North Kauai - favorite restaurants?
 

Spending only 3 nights at the Princeville resort in North Kauai, one night we are doing a "romantic dinner on the beach",
I was planning on going to the Hanelai cafe right at the Princeville, perhaps our first night, is that a good choice? or maybe for lunch instead???

what would you reccomend (staying on the north shore or nearby)
for 2 adults, romantic, or casual & fun atmosphere... great food a must :):)

thanks, getting very excited, only 2 weeks til we head to Hawaii for 16 nights :)

Oh that sounds so great. I only have recommendations for the Poipu area but I wanted to post this to encourage you to post a report on your beach dinner when you get back. There are lots of fodorites who would be interested in your experience! Have a great time.

We go to the Princeville Hotel often -- because we live here, it's close by, the view is always spectacular, visitors love the whole "sunset experience" there, and the bar area is comfy.

Hate to say it, but the dinner menu at Cafe Hanalei is less than special. Ater our last dinner there, we vowed to only return for dinners at either the Friday night seafood buffet, or at their La Cascata Restaurant (really good Italian/continental offerings) -- and the window tables get great bay/ocean/mountain views, too.

We've also got a new seafood/Italian restaurant within walking distance of the hotel -- Sabellas -- which we enjoy often. No special view, but the food is excellent.

Hungry for steak, prime rib or lobster? CJs Steakhouse at the Princeville Center also offers the northshore's best (and only) salad bar.

There's a new restaurant out in Ha`ena -- yet another stab at reopening the place which used to be Charo's. Reports from neighbors who've tried it, have all been negative. Nice view, so mebbe you can just go for a drink?

Zelo's in Hanalei is getting bad press lately, too. Sorry to hear that, as it used to be a wonderful place for salad, pasta, ribs...but the menu has changed, the portions are smaller, and the prices are ridiculously high.

We're going to Sushi 'n Blues in Hanalei with friends tonight -- I'll post a specific review about it tomorrow.

Wish someone would open a real Japanese or Chinese restaurant up here again....

Call us lucky, but we had a great dinner at Zelos. Sorry to hear about the negative things that have been posted about it lately. We really liked it.
Auntiemaria: How is food at the Hanalei Gourmet? We walked by one evening and the place was hopping with a great band. Seemed like a fun to hang out for a few hours. Just wondering...
-Bill

Zelo's:
Not only are negative comments from visitors showing up here, locals are staying away from it now, too.

Hanalei Gourmet:
One of those special "where everybody knows your name" places. We eat there often -- great handmade burgers, fresh fish (even their fish-n-chips is made from fresh local fish; we get ahi-n-chips or ono-n-chips or whatever's been caught that day). Sit at the bar to eat and you'll _really_ feel like a local. Only complaint I've heard from visitors is that no alcohol is allowed on the front lanai tables. Live music is almost every night -- our friends Mitsui and his brother Katchi play Hawaiian and contemporary on Sundays, starting around 6PM or so.

Sushi & Blues:
Loved it! One of our group ordered sushi (and wouldn't even share...); another ordered 2 pupus (steamed clams, which she proclaimed the best she'd ever had, plus tempura shrimp and vegetables -- crunchy fresh and not overly battered); another is vegetarian -- asked for and got the tempura sans shrimp, plus a salad she had to share with us, plus veggie spring rolls -- yum!; two of us ordered the day's fresh catch (mac nut crusted opakapaka) with wasabi mashed potatoes and a _pile_ of wok'd veggies. Dinner was great, the martini menu is intoxicating, the view of the mountains and waterfalls is lovely (wish they'd underground those danged power lines though). Service was a bit slow at the start, but the busier the place got (we were early diners), the better the service got.

We loved Zelos as well!

Wow, Lasjas...sounds like you might be at the Princeville at the same time as my husband and I! We are arriving the evening of the 2nd and leaving the 7th...I have reserved Cafe Hanelei for 6:00pm on the 2nd and will post a report. I was planning on eating at Zelos the next night....too bad about the reviews....but I think I will still try it.
Have a great trip!

thanks, sounds like there isnt anything that I should be upset about if I miss, could be a good thing, no pressure :)

that sushi & blues place sounds good, where is it???

craftr, we will be at the Princeville from Sept 5 - 8th, small world :)

I wont be home for your review though, we will be in Hawaii from Sept 1 - 17th, so when you post your report I'll be in Oahu, I plan on staying far away as possible from computers.....

but I hope you have a great time!!!!!!!!
and...If I do have to check my e-mail for work, I will take a peak at your report .

lasjas

Sushi 'N Blues is upstairs in the Ching Young Shopping Village in Hanalei -- same shopping center as Big Save grocery (just a few doors away from Zelos).

I have to admit Sushi's menu was a pleasant surprise (no, it's not all sushi!). Steak, big thick pork chops, variety of large salads, great fresh fish daily "specials", etc. Go early or make reservations. We got there when they opened (6pm) and by the time we left, there were folks waiting for tables -- and this was on a Tuesday night.

auntiemaria,
Muchos mahalos for your take on all things Kauai! :-)
-Bill

Ditto Auntie Maria's recommendations for Hanalei Gourmet and Sushi 'n' Blues.
Great local spots.

I used to like Tropical Taco but the prices there have skyrocketed to a ridiculous point....$8 for a taco??? T

Where is Sabello's?? Did it replace Beamreach?

I never did like Zelo's. Inconsistent, overpriced, kinda shabby (not in a chic way), with a view of traffic.

Curious to see how long the new restaurant at "Charo's" lasts, that location is perpetually doomed. It changed hands 3 times while we lived on Kauai.....

Thanks AuntieMaria - we too were going to Zelos but will try the Sushi place instead. How about Nedia's (I believe it is Brazilian flavors)?

Neide's is great, castual atmosphere, eat outside on the deck, inside way to warm. The best burrito I've ever had. Can't wait til November to have another.