Making Kiddush before Arbit/Maariv

Question

I received a response from Rav Aaron that he learned from CYA that you can make Kiddush and eat the meal before davening Arbit/Maariv on Friday night(s). I just wanted to point out that the Rabbi Neudast brings down that both the GRA and the AriZal held that this is not proper. The following is taken directly from his Sefer: Kiddush before Maariv QUESTION: Can one recite Kiddush before Maariv? This situation may be arise during the summer months, when many people would like to Daven Maariv after nightfall, yet they would also like to eat earlier with their family. A possible solution would be to accept Shabbos after Plag Hamincha, eat the meal with the family, and then Daven Maariv with a later Minyan. Is this permitted? DISCUSSION: Mishnah Berurah7 rules that there is no objection to reciting Kiddush before Maariv, provided that the meal begins at least one half hour before nightfall. After that time, it is prohibited to begin a full meal before saying Krias Shema and Davening Maariv. According to the Arizal's Kabbalah, however, it is not proper to recite Kiddush before Maariv. It is considered as if one is performing the Mitzvos in the wrong sequence8. Additionally, the Gr"a9 proves from the Talmud (Brachos 27b) that one should not recite Kiddush before Maariv.