Aloha

No, we’re not going to Hawaii. Although wouldn’t that be wonderful? We’ve been lucky enough to go several times since our wedding, and it’s at the top of the list of places we’d live if we won the lottery.

However, I am experiencing an element of Hawaiian culture. After years of talking about it, I’ve started taking hula lessons. Tonight was the first session, and I’m really enjoying it. Hula turns out to be quite the workout–particularly Tahitian style.

Now, you might think that I became interested in hula as a result of going to Hawaii, but that’s not the case. No, I decided that I wanted lessons after seeing Lilo & Stitch. That’s right. My inspiration came from Disney.

It is a lot of fun, though. Four more classes don’t seem like enough.

 

More Eats on Kauai

I need to catch up on our Kauai eats.

First, more on garlic shrimp. Savage Shrimp, on the corner of Lawai Road and Hoonani Road in Poipu, is housed in a lunch truck. It may move in the next two years, depending on what happens with the shopping center that is supposed to be built across the road–but for now, the truck can be found mid-day, with Susan dishing up freshly cooked shrimp in a handful of preparations. We had the Garlic Scampi and the Bahia Scampi, both of which were delicious. It’s worth noting that the prices are a tiny bit higher than indicated in the Roadfood.com review, but only by a dollar or two. Portions are generous and flavorful.

Next, Hamura Saimin. This is a small place on shabby Kress Street in Lihue, but it’s good for a cheap bite. The menu is small, but the Special Saimin is quite good. Try the lilikoi pie–light and fluffy. At one end of the restaurant is Halo Halo Shave Ice. Their hours are limited, but the shave ice is vastly superior to the mainland Sno-Cone and its kin. We had it plain, without ice cream at the bottom, and found it very refreshing–just the thing for a hot day. The serving was big enough for both of us, so keep that in mind when ordering.

The Camp House Grill in Kalaheo offers enormous, messy breakfasts with spicy-but-not-too-hot gravy in the morning and big, tasty burgers in the afternoon and evening. Be sure to have pie. They excel at pie.

If you’re in Hanalei (and why wouldn’t you be? It’s delightful), try Polynesia Cafe. Their plate lunches and fish sandwiches are quite good, and they’ll provide you with fuel for hiking (at least part of) the 11-mile Kalalau Trail, which begins at Ke’e Beach and provides cliffside views of the Na Pali coast. Even if you only make it to the first overlook, you’ll have worked off your lunch and seen truly spectacular scenery.

That’s it for Kauai, unless I remember something else that I just have to share. Eat hearty.

 

Fine Dining in Poipu

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.

 

Burritos

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.

 

Shrimp, Glorious Shrimp

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.

 

What I Did on My Summer Vacation

Kayaking, snorkeling, hiking on lava, eating, shopping, brother’s wedding. All fantastic. Oh, did I forget to say that I spent a week in Hawaii? We were on the Big Island–truly magnificent.

Also, I read:
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
Waiting by Ha Jin
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

I started Personal Memoirs by Ulysses S. Grant, and (as I had heard) it is highly readable. But it was a bit heavy to carry on the plane, so I’m still working on it. I’ll bet that was the least-predictable book being read at the resort pool that day.

 

Cheeseburger in Paradise

Actually, I don’t think I ate any cheeseburgers there. And in a week on the Big Island of Hawaii, we never went to Starbucks and only ate one meal at McDonald’s. Hey, we were late to the airport. So sue me.

At any rate, for a romantic sunset dinner, I highly recommend Huggo’s. I know, the name sounds like there should be clowns and balloons, and maybe a giant Sasquatch mascot. But it’s not like that at all.

Or maybe you’re looking for something more casual. For that, you might try L&L Hawaiian Barbecue.

Both of those establishments are in Kailua Kona, on the west side of the island. Perhaps you’re staying in Hilo.

Hilo Bay Cafe is a fantastic place for lunch. The crab cake sandwich is tasty and enormous, and stays crisp for a surprising amount of time, considering that it’s a crab cake inside a sandwich. The french dip is excellent as well. Hilo Bay Cafe is nowhere near downtown; clearly it’s designed for people who actuallly live in Hilo, rather than tourists, but they were perfectly happy to provide us with food in spite of our out-of-state driver’s licenses.

And that’s just a few places on only one island. Be adventurous. Enjoy.