Frommer's Kauai - Jeanette Foster [106]
Dondero’s ITALIAN If you are looking for a romantic dinner either under the stars overlooking the ocean or tucked away at an intimate table (surrounded by inlaid marble floors, ornate imported floor tiles, and Franciscan murals), the Grand Hyatt’s stellar Italian restaurant is the place for you. You get all this atmosphere at Dondero’s, plus the best Italian cuisine on the island, served with efficiency. It’s hard to have a bad experience here. My recommendations for a meal to remember: Start with either the fresh mozzarella with tomatoes and basil or the minestrone with oxtail ravioli. Then move on to the ricotta gnocchi with white truffle cream; the osso buco with gremolatta; or the roast seabass with fennel, capers, cured olives, and tomato broth. Save room for dessert, especially the crème brûlée with fresh berries. Dinners are pricey but worth every penny.
At the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa, 1571 Poipu Rd., Koloa. 80 8/742-1234.www.kauai.hyatt.com. Reservations are a must. Main courses $11–$51. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 6–10pm.
Plantation Gardens Restaurant HAWAII REGIONAL I was very disappointed when I last ate here: It’s still a mix of irresistible garden ambience and a well-executed menu fashioned around fresh local ingredients, but the portions are small, everything is a la carte, and the prices are high (pupu selections in the $9–$22 range, salads $9–$11, and entrees $19–$31). The seaweed, fish, and shellfish are from local waters, and many of the fruits, herbs, and vegetables are grown on the resort premises. The historic architecture includes a generous veranda, koa trim and Brazilian cherry floors, and gracious details of a 1930s estate that belonged to the manager of Hawaii’s first sugar plantation. A sprawling horticultural marvel, the property includes koi ponds, coconut and kou trees, orchids, bromeliads, and a cactus and succulent garden.
At the Kiahuna Plantation Resort, 2253 Poipu Rd., Koloa. 80 8/742-2121.www.pgrestaurant.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $19–$31. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 5:30–9pm (open at 5pm for pupu and cocktails).
Red Salt HAWAII REGIONAL The just-opened Ko’a Kea Resort (which replaced the old Poipu Beach Hotel) features this airy dining room with large windows overlooking the swimming pool and the beach beyond. The dinner menu has several preparations for Hawaii’s fresh fish (like vanilla-seared mahi, grilled ono with a buerre blanc sauce, and seven-spiced ahi with a cilantro risotto) plus rack of lamb, New York strip steak, and even marinated grilled tofu with coconut crème fraîche, for the vegetarians.
Ko’a Kea Hotel, 2251 Poipu Rd., Koloa, 96756. 80 8/332-5316.www.koakea.com. Main course $24–$44. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 6:30–11am and 6–10pm.
Roy’s Poipu Bar & Grill EURO-ASIAN This is a loud, lively room with ceiling fans, marble tables, works by local artists, and a menu tailor-made for foodies. The signature touches of Roy Yamaguchi (of Roy’s restaurants in Oahu, Big Island, Maui, Tokyo, New York, and Guam) are abundantly present: an excellent, progressive, and affordable wine selection; fresh local ingredients prepared with a nod to Europe, Asia, and the Pacific; and service so efficient it can be overbearing. Because appetizers (such as blackened ahi with mustard soy sauce, grilled Szechuan baby back ribs, and crispy crab cakes with butter sauce) are a major part of the menu, you can sample Roy’s legendary fare without breaking the bank. The three dozen nightly specials invariably include eight fresh-fish dishes a night, prepared at least five or six different ways.
In Poipu Shopping Village, 2360 Kiahuna Plantation Dr., Poipu. 80 8/742-5000.www.roysrestaurant.com. Reservations highly recommended. Main courses $25–$40. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 5:30–9:30pm.
Tidepool Restaurant SEAFOOD Here’s another ultraromantic restaurant at the Grand Hyatt: A cluster of Polynesian-style thatched bungalows overlook the lagoon in a dreamy, open-aired restaurant with Tiki torches flickering in the moonlight. The atmosphere