 Knight’s Key Blvd. in Marathon. Breakfast is served daily from 7 to 10:30 a.m., with dinner service from 6 to 10 p.m. Reservations are required for dinner.
