Best Food - Quality/flavor and Service
 

I posted earlier about the Pacific Grill on Kauai but decided I need to broaden my question.

I'm trying to get a balance between paying top dollar for average food just for the view with finding great meals. Food prepared with awesome flavors and presentation. We will have 22 dinners while we are in Hawaii. 3 of which we will be cooking ourselves so that leaves 19 dinners. A few are on tours or included in the stay. I don't want each restuarant to be about the sunset view. You seem to be paying for the view which is free if you stand on the beach or mountain. I want to find meals about the quality and flavor of the food.

I think my priorities are changing about my restuarant choices since I began planning this trip.

Initially the ranking was as follows:

1)Location/view
2)ambiance
3)food
4)service

I've got a couple of those in the mix, now I'm searching for places that are all about the food......

I'd like to eat at some high/medium-end non-resort restuarants where Food and Service are number one.

Roy's would be the only restuarant I have no desire to visit as we have one here in Tampa and we eat there enough. The dishes people rave about we have on the menu here.

I'd like some suggestions for restuarants in the following locations (or nearby). The places where locals go for anniversaries, engagements, valentines day or other special ocassions.

Kauai - South/East Shore (One night)Staying at the Hyatt (A Pacific Cafe??)

Kauai - North Shore (Two nights) (Staying in cottage) (Nelda's and Zeldo???)

Maui - Waliea (Two nigths) (Staying at 4S)(Waterfront?? Spago?? Sarento's (but the bugs???)

Maui - Lahaina (One night) (dinner before Friday night art night) (David Paul's???)

Honolulu - Waikiki (3 Nights) (Staying at Halekulani) (3660???, Duke's???, Orchids??)

Thanks

(We are eating at Mama's in Maui, Princeville and Tides on Kauai already)

Nancy,

If you're staying at the Halekulani you may want to try "House Without A Key" right there on the the property. It is their nice but non high-end restaurant. Go to their website and you can check out the menu. I've heard great things, and am going to eat there later this month and will post a review.

Also, for breakfast on Oahu, the Halekulani's sister property "The Waikiki Parc" is supposed to have an amazing buffet breakfast. I've heard nothing but good things about it also.

We have Roy's in California, but it's still one of my favorites to eat at in Hawaii. I understand your feelings about it already being in Tampa. However, we have a Duke's in Malibu. I've eaten there on several occasions, but it's not my favorite. The food is average, the view is very nice being right on the ocean, but it can't hold a candle to Duke's in Waikiki. Bottom line, don't write of Roy's so quickly.

Have a wonderful trip! 22 dinners... I'm jealous!

It may be about the view - but the Beach
House on Kauai was one of the best meals
we have ever had in the Island. Can't
go wrong with great food AND a spectacular sunset view. In Wailea I
recommend Tommy Bahamas for a more casual meal - still with a view. Not
too expensive - but a fun place.

<i>Maui - Lahaina (One night) (dinner before Friday night art night)</i>
Grab a burger at Mooses McGillicuddy's on Front St; Sit in the balcony &amp; people watch, then take the $$ you've saved &amp; go buy pictures (or maybe put a down payment on one).
P.S. Don't over-plan, or at least be amenable to future change; I've found about 80% of our plans become unimportant once there and the slower pace kicks in (don't fight it) :)

So glad to finally see someone who isn't as impressed with the sunset, as with the meal! :-)

&gt;&gt;Kauai - South/East Shore (One night)Staying at the Hyatt (A Pacific Cafe??)

Also consider Tidepools (at the Hyatt), or Cafe Portofino at the Marriott Hotel.
There's also a brand new restaurant in Kapa`a (near the fire station), Wahoo, with great seafood creations. And Coconuts just down the road has some creative offerings, too.

&gt;&gt;Kauai - North Shore (Two nights) (Staying in cottage) (Nelda's and Zeldo???)

Neide's and Zelo's are fine for lunch, but for a dinnner experience, look to the Princeville Hotel (either Cafe Hanalei or La Cascata), or the new Sabella's just down the road from the Princeville Hotel. For lobster, CJs Steakhouse at the Princeville Shopping Center.