travel

Take a Walk on Hanalei Pier

The scenic view on the North Shore of Kauai is right out of a Hollywood movie. And that film is the 1957 Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, “South Pacific”. The Hanalei Pier was originally built in 1892, when it was used to transport taro and rice to Honolulu. Made of wood at that time, it became too difficult to maintain the pier in a tropical climate. Thus, it was replaced with a concrete finger deck and a framed shed roof in the 1940s until Hurricane Iniki damaged the 340-foot pier beyond use in 1992. Today, the local history and its iconic charm continue to lure curiosity seekers as well as vacationers and beach lovers. Hanalei Bay is the largest on the island of Kauai with its 2-mile long crescent moon and white sandy beach. Known to natives as Black Pot Beach, it can be seen littered with avid fisherman, energetic surfers, carefree picnickers, and leisurely landlubbers. We mustn’t forget the romantic lovebirds who stroll to the end of the pier, gaze into each other’s eyes, share a wet kiss, and then snap a Selfie against the opulent aqua-blue waters. Hanalei Pier does Hollywood proud. 

Dining Outside the Home: JO2 Natural Cuisine in Kapaa, Kauai

Dining Outside the Home: JO2 Natural Cuisine in Kapaa, Kauai!  Step across the threshold of this clean, crisp restaurant and you will find the atmosphere extraordinary. Peruse the specialized menu. There is little doubt the French chef will create anything less than a masterpiece, using nature’s freshest ingredients arranged on a plate. Your eyes will feast on the artistic presentation before a forkful of food ever touches your lips. Take it slow to appreciate every bite. Linger between Appetizer and Entrée, giving yourself time for quiet conversation over signature cocktails. Perhaps you’ll share a nibble of super sweet Baby Corn grown exclusively on the island. Or a taste of Mushroom Risotto lashed into perfection with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and sea salted French butter. Do you see where I’m going with this? Make dining at JO2 an experience to remember. After all, the colorful palette is designed especially for you. Bon Appétit!

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

Dining Outside the Home: Monico’s Taqueria in Wailua, Kauai!  Word is out. The pork Carnitas Plate is unbelievable. It is so incredibly good, even the staff has no idea how Chef Monico works his magic. He begins with cubes of fresh, tender pork meat, seasoned just right, and then cooks them in a way that presents a crisp crunchy outside with a burst of moist spicy pork on the inside. It will practically have you rolling your eyes in delirium. Where’s the photo, you wonder? I forgot to take one. I got so excited when Megan brought the Carnitas Plate that I dove right in. But my husband ordered the Chicken Taquitos and said they were “Muy Bien!”

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

Dining Outside the Home: Oasis on the Beach in Kapaa, Kauai!  Sea breezes embrace dancing palm trees as if hula movements come naturally to everything on the East Shore of Kauai. At the Oasis on the Beach, an open-air restaurant, the view is as jaw-dropping as the food on the plate. Experience the catch-of-the-day surrounded by fresh ingredients from local farmers. Your taste buds will be amazed at the flavor explosion in your mouth from citrus star fruit to white flower broccoli. Everything is edible. Taste and see. 

Invasion of the Boat People

A couple times a week the beach is inundated with tourists when a luxury cruise ship pulls into Nawiliwili Harbor and docks for a short period of time. Hoards of beach lovers pour down the gang plank to enjoy the pebbly soft beach of Kalapaki Bay. With colorful towels, bamboo mats, swim fins, and boogie boards in tow, families stake a claim along the shoreline to gather and sunbathe. Within minutes children squeal with laughter, splashing each other and running away. A slender middle-aged European man stands with feet firmly planted squinting out to sea. As if deep in thought, he raises a cigarette to his lips and takes a long drag before flicking the ash into the wind. Loose strands of black hair fall across his wrinkled brow causing him to pivot a half turn and then back again. Over his shoulder, an energetic group of millennials mark off the sand and choose sides for a pickup game of soccer. Shouting in an unfamiliar language, they slap each other on the back before aggressively kicking, chasing, and passing the ball back and forth toward the goal. So much activity. So much joy. This is how to spend a day in paradise. After awhile, short toots from the bridge of the huge vessel signal it’s time to head back. Beach towels are rolled up, soccer games disperse, umbrellas are left vacant, and the sand is brushed away as flip flops are slid into place. The boarding process begins for passengers to depart “Fantasy Island” and return to sea until we meet again. 

Dining Outside the Home: Garden Island Grille in Old Kōloa Town, Kauai

Dining Outside the Home: Garden Island Grille in Old Kōloa Town, Kauai!  Ramble down the boardwalk of Old Kōloa Town to where you see remnants of the theatre that once was the social gathering spot of the community. Follow the signs to the Garden Island Grille which now occupies an old plantation site some still believe is visited by lingering spirits. Now a restaurant that specializes in seafood and fresh island fish, the Garden Island Grille features fresh island-grown products, including organic cocktails. Sample the Seared Ahi seasoned with volcanic spices and pickled ginger. Move on to the fish tacos, lightly grilled corn tortilla shells stuffed with the catch of the day, shredded cabbage, and chipotle-lime sauce. Yum. Stick around for the live entertainment. It’s worth another round of plum sugar-rimmed margaritas. 

Dining Outside the Home: Scorpacciata Food Truck in Lawai, Kauai

Dining Outside the Home: Scorpacciata Food Truck in Lawai, Kauai.  One of the advantages of eating at a food truck is its mobility. Food trucks are specialty restaurants on wheels. They can pop up anytime and anyplace there’s a gathering or private party. For those who are curious about the name, Scorpacciata, it is Italian for bellyful, overeating, and binge eating. I don’t know about you, but for me that definition sums it up nicely. Perhaps that is why the menu is stuffed full of Neapolitan Pizzas! For example, the Fig and Pig Pizza is made with smoked bacon, fig jam, balsamic reduction sauce, mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil. Now that’s what I call “Score-potch-chee-yatta!” Grazie!

Dining Outside the Home: Hā Coffee Bar in Lihue, Kauai

Dining Outside the Home: Hā Coffee Bar in Lihue, Kauai!  Now here is a coffee shoppe with a mission statement. Hā means “breath”, a description of island culture. It’s about the ohana community, or family, of people who choose to work together in unity. At Hā Coffee Bar you’ll find coffee, tea, and local-sourced goods. Coffee-lovers may choose between whole bean, espresso, cold brewed, pour over, and french press coffee. The atmosphere is conducive for interaction. Make yourself at home in a comfy chair, or choose a rustic table with a window view, or slide up to the communal wooden table below the vaulted ceiling fan. Sit and sip. Support the environment, support the culture, support the community. We’re all in this together. Everyone is welcome.