CleverRoot

s u m m e r 2 0 1 8 | 3 7 you walk, shop, or take a day trip (the impec- cable National Tropical Botanical Garden or the complimentary walking tour of the Kauai Coffee Company come highly recommended). On the South Shore, the Grand Hyatt Resort & Spa provides sheer heavenly relaxation with hammocks, seemingly endless pools, and, of course, superb island cuisine at the property's signature restaurant, Tidepools. Again, local ingredients reign: opah with volcano candy spice and jumbo lump crabmeat; grilled ahi with seared scallops and Molokai sweet potato; and 30-day dry-aged Makaweli Meat Company ribeye served with red wine reduction and Lawai Farms oyster mushrooms. The menu even features greens grown on the property's hydroponic garden. For the pièce de résistance on your culi- nary Kauai journey, pay a visit to Red Salt, the exquisite eatery tucked into the boutique Koa Kea Hotel and Resort that's helmed by one of the island's most formidable chefs, Kauai native Noelani Planas. Before we indulged in a meal that included tableside hand-shaken Martinis, foie gras brûlée, and Kona lobster gnocchi, Pla- nas told me she began cooking at 15 under her mentor Jean-Marie Josselin, a Frenchman by way of Kapaa whose JO2 restaurant is another island gem. By the time Planas was 21, Josselin left to open the now-shuttered 808 in Las Vegas' Caesars Palace and brought her along for the ride as Sous Chef. Working her way up the ranks in Vegas was tough, but Planas remained focused and disci- plined as she made her way through Caesars' outposts for big-name chefs like Michael Mina, Wolfgang Puck, and Joël Robuchon. When you see Planas' food, you can spot the influence of those chefs in the pretty yet purposeful plat- ing, as the play of color and texture brings a certain European savoir faire. Don't be fooled, though: Planas' cooking is Hawaiian through and through. "With Hawai- ian cuisine, traditional stuff is very simple and casual comfort food—mom's plate lunch," Planas says with a quiet laugh. "But by living on the Mainland for 15 years, I learned what my guests are looking for and what flavors they're comfortable with, but I also push them a bit outside of their comfort zones. You can say that's what the island lifestyle is all about: comfort and ease, but also moving around look- ing for new experiences." From the North Shore's take on tapas to the South Shore's sublime seafood—and every food truck and shave ice stand in between—we can't help but agree. Aloha until next time, culinary Kauai! Tiny, off-the-beaten-path towns like Hanapepe also offer a wealth of seafood feasts, like this sushi burrito at Japanese Grandma's Cafe. At Red Salt in Kauai, ahi tartare (left) is served with a quail egg, avocado mousse, ginger soy emulsion, and chili oil. Red Salt Executive Chef Noelani Planas is pictured above. At the Grand Hyatt Kauai's Tidepools restaurant, Tahitian ceviche is a perfect match for a well-executed Mai Tai. ■cr

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