Frommer's Kauai - Jeanette Foster [118]
5-5161 Kuhio Hwy., Hanalei. 80 8/826-7081.www.restaurantbaracuda.com. Tapas $6–$28. MC, V. Tues–Sun 6–9pm.
Bouchons Restaurant and Sushi Bar Hanalei SUSHI/PACIFIC RIM This second-floor oasis has copper tables and a copper-topped bar, large picture windows for gazing at the Hanalei waterfalls, and, most importantly, chefs who know their sushi. Traditional sushi, fusion sushi, and hot Pacific American fusion dishes for those who aren’t sushi lovers please diners of every stripe. Big hits: the Hanalei, with tempura shrimp, spicy Ebi, avocado, and masago; the Vegas roll, a heroic composition of ahi, hamachi, and avocado, dipped in tempura batter and quickly fried so it’s hot on the outside and chilled on the inside; the Rainbow Roll, a super-duper California roll with eight different types of fish; and fresh fish prepared several ways, in fusion flavorings involving mango, garlic, sake, sesame, coconut, passion fruit, and other Pacific Rim ingredients as well as steaks, chicken, and sandwiches. The lunch menu features burgers, salads, sandwiches, and fish tacos. The action fires up Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 7:30pm on, with live music ranging from Hawaiian to blues to jazz to rock ’n’ roll.
In Ching Young Village, Hanalei. 80 8/826-9701.www.bouchonshanalei.com. Reservations recommended for parties of 6 or more. Main courses $10–$17 lunch; $10–$30 dinner; sushi rolls $7 and up. MC, V. Daily 11:30am–9:30pm. Live music from 7:30pm on.
Hanalei Dolphin Restaurant & Fish Market SEAFOOD Hidden behind a gallery called Ola’s are this fish market and adjoining steak-and-seafood restaurant, on the banks of the Hanalei River. Food is good, but service sometimes can be slow. Particularly inviting are the fresh-fish sandwiches, served under umbrellas at river’s edge. Most appealing (besides the river view) are the appetizers: artichokes steamed or stuffed with garlic, butter, and cheese; buttery stuffed mushrooms; and seviche fresh from the fish market, with a jaunty dash of green olives. From fresh catch to baked shrimp to Alaskan king crab and chicken marinated in soy sauce, the Dolphin has stayed with the tried-and-true.
5-5016 Kuhio Hwy., Hanalei. 80 8/826-6113. http://www.hanaleidolphin.com. Main courses $18–$36. AE, MC, V. Daily 10:30am–10pm. (Fish market daily 10am–7pm in the winter and until 8pm in the summer.)
Hanalei Gourmet AMERICAN The wood floors, wooden benches, and blackboards of the old Hanalei School, built in 1926, furnish this haven for today’s Hanalei hipsters noshing on the Tu Tu Tuna (far-from-prosaic tuna salad with green beans, potatoes, niçoise olives, and hard-boiled eggs); fresh-fish sandwiches; roasted eggplant sandwiches; chicken-salad boats (in papaya or avocado, with macadamia nuts and sans mayonnaise); and other selections. This is an informal cross-cultural tasting, from stir-fried veggies over udon to Oriental ahi-pasta salad to warm artichoke and cheese dip. Big Tim’s burger is, unsurprisingly, big, and the sandwiches served on fresh-baked bread represent timeless deli faves, from roast beef and pastrami to smoked turkey and chicken salad. The TV over the bar competes with the breathtaking view of the Hanalei mountains and waterfalls, and the wooden floors keep the noise level high. (The music on the sound system can be almost deafening.) Nightly live music adds to the fun.
In the Old Hanalei Schoolhouse, 5-5161 Kuhio Hwy., Hanalei. 80 8/826-2524.www.hanaleigourmet.com. Main courses $7.50–$27. DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 8am–10:30pm.
Kilauea Bakery & Pau Hana Pizza PIZZA/BAKERY When owner, baker, and avid diver Tom Pickett spears an ono and smokes it himself, his catch appears on the Billie Holiday pizza, guaranteed to obliterate the blues with its brilliant notes of Swiss chard, roasted onions, Gorgonzola-rosemary sauce, and mozzarella. And the much-loved bakery puts out guava sourdough, coconut