Walu comes to Kauii

[Beachfan]

I'm on my annual vacation to Kauii. Here, food takes on the opposite focus I normally have; simple, and healthy.  Without the need for "comfort foods" and with the abundance of fruit and fish, it's easy.

The big news is that Walu is now being served.  Also known as butterfish.  Someone at Roy's Boca Raton told me that butterfish is the same as black cod.  It seems like it but the locals never heard of black cod so I couldn't verify.  It's an absolutely fabulous fish.  I had it at the Hanalei Dolphin, a blackened filet (the size of a filet mignon).  It was flown in from Honolulu that day.

I have a love/hate relationship with this restaurant.  They do the best simple super fresh grilled fish on the island.  They can cook these thick filets just right, which is hard to do.  Usually the center is raw, or the outside is overcooked.

Other great fish I've had in the last 10 days

Opakapaka (a red snapper, but not the same as Caribbean red snapper).  

Mong Chong (a flavorful white fish; displaced Opakapaka as my favorite)

Onaga (another red snapper)

Shutome (broad billed swordfish)

Ahi, ahi, ahi

Opah (moonfish)

Ono (wahoo)

8 out of 10 have been excellent.  Simple but excellent.

In general, I've gotten them blackened/grilled.  At the only "gourmet restaurant" within 20 miles, the Pacific Cafe, I got the Onaga with a truffle red wine reduction sauce.  It didn't really work all that well.  I will go back and see what else they can do.  Usually they are excellent.

The ahi is so fresh that even Safeway can have dynamite ahi poke (which is sashimi with a light seasoning).  

The ono is my least favorite fish.  However, the local fish store makes ono salad (like tuna salad) which is quite nice on a salad.  Better yet, the sear ahi sashimi blocks which means I can have a dynamite lunch back on the balcony.

I had hoped to hit mango season but it's still a little early.  So I go for my second favorite fruit, Kauii sugarloaf pineapples.  These are low acid pineapples, which means you can eat all you want without any lip irritation.  These never get golden, they are ripe when green.  For some reason, they aren't as uniformly perfect as when I was here in September; I'll have to find out whether it's a seasonal thing.  Even less than perfect, they are 100 times better than the regular type.

Also Strawberry papayas and lychees. Yum!!!! Pineapple and papaya daily, not bored yet!! (No rambutan, liliquoi or soursop yyet, must be too early).

Let me know if you head this way, I'll tell you where to get the best smoothies.

Aloha from

Beach fan in beach land

[Jinmyo]

 So I go for my second favorite fruit, Kauii sugarloaf pineapples.  These are low acid pineapples, which means you can eat all you want without any lip irritation.  These never get golden, they are ripe when green.  

These sound very interesting. I can immediately think of all kinds of applications. But I'll probably never even see one.

Have a great vacation.

[Damian]

Sounds like fun, Beachy.  I've been to the Hanalei Dolphin a couple of times.  I agree with you that simply prepared fish is the way to go there, we had a pleasant enough meal there about two years ago - I couldn't tell you what it was, local fish to be sure.  Are you doing any hiking?  We hiked up to the waterfall up from the first beach on the Napaali trail and did some hiking in Waimea canyon - just beautiful.  Beach, hiking, golf, fresh simple food, stunning scenery, gorgeous weather, friendly people - what is there not to love about Kauai?

The coolest thing we did was the helicopter tour not far from Princeville.  Expensive, but wow - thrillingly beautiful experience.

Enjoy!

[Beachfan]

Sounds like fun, Beachy.  I've been to the Hanalei Dolphin a couple of times.  I agree with you that simply prepared fish is the way to go there, we had a pleasant enough meal there about two years ago - I couldn't tell you what it was, local fish to be sure.  Are you doing any hiking?  We hiked up to the waterfall up from the first beach on the Napaali trail and did some hiking in Waimea canyon - just beautiful.  Beach, hiking, golf, fresh simple food, stunning scenery, gorgeous weather, friendly people - what is there not to love about Kauai?

The coolest thing we did was the helicopter tour not far from Princeville.  Expensive, but wow - thrillingly beautiful experience.

Enjoy!

Not much hiking, a ton of swimming/snorkeling.  A little diving.  I know the Kalalau trail you're talking about; in my youth, I hiked all the way in a couple times.

Did you get queasy on your tour?  I did a few years ago.  I'm contemplating doing it again if the wind stays down.

[Damian]

I'm not prone to airsickness, so the occasional feeling sof lightness in the stomach from a quick maneuver don't bother me too much.  I just remember the amazing greens and the dramatic views of the Mountain, the coast, and the canyon.  I must have snapped a whole roll of film.  

What's the name of that burger place in Hanalei?  Kind of a little stand near the mall?  Never had one, but I remember the name being hilarious for some reason.  There was also a laid back little place on the main road outside of Hanalei that did a pretty good breakfast if I recall.

[Beachfan]

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What's the name of that burger place in Hanalei?  Kind of a little stand near the mall?  Never had one, but I remember the name being hilarious for some reason.  There was also a laid back little place on the main road outside of Hanalei that did a pretty good breakfast if I recall.

Bubba Burgers?

Postcards Cafe has an interesting breakfast.  I go their for dinner sometimes, they often have Mong Chong.