| Adventures in Food and Wine: The Island of Kauai |
| By Tim & Carolyn Sinniger |
| Contents copyright Northwest Wine Fan 2008 Photo copyrights Tim, Carolyn, Meagan and Kelley Sinniger except where noted. |
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| Talk To The Cellarmaster |
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| Tim Sinniger |
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| The Downtown Scene... Koloa Style! |
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| Our stay at Marriott's Waiohai Beach Club was a memorable one. We had received a postcard from Marriott offering a weeks stay at one of their Kauai properties for a ridiculously low price. We were apprehensive, but when we were contacted by Alaska Airlines who were offering new direct flights to the island we were sold on going. And a great price for both to boot! The first couple of days we acclimated to the hotel and all the amenities they had to offer. Carolyn and Kelley had massages while Meagan and I took advantage of the special they had on golf at Kiahuna Golf Course. The girls tanned on the beach...aah warm weather! The hotel has eight Genesis barbeques set up in a common area on the grounds. We grilled seafood the first couple of nights there. Outstanding! We had swordfish the first night and it turned out to be one of our favorite meals, enjoyed with a bottle of 2006 Poet's Leap Riesling we brought with us. Breakfast was prepared in the fully stocked kitchen each morning. Every morning I would start my day by going down to the shore and watching the sunrise and then enjoy a morning swim in the ocean. One morning while swimming out to the waves a surfer passed on his way in and asked if I had seen the whale. I looked out and there was a humpback just a couple hundred yards away. I also had a monk seal come right up to me while out there. What a way to start your day in paradise! |
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| What more could you ask for! All four of us together for our first family getaway in a couple of years. What better way to celebrate our younger daughter's eighteenth birthday and high school graduation. It was our older daughter Meagan's first time on an airplane believe it or not, but she handled it well. Kauai is a beautiful island of waterfalls, gardens and desert areas. There's Waimea Canyon, touted to be the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific." Yes, there was a little golf involved as well as hiking, tubing on an old plantation canal and of course lots of good food and believe it or not some pretty good wine to be had. So, as the waning days of warmth are upon us we hope you enjoy this article and the promise of sunny, warm days again next year. Enjoy the beauty of...Kauai! |
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| Marriott's Waiohai Beach Club 2249 Poipu Rd. Koloa - Kauai, HI (800) 845-5279 Visit Marriott's Waiohai Beach Club Website |
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| Sueoka's Market and Snack Shack 5392 Koloa Road Koloa - Kauai, HI (808) 742-1112 No Website |
| The Wine Shop 5470 Koloa Road Rd. Koloa - Kauai, HI (808) 742-7305 Visit The Wine Shop's Website |
| One of our first stops in old town Koloa was to Dan O'Connell's "The Wine Shop." We weren't hoping for a lot since it is Kauai after all, but what we found delighted us. The Wine Shop is just the ticket for thirsty oenophiles. They have an ample selection of Champagne, sparkling and white wine including an Au Bon Climant white blend that we purchased. We perused the red wine which boasted a nice selection of California Pinot Noir (we bought the 2005 Dierberg and a Sanford). To our surprise they had Long Shadows wines! Our final purchase was an Amarone from Masi that we took with us to dinner at Casa Blanca. We went back to Dan's a few times while we were there and the service was always great! We noticed that he did not carry the Long Shadows "Poet's Leap" Riesling. Since we brought two bottles with us we gifted one to Dan who had not seen it yet. He in return gave us a split of Moet Champagne. Great shop! Highly recommended! |
| Downtown Koloa mostly consists of the main street being Koloa Road. There are several souvenir shops and attraction venues that can make arrangements for snorkeling, boat cruises and other worthwhile things to do while on Kauai. We found these three gems downtown. There are two markets in Koloa, Big Save (there are several on the island) and Sueoka's which seemed to us more of a locals market. Sueoka's also has a great little snack shack that is highly recommended if you want a sandwich while downtown. The fish selection was very good here and the Ahi we barbequed for dinner one night came from Sueoka's. We were surprised by the breadth of wine selection at the markets, but of course it came nothing close to our experience at "The Wine Shop" on Koloa Rd. Also, the fact that you can buy your hard alcohol at the market was a plus for us (Mai Tais you know). Besides Sueoka's and The Wine Shop our other favorite store was the Koloa Fish Market which we frequented more than once while perusing the downtown scene and buying fare for dinner at the hotel. |
| My wife has always been the research expert when we go on trips, so Koloa Fish Market was one of the stores that she said we had to check out. When we arrived the first thing we noticed was that it was full of construction workers on their lunch breaks ordering food to go. We figured this was the place to be for local lunch fare! They by far had the best fresh fish although maybe not quite the selection as Sueoka's Market offered. Our first visit we purchased some swordfish to grill at the hotel. Our second visit to Koloa Fish Market we ordered lunch to go. The local specialty there is the Kalua Pig and the Lau Lau plate lunch which we all thoroughly enjoyed. Hey! It can't always be fancy restaurants and hats off to Carolyn for finding these local gems! |
| Koloa Fish Market 5482 Koloa Road Koloa - Kauai, HI (808) 742-6199 No Website |
| The Restaurants |
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| Roy's Poipu Bar & Grill Located at Poipu Shopping Village 2360 Kiahuna Plantation Dr. Koloa - Kauai, HI (808) 742-5000 Visit Roy's Website |
| Poipu Beach Broiler 1941 Poipu Road Koloa - Kauai, HI (808) 742-6433 Visit Poipu Beach Broiler's Website |
| Casablanca On our last day on the island we headed to North Shore to have dinner before leaving. After looking at the several mile long line of traffic trying to get from North Shore to South we thought better of it and headed back to South Shore. We stopped at The Wine Shop, bought a bottle of Amarone and headed to Casablanca. I had wanted to try this restaurant and we are glad we did. We found great staff, open air seating and a relaxed atmosphere. Appetizers included a Mozzarella and tomato plate, a Cheese Sampler and Lamb Spiedini which was remarkably good. Entrees included a Seafood Stuffed Tomato, Zarzuella con Mariscos (Spanish seafood stew of shrimp, lobster, scallops, calamari and mussels), a wonderful Duck Breast special and Agnello (rack of lamb) which is one of my favorites. All of this topped off with Chocolate Cheese and Grand Marnier. Yum! |
| Our Lodging |
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| Casablanca 1941 Poipu Road Koloa - Kauai, HI (808) 742-6433 Visit Casablanca's Website |
| Yum Cha Asian Eatery 2250 Ainako Street Koloa - Kauai, HI (808) 742-1515 Visit Yum Cha's Website |
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| Poipu Beach Broiler While Meagan and I played golf Carolyn and Kelley enjoyed the day and had lunch at Poipu Beach Broiler. Kelley enjoys club sandwiches and had one here while Carolyn had a delicious fish sandwich, all of this and Mai Tais made for a delightful lunch overlooking the tennis courts. |
| Yum Cha Asian Eatery Yum Cha literally means to "drink tea." With our daughter Kelley being a connoisseur of tea we were excited to try what we believed to be an Asian Fusion restaurant. Turns out it was more of an upscale Chinese restaurant. Yum Cha's view overlooks the beautiful Poipu Bay Golf Course and as we ate, the final golfers were playing their way in. The appetizers were the most memorable part of our meal. We ordered the Assorted Chinese Dumplings in a Bamboo Steamer, Crispy Kalua Pork Spring Roll and the Colossal Shrimp Won Tons. Entrees included "Erawan" styled Pad Thai, Stir Fried Udon Noodles and Fried Rice. Caution...Huge dinner portions. One entree will easily serve two people. |
| Roy's Poipu Bar & Grill By far the most expensive dinner we had on the island, but one well worth the price. Roy's has several locations in the islands, but does not feel like a chain restaurant. Poipu Shopping Village offers free Tahitian dance shows. So before our reservations we went to see the dancers. At Roy's, we enjoyed appetizers that included Nigiri Sushi, Poke and Blackened Ahi. Entrees included Charbroiled Short Ribs of Beef, a Surf and Turf Combo, while I tried the Prix Fixe menu with wines. The wait-staff was very good here and we enjoyed our evening. We finished off the evening with Roy's famous Melting Hot Chocolate Souffle and some Prosecco. Roy's is a very popular restaurant on the island. Reservations are recommended. |
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| Girls Just Want To Have Fun! Meagan doing the Hula at the show. |
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| South Coast Adventures |
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| Menehune Ditch & Waimea Swinging Bridge Just a mile up Menehune Road in Waimea you'll find the Menehune Ditch and Waimea Swinging Bridge. There is only 50-60 feet left visible of this smooth irrigation ditch that was constructed about 300 A.D. by the original native Hawaiians who came from the Marquesas Islands. Not much to look at but impressive nonetheless. Right across the road from the Menehune Ditch is the Waimea Swinging Bridge. Like the bridge in Hanapepe this bridge is a replacement for the one that blew away in 1992. The Waimea River that runs under this bridge is red in color from sediment and dyes the water red. It can even be seen from the space shuttle as the river travels and empties into the ocean. |
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| West Coast Adventures |
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| Hiking the Makewehi Lithified Cliffs A breathtaking hike to take is along the Makewehi Lithified Cliffs. Our daughter Kelley wanted to go hiking while on the island and this was a great choice for a walk-a-bout. Access is easy with the trailhead being right next to the Grand Hyatt Kauai at the public beach parking lot. There are several footpaths along the cliffs and we opted for the ones closest to the water most of the time. It is a relatively easy hike being only around two miles, but with the wind and uneven trails good hiking shoes are recommended. You end up at the end of the trail overlooking Gillin's Beach. This is where we found a naturally columned shelter (cave) along the cliffs that the winds and surf have fashioned over time. With the wind blowing in from the ocean and the sun shining on you, what's not to like? |
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| National Tropical Botanical Gardens Visit the Website Just up from Spouting Horn you come upon The National Tropical Botanical Gardens. The Lawa'i River empties into the bay where this treasure of a garden lies. It consists of two gardens, a 250 acre tract called McBryde Garden and Allerton Garden, a 100 acre parcel. Carolyn and Kelley went on this excursion while Meagan and I played golf. They visited the Allerton garden which alone took about 3 hours to see everything. A famous scene from the movie Jurassic Park was filmed in the Allerton Garden. Here you will find the giant Ficus trees that were in the scene where they found the dinosaur eggs. It cost $40.00 alone just to visit the Allerton Garden section, but it is well worth it. This is a must see attraction. |
| Spouting Horn Beach Park Heading west on Lawa'i Drive you will find this wonderful lava shelf where water is pushed through an opening, causing water and air to squirt out a blowhole. Unlike other blowholes around Hawaii this one has an additional hole that blows only air, causing a loud moaning and gasping sound. Spouting Horn is most dramatic when seen at high tide. |
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| East Coast Adventures |
| Kauai Backcountry Adventures 3-4131 Kuhio Highway Hanama'ulu - Kauai, HI (888) 270-0555 Visit Backcountry's Website |
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| Waimea and Waimea Canyon State Park When in Waimea you have to take the time to drive up to this wonder of a canyon. No, it's not the Grand Canyon, but it is breathtaking to say the least. There are two highways you can take to get there. We traveled Hwy 552 up to the park and came back on Hwy 550. They are both long and winding roads so be sure your tank is full as this is a 40 mile round trip. Back in Waimea we ate at the famous Barefoot Burgers (sorry, no photo). This little shack of a restaurant reminds me of the burger joints I used to go to as a kid. The food was great. I wanted a T-Shirt that did not come from one of those large tourist shops and found mine at the Nukumoi Surf Co. right across the street from Barefoot Burgers on the Kaumualii Highway. This along with shaved ices and shopping for guitar picks for the girls' boyfriends in the local music store made for a fun outing. |
| While Carolyn and I explored the East side of Kauai the girls went on a tubing trip on the old Lihue Plantation Canals. They took off in four wheel drive adventure vehicles (above) and headed into the interior of the island to the Lihue Plantation lands. Upon arriving at the launch site they chose their tubes, donned headlamps and headed out on their tubing adventure on the old Plantation Canals. Along the way they were able to experience these engineering feats that brought water throughout the plantation as well as going through dark tunnels and flumes that were hand dug circa 1870. At the end of their float they enjoyed a picnic lunch. Kauai Backcountry Adventures also offers Zip-Line adventures. |
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| Kauai Museum 4428 Rice Street Lihue - Kauai, HI (808) 245-6931 Visit the Museum Website After finishing at the falls we headed in to Lihue to check out the Kauai Museum. It is steeped in the history of the island and was well worth our time. The historical displays and photographs were outstanding! |
| All Summer in a Day! Author Ray Bradbury wrote the above famous short story about school children who celebrated the warmth and sun for one day...that seemed to last forever. This is what our last day on the island felt like. Our plane did not depart until 11:30 at night so we had the opportunity to see everything, do everything. We tried our best to do just that! |
| Wailua Falls After checking out of the hotel we headed to the eastside of the island to drop Meagan and Kelley off for their tubing adventure in Hanama'ulu. We had a few hours to explore and started out with a drive up to Wailua Falls. It is just a short drive up picturesque Ma'alo Road to get there. There is a beautiful viewing point as you can see from the photos. You can hike above and below the falls but you will need to bring your hiking shoes as it is steep and can be perilous. |
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| Lydgate Beach and State Park Highway 56 Wailua - East Kauai, HI Visit the State Park Website When on the eastside you should stop by this "locals" beach, we did. Lots of picnicking and families here. Lydgate is known for its facilities and if you need a shower before flying out, this is the place, albeit they are outside showers...but free! |
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| After spending time at Lydgate we headed back over to Hanama'ulu to pick up the girls from their tubing adventure. We had planned to drive to the north end of the island to have dinner, possibly at Saffron, a Mediterranean Cuisine restaurant. After traveling north on highway 56 we made it as far as the north side of Kapa'a when we noticed the several mile long line of cars trying to make their way south on the same highway. Well, we decide to turn around and explore familiar territory for the rest of the day. We stopped by Hilo Hatties in Lihue for a less than stellar shopping experience as we headed back south towards the Poipu area. |
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| We had heard of a restaurant called Casablanca (see above review) and had wanted to try it, but had not had the chan. We made reservations, stopped in at The Wine Shop, bought a botlle of Amarone and headed over to The Grand Hyatt to enjoy cocktails before we went to dinner. The girls were still in their tubing gear so they enjoyed changing and getting ready in the luxury of The Hyatt. Carolyn and I enjoyed cocktails out on the veranda overlooking the ocean while waiting. After we all went to the art gallery, where we viewed some fabulous Disney art we headed over to Casablanca for dinner. |
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| We enjoyed an incredible dinner at Casablanca. You would think the day was over, but we still had time before our flight back to Seattle. So, off to downtown Koloa for some nighttime shopping for last minute souvenirs and bobbles. After that we headed to Lihue, stopped at a bookstore for some airplane reading material, some coffee and finally (finally!) we arrived at the airport. By now the picture to your right was pretty accurate. Then, back in Seattle and just a six hour drive back to Bend! We loved this trip, one of the best ever! |