Frommer's Kauai - Jeanette Foster [120]
Federico’s MEXICAN Tucked inside the Food Court at the Princeville Shopping Center is this small cantina featuring natural chicken (no hormones or preservatives), beef (raised in New Zealand), and locally grown, organic avocados and tomatoes. Keeping with the health-conscious theme, they only use trans fat–free cooking oils. There are a few tables, but I recommend ordering a burrito, tostada, or taco and taking your picnic lunch to the beach. Reasonable prices and healthy cuisine.
Princeville Shopping Center, 5-4280 Kuhio Highway, Princeville. 80 8/826-7177. All items under $10. DISC, MC, V. Mon-Sat 10:30am–8pm.
Hanalei Wake-up Café BREAKFAST This is where the surfers go to get fueled up for a day on the waves. In fact, breakfast—make that a big, huge, monstrous breakfast—is all they serve in this tiny eatery that truly defines “hole in the wall.” Not a lot of atmosphere, not a lot of tables, but cowabunga, dude! The portions are big, the prices small, and the staff surprisingly cheery for 6:30am.
5144 Kuhio Hwy. (at Aku Rd.). 80 8/826-5551. Most items less than $10. No credit cards. Daily 6:30–11am.
Java Kai COFFEEHOUSE Come to this Hanalei Center coffeehouse for a yummy breakfast (I recommend the waffles) or a great lunch (my favorite is the quiche). Of course they also have a great selection of coffee grown in Hawaii and some bakery items.
55183-C Kuhio Hwy., Hanalei. 80 8/826-6717. Most items under $9. MC, V. Daily 6:30am–6pm.
Kilauea Fish Market PLATE LUNCH This is the perfect place to get a picnic takeout lunch or an easy dinner to take back to your condo and eat while you watch the sunset. Coriena Rogers not only has healthy, yummy meals made with just-caught fish, but she also has a deli section with fresh fish for those looking to cook it themselves. Located just off the road to the Kilauea Lighthouse, this tiny hole in the wall has a few tables outside in a garden setting, but generally people pick up and go. Vegetarians will be happy with the daily specials. She has options of brown or white rice and insists on using organic greens in her salads. These are some of the best prices on the North Shore.
4270 Kilauea Lighthouse Rd., Kilauea. 80 8/828-6244. Most items under $15. MC, V. Mon–Sat 11am–8pm.
Tropical Taco MEXICAN For more than a quarter of a century Roger Kennedy has been making tacos and burritos in Hanalei. For years, you could find him working out of his green “taco wagon” parked along the road. But recently Roger has come up in the world; he now has a permanent restaurant (with wood floors and seating along the outside lanai, where you can people-watch) in the Hale Lea Building. He’s still serving his tasty assortment of tacos and burritos, plus his signature “fat Jack” (a 10-inch deep-fried tortilla with cheese, beans, and beef or fish). Roger does warn everyone about his tasty treats: “Not to be consumed 1 hour before surfing!” Just as he did with his taco wagon, Roger still offers “anything you want to drink, as long as it’s lemonade.”
Hale Lea Building, 5–5088 Kuhio Hwy., Hanalei. 80 8/827-TACO.www.tropicaltaco.com. Most items under $9. No credit cards. Mon–Sat 11am–8pm.
Chapter 7: Fun in the Surf & Sun
This is the part of your vacation you’ve dreamed about—the sun, the sand, and the surf. In this chapter we’ll tell you about the best beaches on Kauai, from where to soak up the rays to where to plunge beneath the waves for a fish-eye-view of the underwater world. Plus, we’ve scoured the island to find the best ocean activities on the Garden Isle. We’ll tell you our favorites and give you a list of the best marine outfitters. Also in this chapter is a range of activities to do on dry land, from hiking and camping to the best golfing on the island.
1 Beaches
Kauai Beaches
Eons of wind and rain have created this geological masterpiece of an island, with its fabulous beaches. In fact, Kauai, the oldest of the major Hawaiian Islands, has more sand beaches per mile of shoreline than any of the other seven islands. Gorgeous white-sand beaches make up about 50 miles