The Kona Kitchen and Bar opened in downtown Hollywood, Florida, on May 11, 2019, providing a fusion menu of Caribbean and Italian dishes. The official opening included live reggae music from the Aces and Kings Trio, free vodka shots and a 20 percent discount for residents of Hollywood.  The hosts at Kona Kitchen are Kerwayne Clough and Oreth Smith, both raised in Jamaica and now living in South Florida. The restaurant’s chef is Llordell Taylor, and he has developed a menu that features Jamaican, Italian, and American fusion cuisine.

The restaurant is located at Harrison Street and Young Circle near the Tipsy Boar gastropub. The name – Kona Kitchen – is an acronym of the owners’ first names, plus the names of their daughters: Kerwayne, Oreth, Nyla, and  Adriana. On Thursdays, which are Ladies Night, the restaurant features karaoke, and on Saturday, there is live jazz. The first Tuesday of every month features a stand-up comedy show.

Some of the highlights on the menu at Kona Kitchen are braised Jamaican-style oxtail, pappardelle pasta in house-made jerk Alfredo sauce for vegetarians, and sautéed curry jumbo shrimp with fried tostones and seasonal vegetables. The menu also features festivals, which are lightly battered, doughy Jamaican dumplings shaped like corn dogs served with five jumbo shrimp.

Image Courtesy: Kona Kitchen and Bar