Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [416]
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Monico’s Taqueria (822-4300; Kinipopo Shopping Village, 4-356 Kuhio Hwy; mains $8-14; 11am-3pm & 5-9pm) Finally, ‘real’ Mexican food on Kaua′i. Everything tastes fresh and rings true, from the generous plates of burritos and tacos to the freshly made chips, salsa and sauces. Thumbs up for the affordable fish mains.
Mema (823-0899; 4-369 Kuhio Hwy; mains $9-18; 11am-2pm Mon-Fri, 5-9pm daily) While not stark-raving awesome, Mema serves decent dishes that can be tailored to your meat-philic or meat-phobic preference: you choose either tofu, chicken, pork, beef, fish or shrimp. The cozy dining room is modest but a cut above the standard local-diner setting.
Hukilau Lanai (822-0600; www.hukilaukauai.com; Kaua′i Coast Resort at the Beachboy, 520 Aleka Loop; dinner $16-27; 5-9pm Tue-Sun) To ramp it up from the typical T-shirt-casual joint, we recommend this relaxed, elegant favorite. The menu features top local ingredients, from Kilauea goat cheese to Lawa′i Valley warabi (fiddlehead fern). Standout selections include feta-and-sweet-potato ravioli and ahi poke nachos. For an affordable splurge, arrive from 5pm to 6pm for the early-bird six-course, wine-paired tasting menu ($40; food-only menu $28).
Entertainment
The best nightlife in Wailua is curling up in bed before the roosters wake you. Or, if the price isn’t a deterrent, a commercial luau might be a decent diversion. Smith’s Tropical Paradise (821-6895; www.smithskauai.com; Wailua River Marina; luau adult/child 3-6/child 7-13 $75/19/30; luaus 5pm Mon, Wed & Fri) launched their luau in 1985, and it is today a Kaua′i institution, attracting droves of tourists. It’s a lively affair, run with lots of aloha spirit by four generations at the lovely 30-acre garden. The multicultural show features Hawaiian, Tahitian, Samoan, Filipino, Chinese, Japanese and New Zealand dances.
While touristy, the Coconut Marketplace’s free hula show (822-3641; 5pm Wed) is fun and lively, featuring Leilani Rivera Bond (www.leilanirivera.com) and her halau (troupe). She’s the daughter of famous Coco Palms entertainer Larry Rivera, who joins the show on the first Wednesday monthly.
An anytown option is a movie at a mall. Coconut Marketplace Cinemas (821-2324; 4-484 Kuhio Hwy; adult/child/senior $7.25/4.25/5.50, before 6pm $4.25) screens first-run flicks.
Shopping
Coconut Marketplace (www.coconutmarketplace.com; 9am-9pm Mon-Sat, 10am-6pm Sun) This touristy place feels like a throwback, a once-popular venue with too many vacant spaces. Amid midrange island attire, jewelry, T-shirts and gifts is one worthy stop: Ship Store Galleries.
Bambulei (823-8641; www.bambulei.com; 4-369D Kuhio Hwy; 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, to 5pm Sat) This irresistible women’s boutique is chock-full of feminine gear made for women who’ve outgrown the teenage surfer-chick look. The drapey sweaters, platform sandals and kimono-fabric accessories aren’t haute couture, but they’re affordable and unique. Also find vintage clothing and retro home decor.
Tin Can Mailman (822-3009; www.tincanmailman.net; Kinipopo Shopping Village, 4-356 Kuhio Hwy; 11am-7pm Mon-Fri, noon-4pm Sat) Brimming with rare books and antiques, this jam-packed shop will delight Hawaiiana collectors, with vintage LPs, aloha shirts, maps, photos, postcards, jewelry and other fascinating artifacts.
Ship Store Galleries (822-4999, 800-877-1948; www.shipstoregalleries.com; Coconut Marketplace, 4-484 Kuhio Hwy; 9am-5pm Tue-Sat) Browsers are welcome at this spacious showroom, where notables include maritime artist Raymond Massey (who’s created an extensive, fascinating series on seafaring to the Hawaiian Islands), Leslie Tribolet (who does mesmerizing portraits), Dolores ‘Dee’ Kirby (whose unostentatious landscapes are keepers) and Marco Cannella, whose riffs on the Old Masters’ still lifes have a local twist.
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WAIPOULI
Sandwiched between Wailua and Kapa′a, Waipouli is less a town than a cluster