Kona Grill Brings East and West to the Table

by RaeAnne Marsh

Kona Grill welcomes the lunch crowd with its own “power lunch” — a prix fixe three-course meal offered every weekday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Designed to be easy and fast to fit within a traditional “lunch hour,” the dishes are a dine-in quality alternative to fast food.

First course options are an Asian salad that draws on Kona Grill’s fusion cuisine with its cabbage, green onions and a sweet soy dressing, and soups that include Lemongrass Clam Chowder, speckled with chili flakes that add both color and flavor to a dish thick with clams rather than the common heavy use of potatoes.

Of course Kona Grill would offer sushi rolls among the entrée options, but there are also comfort food staples of Avocado Chicken Club, Bacon Cheeseburger, Fried Chicken Sandwich and Cheese Flatbread.

Dessert is limited to Brownie To-Go — but, as a Kona Grill spokesperson expressed, “Who doesn’t like chocolate?”

Beyond Kona Grill’s “power lunch” menu, the variety on the full all-day menu supports the restaurant’s tagline of “America’s Grill,” offering a selection of additional meal options, from starters of soups, wraps and sliders to burgers, salads and a long list of sushi and sashimi to heartier entrées such as Miso-Sake Chilean Sea Bass, Surf & Turf, Baby Back Ribs and Kona Stir-Fry (with chicken and/or shrimp and/or tofu). Sides range from standards like French fries and fried rice to more unusual items like Sweet Chili Green Beans and Crispy Soy Brussels Sprouts. Sweet endings include more chocolate offerings plus cheesecake and carrot cake.

North Phoenix (Desert Ridge) is the newest, the first to open since One Hospitality Group purchased Kona Grill five years ago. The interior is lightly bathed in sunshine from large windows in front and back while still offering guests’ eyes a serene respite from our desert environment’s extremes. Design and décor elements help divide the interior into distinct dining and lounge spaces while the restaurant maintains a structurally open and welcoming ambience.

Kona Grill

21001 N. Tatum Rd., Phoenix
(480) 507-4121

2224 E. Williams Field Rd., Gilbert
(480) 289-4500

Chicken Satay

Grilled skewers on skewers with Thai peanut sauce, cilantro and cabbage slaw

$21

Shrimp Tacos

Angry butter-sautéed shrimp, chipotle mayo and Asian slaw in flour tortillas

$25

KG Cheeseburger

Double-stacked quarter-pound ground beef patties, American cheese, grilled onions, lettuce, tomato and secret sauce on a brioche bun, served with French fries

$9.99

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