restaurant

Dining Outside the Home: La Spezia in Kōloa, Kauai 

Dining Outside the Home: La Spezia in Kōloa, Kauai. As you walk up the wooden steps of the quaint corner café, the faint aroma of savory herbs, sweet pastries, and cured gourmet meats entice you at the door. Before you ever turn the knob to go inside, a handwritten sign is stationed there with words printed in colorful chalk: “CIAO! Please wait to be seated.” Wooden benches line both sides of the porch. A Sunday Brunch of scramblers, Benedicts, and pancakes is popular so the café is bustling with excitement. Conversations linger over the Bloody Mary Bar where morning cocktails get personalized to taste. A carafe of tomato juice is surrounded by glass jars of celery sticks, kalamata olives, dill pickles, jalapeño peppers, and even caper berries. Fresh horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, red hot tabasco, and other condiments follow up nicely. No complaints here. The challenge arises when choosing between the Traditional Eggs Benedict and the Italian Benito Benedict. Grazie, grazie molto!

Dining Outside the Home: Oasis on the Beach in Kapaa, Kauai 

Dining Outside the Home: Oasis on the Beach in Kapaa, Kauai. Imagine a place where waterfront seating showcases every evening sunset. Now imagine tantalizing delights of Hawaiian cuisine arranged picture perfect at the table. The struggle is real whether to first take a snapshot or succumb to a tiny taste. Every visit becomes a treasured memory. Signature Cocktails are served with natural ingredients artistically blended. One tequila favorite in particular, Agony and Ecstasy, is made with an exclusive smoky sea salt rim. Henry, an energetic employee, has perfected a technique of firing certain wood chips and Kauaiian sea salt for the homemade smoked salt. The results leave you walking away already planning a return visit. 

Dining Outside the Home: Joe’s on the Green in Kōloa, Kauai 

Dining Outside the Home: Joe’s on the Green in Kōloa, Kauai. Located at the Kiahuna Golf Club, this casual open-air restaurant offers upscale taste with a picturesque view overlooking the challenging 18-hole golf course and an extensive gourmet menu that can almost leave you undecided. Almost. The Crab Cake Eggs Benedict is a decadent choice since the crunchy bite of seafood compliments the buttery lemon hollandaise sauce. A splash of hot pepper sauce gives two soft-boiled eggs a jumpstart that feels like a celebration in your mouth. Slowly savor each luscious bite. Then smile and nod in approval as Joe passes your table to greet all the guests. 

Dining Outside the Home: Street Burger in Wailua, Kauai 

Dining Outside the Home: Street Burger in Wailua, Kauai! An urban upscale burger joint? When you add a gourmet chef who gives you a front row seat to his Argentinian-style grill and a pastry chef with a view of the kitchen, it adds up to years of experience serving the public with flare. The menu boasts 20 different kinds of burgers, made from good, natural ingredients. Even the condiments are made from scratch. The high-ceiling décor is industrial chic. In a sweeping glance, you’ll find everything from ship lap and tile to stainless and hardwoods reflected in the surroundings. Through glass-paneled sliding barn doors, a view of the Sleeping Giant mountain range forms a backdrop for inside seating. The enticing aromas encourage you to relax and stay awhile. Put down the cell phones and soak up the rustic ambience. When the feta-spinach-cucumber stuffed Greek burger arrived, with a flip of the oversized striped napkin across my lap, I was ready to dig in. 

Dining Outside the Home: Gaylord’s at Kilohana in Lihue, Kauai 

Dining Outside the Home: Gaylord’s at Kilohana in Lihue, Kauai. Envision a table for two at the edge of a shaded limestone patio where tropical flora bloom within sight and the fragrance of hibiscus is only inches away. Now envision being carried away to an historic plantation estate as melodic Hawaiian music fills the air while a farm-to-table brunch is offered to its guests. Seared Ahi Eggs Benedict takes center stage as a multitude of side dishes serve to compliment. Prosciutto tarts, savory meats, sweet breads, and fresh fruits are only a few of the temptations beautifully arranged on scalloped platters or kept piping hot for ultimate flavor. If you appreciate historical romance and elegant dining, step into the island’s glorious past while enjoying a culinary experience of present day. 

Dining Outside the Home: Duke’s Canoe Club and Barefoot Bar in Lihue, Kauai 

Dining Outside the Home: Duke’s Canoe Club and Barefoot Bar in Lihue, Kauai. Remember when I said I needed to return here for dessert? Well, I did. Words of wisdom: If you stop by for a meal, save room for dessert and get an extra signature spork to share this fabulous specialty of the house. I found it served best with a generous shot of coffee-infused liqueur. Here is the best description I can give you about Duke’s infamous HULA PIE:
“Hula Pie is made with Kimo’s favorite macadamia nut ice cream piled high on a chocolate cookie crust and topped with chocolate fudge, whipped cream, and more macadamia nuts. It is sized for sharing, but rarely goes unfinished!”

Dining Outside the Home: Café Portofino in Lihue, Kauai 

Dining Outside the Home: Café Portofino in Lihue, Kauai. The strings of a harp gently lure Italian-lovers to the private patio where the stunning view of a rugged coastline transports you to northern Italy. White linens further create an intimate setting amid candlelit lanterns and skilled European servers. As you savor this fabulous meal with a sip of bubbly moscato and olive oil-laden focaccia, gaze into each other’s eyes, linger awhile, and absorb the romance. 

Dining Outside the Home: Monico’s Taqueria in Wailua, Kauai 

Freshly squeezed lime juice margaritas practically greet you at the door. To the right the chef, Monico Martinez, and his kitchen staff are hard at work grilling up piping hot pork carnitas, fresh fish tacos, stuffed burritos, cheesy enchiladas, and towering nachos. Every dish is served with flair, like an art form on a plate. Before that first bite, the aroma of herbs and spices tempt the palate. The quality is high, the staff is friendly, and the portions are generous. With reviews like that, word gets around. 

The Day I Met a Movie Star

From the second story window seat at the Olympic Café, I had a vantage point for a flurry of activity down below. Gazing out over the main thoroughfare, I caught sight of a man standing on the side of the road. He was tall and blonde with a rock solid build, wearing an olive green quilted vest zipped halfway down, flattering his firm chest and muscular biceps. The swim trunks he wore hit mid-thigh; modest enough for walking around in flip-flops. After looking both ways and checking traffic, he crossed the road and was soon out of sight. Meanwhile, back at our table, the perky waitress dropped off a tropical drink favorite rimmed with a juicy pineapple wedge and teal umbrella plus two glasses of thirst-quenching water. Lunch was just as refreshing with local produce, peppery spices, and sweet herbs. As I munched away enjoying every bite of the Spicy Chicken Thai Wrap with extra peanut sauce, I looked across the table beyond Gerald’s shoulder and noticed a different couple had arrived next to us. Moments later, Gerald took note of a gigantic stuffed burrito the waitress carried by, and casually said so. It was placed directly in front of the same man I saw on the street below. Something about him seemed vaguely familiar in the flashbacks of my mind. Pretending to take a snapshot of my husband, I zeroed in on the man of mystery. Could it be, I wondered? A quick Google-search told me my hunch was spot on. It was none other than Dolph Lundgren, a Swedish actor who starred with Sylvester Stallone in several action-packed movies including “Rocky IV” and the current “Expendables” series. Practically in a panic, I ransacked my purse hoping to find an ink pen to request an autograph. No such luck. Time was running out as dishes were cleared and the check had arrived. Suddenly, as though being pulled to my feet, I stood up and walked over to his table. Almost frozen, I stood across from him next to his partner, Jenny Sandesson (also an actor), not wishing to be rude. When he looked up, I said, “Excuse me. Are you…?” Before I could finish he responded with a smile, “Yes, I am.” My face must have lit up like a fireworks display because his very next words were, “Would you like to take a photo?” “Jerry!”, I screamed, “grab your phone! He said we can take a picture!” I practically flew over the table to his side, placed my hand on his incredible bicep like we were old friends, and smiled from ear to ear. As we departed, I shook his hand and said “Thank you, Mr. Lundgren. Rocky IV was the BEST Rocky ever!” He grinned with a twinkle in his eye as his partner, Jenny, chimed in, “I agree!” With that, the couple stood up and headed for the door when two adoring male fans leapt into their path, pausing to offer more accolades along with firm handshakes. Two seconds later when Dolph and Jenny left us, they turned with a smile and a wave, and exited the restaurant. In jubilation, we all found ourselves waving back. Gerald looked off our perch from above, saw them cross the street, jump into a Jeep Cherokee and zoom out of sight.