I’ve been to several of the Hawaiian Islands, but Kauai is in a league of its own. Last month my husband and I got the joy of experiencing the island, and of course its food. We made a mission out of finding the “best of” spots for food during our entire trip. Here’s a run-down of places and dishes that made our favorites list:
Our favorite “Hawaiian Plate” establishment, where they serve traditional lau lau, kalua pork and poke to-go, was on the south side of the island. Located in the small town of Koloa, on the end of the street you’ll find Koloa Fish Market .
I didn’t think anything could beat mai tais on vacation, until I tried the Lavender Pina Colada at the Plantation Gardens. I must also give a shout-out to their curry-coconut seafood stew. Yum.
We ate so much on our trip that by the time we dined at The Beach House, which is known as a locals spot for ocean-front special occasion dinners, all I wanted was a salad. The Beach House menu is so much more than salads, but the watermelon salad holds its own: it includes caramelized macadamia nuts. Enough said.
For fresh fish you must go to the fish market found in Hanalei’s Dolphin Center. It’s a small fish counter right on the water, which can usually be identified by the line of customers out the door waiting to get their hands on that morning’s catch. We stopped here several times throughout our trip and tried different fish, sashimi-style! They even have wasabi and soy-sauce packs to go, making it easy to feast on the fresh fish at home or on a beach picnic.
I found true food heaven in Hanalei. A small town (population of about 500), Hanalei is home to many shops and restaurant, and the best shaved ice truck in the world! Yes, the world. Hands down. Here’s what they do at Wishing Well Shaved Ice: scoop of macadamia nut ice cream, topped with hand-shaved ice (off the block – old school!), then they add your choice of flavored syrups. Ask for a “snow cap” which means they drizzle the entire thing in condensed milk. As you eat the cold treat it gets better and better – the ice and sweet syrups melt with the ice cream and condensed milk to create a gooey, sweet, creamy treat. We ordered one every time we drove by the Wishing Well truck.
Aloha!
Aloha! As you may have guessed, my summer vacation was a trip to Maui with my hubby, 7-month old son, and my parents (babysitters!). My husband and I hadn’t been back to Maui since our honeymoon four years ago, and one thing we remembered fondly was the food. We were looking forward to enjoying the wonderfully fresh seafood and tropical cocktails again. Here’s a few highlights!
Our first stop was the touristy Hula Grill in Whalers Village. Our condo wasn’t quite ready yet and we were absolutely starving after the five hour flight. It was barely lunch time so we got a table quickly before the lunch crowd took over the “barefoot bar.” It was my first Mai Tai of the trip and I ordered the Kapulu Joe with Mac Nut Slaw (barbecued pork, grilled onions, toasted ciabatta bun and mango barbecue sauce). Both were superb. What a way to kick off a great trip!
The nearest restaurant to our quaint little condo was an Italian grill called Basil Tomatoes. I was hesitant to try Italian in Maui, but I remembered how much I love the seafood in Italy so we went for it. I’m glad we did! The plantation-style architecture overlooking the Kaanapali golf course we were staying on was incredibly charming. The food was great too! I tried the special, a pan-fried monchong (I hadn’t heard of this native Hawaiian fish before) served with artichoke risotto and asparagus. It was decadent and delicious!
Josh and I celebrated our anniversary at the highly recommended Sansei in Kapalua. Maui’s #1 sushi restaurant doesn’t take reservations so we knew we had a wait ahead of us. While waiting for a table and sipping on Sauvignon Blanc at the bar, we struck up conversations with other guests and the bartender, Trudy. Trudy ordered us an amazing appetizer of mango and crab wrapped in a mamenori served with a Thai chili sauce. She offered to order the rest of our dinner and we took her up on it. We had no idea what was coming next but Trudy’s choices were magnificent and it sure made for a fun dining experience!
The one reservation we did make was at our favorite Maui restaurant, Mama’s Fish House. We wanted to take my parents there so they could experience the spectacular sunset and fabulous food. We weren’t disappointed! I enjoyed my favorite meal of the trip, the Bouillabaisse. Lobster, prawns, scallops, mahi mahi, and mussels swam in an herb and butter broth that was deliciously drinkable. The garlic butter toast that accompanied the dish melted in your mouth after a quick dunk in the broth. It was heaven in a bowl.
My final highlight was breakfast at the Castaway Café. My mom and I walked along the coast every morning and passed this delightful restaurant daily. On our final morning in Kaanapali, we dragged the boys over to the hidden gem. My mom splurged and ordered the combo pancake platter, a combination of macadamia nut, pineapple and banana pancakes served with Lanai sauce, a coconut-like syrup. To-die-for!
All in all, Maui food no ka oi!