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Ron Ruggless
SCOTTSDALE Ariz. Kona Grill, a 24-unit grill and sushi chain, will feature cocktails with fewer than 115 calories and entrees with fewer than 200 calories as part of its spring-summer menu debut on April 1.
The “Get the Skinny” menu, available through August, is being introduced as restaurants investigate how they will comply with nutrition disclosure rules mandated in the health-care reform bill signed last week by President Obama. Kona Grill said it planned to disclose all nutritional information on core menu items by this summer.
Takeshi Trinitapoli, executive chef of Kona Grill, described the new menu as “highly flavorful” with premium ingredients and simple preparations.
Entrees on the “Skinny” menu include Seven-Spice Ahi at 200 calories and 10 grams of fat; Hamachi Kyuri (yellow tail with cucumber salsa) at 120 calories and 4 grams of fat; and halibut ceviche at 70 calories and 1.5 grams of fat.
The seasonal cocktails include a Cool Cucumber Mojita with 100 calories, a Skiwi Kiss with 110 calories and a Sukini Marg with 110 calories.
Rachel Phillips-Luther, Kona Grill’s vice president of marketing and brand innovation, said, “The transparency of our process and the nutritional understanding on the part of our guest is important to us. Getting bodies in shape for the swimsuit and patio season is nice, but being able to offer a 300-calorie meal is, well, the most flattering figure of all."
Kona Grill has restaurants in 15 states.
Contact Ron Ruggless at [email protected].
