CleverRoot

s u m m e r 2 0 1 8 | 3 5 It's an unobtrusive beginning, but it hints at two tenets of Kauai's culinary ethos: It's all about celebrating the local bounty, whether you're dining on an oceanfront lanai with a cocktail in hand or eating off of a paper plate in a food truck parking lot. North Shore Bound As you make your way up to Kauai's North Shore, stop by the Anaina Hou Community Park Farmers Market. One of many taking place across the island daily, it features an assortment of locally grown tropical fruits and vegetables. While you're there, grab a cold brew coffee at the adja- cent café or pop into the gift shop for artisanal food items like Papaya Vanilla Jam made by Kauai-based company Monkeypod Jam. As you continue your journey, roadside shave ice spots, fresh fruit stands, and tiny food trucks will flit by at blink-and-you'll-miss-it fre- quency, so keep your eyes peeled and be ready to pull off for a snack to tide you over on your way up to Princeville and Hanalei. Upon arrival, the winding tropical roads give way to Princeville's lush manicured lawns and rolling golf courses. With plenty of condo lodgings to choose from (we love the Wyndham Bali Hai Villas), you'll want your first stop to be Foodland, the Hawaiian Islands' largest locally owned grocery store, to stock up on provisions for your stay. Beyond the basics, you'll find delightful local oddities tucked into the deli and bakery sec- tions, like butter mochi—doughy little squares of just-right sweetness— and, of course, Hawaiian classics like Spam musubi. If condos and cooking on vacation aren't your thing, The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas offers a lovely oceanfront view, but you can't top the view of Hanalei Bay from the ultra-luxe St. Regis Princev- ille Resort. Sabering a nightly bottle of Champagne at the bar there feels celebratory and indulgent—just as a vacation should. Daytime dining options include ample food trucks in Hanalei's walk- able downtown (I recommend the turquoise Café Turmeric for organic and fresh Indian fare), and nights heat up at locavore tapas spot Bar Acuda, where Chef/Owner Jim Moffat churns out innovative fusion dishes like Hawaiian ono with a parsley sofrito puree, confit cherry tomatoes, and crispy sunchokes or Moloa'a Organica'a roasted eggplant with hazelnut Romesco sauce and Spanish manchego. Back in Princeville, catch the sunset golf cart tour at the Princeville Makai Golf Club with its signature Makai Tai (a riff on a Mai Tai, natu- rally), but come prepared to learn: The excursion is equal parts cocktail adventure with a view and botanical tour, with in-depth information about Kauai's flora and fauna at each stop along the way. Keep those vacation vibrations going after sunset with dinner at Nanea Restaurant and Bar at the Westin, where a five-course tasting menu offers dishes like a creamy, indulgent risotto with truffles, a coffee-rubbed beef tender- loin, and, of course, the herbed and seared daily catch. From Sea to Shave Ice After taking in the North Shore's views and culinary treats, head back south and stop by the town of Kilauea. There you can find truly excep- tional artisanal coffee at Trilogy Coffee, fresh cold-pressed juices from local chain Kauai Juice Co., and seriously delicious lunches at the casual Kilauea Fish Market. As you make your way down to Kapaa, you'd be wise to pay a visit to Kalalea Juice Hale, a roadside juice bar with fresh, flavorful organic cold- pressed juices, popsicles, açai bowls, and more, but don't eat too many sweets: The island's best shave ice lies just up the road. I must admit the art of shave ice (there's no "d" on that, by the way) had previously eluded me despite multiple trips to Hawaii and frequent assurances that shave ice is far, far superior to sno cones, the bastard- ized American version. I'll be the first to admit I was wrong: Shave ice can be a true culinary delight when in the hands of a master like Wailua Shave Ice Executive Chef Brandon Baptiste. Baptiste makes everything from scratch for his seasonally driven menu; served out of an RV- turned-food truck, the food is more fine-tuned than it seems. "We use only fresh juices, but you do need to constantly tweak recipes to make sure the texture is Kauai's eating Anaina across fruits adja- Papaya fruit fre- snack to lush lush lodgings lodgings your your owned From Sea to Shave Ice After taking in the North Shore's views and culinary culinary treats, culinary treats, culinary head back back south and stop by the by the by town of Kilauea. Kilauea. of Kilauea. of There There you can find truly excep- excep- truly excep- truly tional artisanal coffee at Trilogy Trilogy Coffee, Coffee, Trilogy Coffee, Trilogy fresh fresh fresh cold-pressed cold-pressed cold-pressed cold-pressed cold-pressed juices from from local chain Kauai Kauai Kauai Kauai Juice Co., Co., and and and and seriously seriously delicious delicious delicious delicious seriously delicious seriously seriously delicious seriously lunches lunches lunches lunches lunches at the the casual Kilauea Fish Fish Fish Market. Fish Fish delicious delicious delicious delicious delicious delicious the the the the Kauai Kauai lunches lunches and and and Coffee, Coffee, cold-pressed cold-pressed from from lodgings lodgings fresh fresh fresh fresh Kilauea. Kilauea. Kilauea. There There excep- excep- back back culinary culinary eating Anaina across fruits adja- Papaya Wood-fired pizza is served out of a food truck at Scorpacciata Neapolitan Pizza in Kapaa. Kapaa. Kapaa. Kapaa. Kapaa. Kapaa. Kapaa. Kapaa. Kapaa. Kapaa. Kapaa. Kapaa. Kapaa. Kapaa. At Wailua Shave Ice, freshly made syrups top hand-shaved ice so delicate it melts in your mouth. s u m m e r 2 0 1 8 | 3 5 your stay. Beyond the basics, basics, the the the the the deli deli and bakery sec- bakery sec- bakery of just-right just-right just-right of just-right of just-right just-right sweetness— sweetness— sweetness— sweetness— musubi. your thing, The The The Westin Westin Westin oceanfront oceanfront view, view, but you you you you you ultra-luxe ultra-luxe ultra-luxe ultra-luxe St. Regis Regis Regis Regis Princev- Princev- Princev- Princev- Princev- Champagne Champagne Champagne Champagne at the the the the the bar there there there there there there there there feels feels feels feels feels feels feels feels feels should. should. should. should. should. should. should. should. should. should. should. should. should. should. should. should. trucks trucks trucks trucks in Hanalei's Hanalei's Hanalei's Hanalei's Hanalei's Hanalei's Hanalei's Hanalei's Hanalei's Hanalei's Hanalei's walk- walk- Café Café Turmeric Turmeric for organic organic organic organic organic organic organic locavore locavore locavore tapas tapas tapas spot spot spot spot Bar out out innovative innovative innovative sofrito sofrito sofrito sofrito sofrito sofrito sofrito sofrito sofrito sofrito puree, puree, puree, or or or or or Moloa'a Moloa'a Moloa'a Moloa'a Moloa'a Moloa'a Moloa'a Moloa'a Moloa'a Romesco Romesco Romesco sauce sauce sauce sauce and and and tour tour tour tour at the Princeville Princeville Princeville Princeville Princeville Princeville Princeville Princeville riff riff riff riff riff riff on on on on riff on riff riff on riff a Mai Mai Mai Mai Mai Mai Mai Mai Mai Tai, Tai, Tai, Tai, Tai, Tai, Tai, Tai, Tai, Tai, natu- natu- natu- natu- natu- natu- natu- natu- natu- excursion excursion is is is equal equal equal equal equal equal equal equal equal parts parts parts parts parts parts parts parts parts parts parts cocktail cocktail cocktail in-depth information information information information information information information information information information information the the the the the the way. way. way. Keep Keep Keep Keep Keep Keep Keep Keep Keep Keep Keep Keep Keep those those those those those those those dinner at at at at Nanea Nanea Nanea Nanea Nanea Restaurant Restaurant Restaurant Restaurant Restaurant tasting tasting menu menu menu offers offers offers dishes like coffee-rubbed coffee-rubbed coffee-rubbed coffee-rubbed coffee-rubbed coffee-rubbed coffee-rubbed coffee-rubbed coffee-rubbed coffee-rubbed coffee-rubbed beef beef tender- beef tender- beef daily catch. catch. catch. catch. daily catch. daily catch. As you make make make your way way way way down way down way to Kapaa, Kapaa, Kapaa, you'd you'd you'd you'd be be be wise wise wise wise to pay pay pay a a pay a pay pay a pay visit Kalalea Kalalea Juice Juice Juice Juice Juice Hale, Hale, Hale, Hale, Hale, Hale, Hale, a a a a roadside roadside juice bar bar with with with fresh, fresh, fresh, fresh, fresh, fresh, fresh, fresh, fresh, fresh, fresh, fresh, fresh, fresh, flavorful flavorful flavorful flavorful flavorful flavorful flavorful organic cold- pressed pressed pressed pressed juices, juices, juices, juices, juices, popsicles, popsicles, popsicles, popsicles, popsicles, popsicles, popsicles, popsicles, popsicles, popsicles, popsicles, popsicles, popsicles, popsicles, popsicles, popsicles, popsicles, popsicles, açai bowls, bowls, bowls, bowls, bowls, bowls, bowls, bowls, and and and and more, more, more, but don't don't don't don't eat too many sweets: sweets: The The The The The island's island's island's island's best best best best best best best best shave ice lies lies lies lies just just just just just just just just just just up the the road. road. road. road. I must must must admit admit the the art art art of of shave shave shave of shave of shave shave ice (there's (there's (there's (there's no "d" on on on on on on on on that, that, that, that, that, that, by the by the by way) way) had had had previously previously previously previously previously previously previously eluded eluded eluded previously eluded previously eluded eluded me me me despite despite despite despite despite despite despite despite despite multiple multiple multiple multiple multiple multiple trips to Hawaii and frequent frequent frequent frequent frequent assurances assurances assurances assurances assurances assurances assurances assurances assurances assurances assurances that that that that that shave shave shave shave shave ice ice is far, far superior superior superior superior superior superior superior far superior far superior superior to to to to sno sno cones, cones, cones, cones, the the bastard- ized ized ized ized American American American American American American American American American version. version. version. version. version. version. I'll be the first first first to to admit admit admit admit admit admit admit admit I I was was was was was was wrong: wrong: wrong: wrong: wrong: wrong: wrong: wrong: Shave Shave Shave Shave Shave ice ice can can can can can be be be be be a true true true true culinary culinary culinary culinary delight culinary delight culinary when when when when in the the the the hands hands hands hands of of of of a of a of of a of master master master master master master master master master master like like Wailua Wailua Wailua Wailua Wailua Wailua Shave Shave Shave Shave Shave Shave Shave Shave Shave Shave Shave Shave Ice Ice Ice Ice Ice Executive Executive Executive Executive Executive Executive Chef Chef Chef Chef Brandon Chef Brandon Chef Baptiste. Baptiste. Baptiste. Baptiste Baptiste makes makes makes makes makes everything everything everything everything everything from from from scratch scratch scratch scratch scratch for his seasonally seasonally seasonally seasonally seasonally seasonally driven seasonally driven seasonally menu; menu; menu; served served served served served served out of an of an of RV- turned-food turned-food truck, the food is is is is more more fine-tuned than it seems. seems. "We use only fresh only fresh only juices, but but you you do need to to to to constantly tweak tweak constantly tweak constantly tweak tweak tweak tweak tweak recipes recipes make sure the the the the texture texture is basics, Kapaa, Kapaa, Kapaa, you'd you'd you'd you'd you'd you'd you'd pay pay make make make pay pay way way way way you'd you'd At Wailua Shave Ice, freshly made freshly made freshly syrups top hand-shaved ice so delicate it melts in your mouth. your mouth. your

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