When in Kauai, our favorite restaurant for a nice dinner is Plantation Gardens, in Poipu.
My parents came here in the early/mid 1970s and loved it, and we had a terrific meal at the same place during our honeymoon. This time, we started with the tempura plate and moved on to surf’n'turf and the fish of the day, which in this case was a pan-roasted ono. Everything was cooked perfectly, and the sauces for each dish were fantastic.
Plantation Gardens is in the Kiahuna Plantation Resort, and is definitely worth a visit–no matter where you’re staying on the island.
If you’re in Kapaa, why not stop at Burritohead? We went because it’s owned by a friend of a friend, but we’re talking about going back because of the food. As you might guess, they have burritos–as well as tacos, flautas, and quesadillas. These come with pork, chicken, or beef, and are all in the $7-9 range, or fish for $2 more. We had a pork quesadilla and fish tacos, and everything was really good.
In the town of Waimea, on the south shore of Kauai, is a roadside restaurant called Shrimp Station. Actually, “restaurant” is a generous term–it’s basically a cookstand with a patio. But no matter how basic the setup is, the outcome is fantastic. The sauteed garlic shrimp are to die for, and the beer-battered shrimp are crisp and light. Please, sir, I want some more.
Last night we made our second trip to the Bear Pit. It’s not my favorite BBQ spot in the San Fernando Valley, but it’s a nice family place that is clearly a local favorite. I found the chicken and spare ribs a bit dry, but the beef ribs are good–as is the ham sandwich.
Another option, which I enjoyed on my one trip there (so far) is Dr. Hogly Wogly’s Tyler Texas BBQ. Both are on Sepulveda, but the Bear Pit is in the shadow of the 118 (literally), while Dr. Hogly Wogly’s is just south of Roscoe. On the whole, I think Dr. Hogly Wogly’s has better ribs and more tender meat (and brisket, which the Bear Pit does not offer–maybe brisket isn’t “Missouri style”).
But they both have great names.
