Which wine and dine spots are absolutely do not miss on Oahu & Kauai
Mar 4th, 2005, 10:14 AM
#1
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Which wine and dine spots are absolutely do not miss on Oahu & Kauai
Even tho these questions have been asked many times over..how about an update from locals or those who have just experienced good eats on the islands of Oahu & Kauai..
Here are some places that really interest me: Please let me know how they may be:
On OAHU
1. Dim sum lunch...Thinking of taking Pake Pork Chop's recommendation and doing the gourment tour thru the Chinatown Historical Society...I've never had dim sum and would like to do it with a group...Is this the best? I have read that Legends is good for dim sum> Yea or nay?
2.Okonomiyaki Chibo - Saw it recommended on another thread..Worth it?
3.Duke's of course.
4.Roy's, but which one? Drive out to the new one at KoOlina?
5.Malasadas - Do I just need to try them all to determine my favorites?
6.What else do not miss...drinks or food...
Now, let's move on to KAUAI:
We definitely will do:
Hamarua's Saimin
Lihue BBQ Inn
LaPlayita Azul
Jojo's Shave Ice
Do we want to go to?:
Coconuts
Wahoo's
Portofino's
Duke's again
Roy's again
Scotty's Beachside BBQ
Tip Top Cafe
Puka Dogs
Any idea of when A Pacific Cafe is re-opening?
Should we do Cafe Hanalei or Friday night or Sunday Brunch or neither nor?
Also...staying in Kapaa..where will be the best place to purchase fish if we decide to grill a few times....
See you guys in 71 more days!!!!
Here are some places that really interest me: Please let me know how they may be:
On OAHU
1. Dim sum lunch...Thinking of taking Pake Pork Chop's recommendation and doing the gourment tour thru the Chinatown Historical Society...I've never had dim sum and would like to do it with a group...Is this the best? I have read that Legends is good for dim sum> Yea or nay?
2.Okonomiyaki Chibo - Saw it recommended on another thread..Worth it?
3.Duke's of course.
4.Roy's, but which one? Drive out to the new one at KoOlina?
5.Malasadas - Do I just need to try them all to determine my favorites?
6.What else do not miss...drinks or food...
Now, let's move on to KAUAI:
We definitely will do:
Hamarua's Saimin
Lihue BBQ Inn
LaPlayita Azul
Jojo's Shave Ice
Do we want to go to?:
Coconuts
Wahoo's
Portofino's
Duke's again
Roy's again
Scotty's Beachside BBQ
Tip Top Cafe
Puka Dogs
Any idea of when A Pacific Cafe is re-opening?
Should we do Cafe Hanalei or Friday night or Sunday Brunch or neither nor?
Also...staying in Kapaa..where will be the best place to purchase fish if we decide to grill a few times....
See you guys in 71 more days!!!!
Mar 4th, 2005, 12:02 PM
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1. Dim sum at Legends, yes!!! Dining with a crowd is fun, but don't let lack of dining buddies stop you from trying this place.
Kaua`i:
Highly recommend Coconuts, Cafe Portofino, Roy's, Scotty's BBQ (ribs are only available after 4pm, however), Cafe Hanalei Sunday Brunch (for the views _and_ the food), and Sushi & Blues (Hanalei) for fresh fish and awesome sushi concoctions (delishush martinis, too).
Advise you to skip, however Wahoooo (they're on a sad, downhill slide), and TipTop Cafe. If it's mac-nut pancakes you seek, head to Ono Family Restaurant in Kapa`a instead.
A Pacific Cafe has no announced reopen date, and construction of their new site hasn't even begun yet...
Kaua`i:
Highly recommend Coconuts, Cafe Portofino, Roy's, Scotty's BBQ (ribs are only available after 4pm, however), Cafe Hanalei Sunday Brunch (for the views _and_ the food), and Sushi & Blues (Hanalei) for fresh fish and awesome sushi concoctions (delishush martinis, too).
Advise you to skip, however Wahoooo (they're on a sad, downhill slide), and TipTop Cafe. If it's mac-nut pancakes you seek, head to Ono Family Restaurant in Kapa`a instead.
A Pacific Cafe has no announced reopen date, and construction of their new site hasn't even begun yet...
Mar 4th, 2005, 01:28 PM
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One thing to keep in mind is that any restaurant serving good dim sum will be crazy busy on either a Saturday or Sunday - anytime from 10:00 a.m. through lunchtime. If you want a more low key experience, maybe a weekday is better.
I like Legends - but everytime I've gone (Saturdays and Sundays) - it's just too crowded, too loud for me.
I also like Mei Sum in Chinatown - my usual stop for a dim sum lunch on a workday.
Another place I like is Happy Day in Kaimuki.
I like Legends - but everytime I've gone (Saturdays and Sundays) - it's just too crowded, too loud for me.
I also like Mei Sum in Chinatown - my usual stop for a dim sum lunch on a workday.
Another place I like is Happy Day in Kaimuki.
Mar 4th, 2005, 02:06 PM
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Hi icee2!
When are you going to Oahu and Kauai? We are going in August...5 nights on Oahu and 8 on Kauai.
We went to Duke's a few times in the couple of days we stayed on Waikiki last summer. We thought it was very good for any meal. We had cheeseburgers and fries, roast beef sandwich, and chicken quesadillas when we went for lunch or dinner. And they had wonderful Lava Flows! The breakfast buffet is also very good. I think it was $10.95 per person, and the food was great. Made to order omelette station, fresh fruit, eggs, French toast, etc...
Have a wonderful time!
When are you going to Oahu and Kauai? We are going in August...5 nights on Oahu and 8 on Kauai.
We went to Duke's a few times in the couple of days we stayed on Waikiki last summer. We thought it was very good for any meal. We had cheeseburgers and fries, roast beef sandwich, and chicken quesadillas when we went for lunch or dinner. And they had wonderful Lava Flows! The breakfast buffet is also very good. I think it was $10.95 per person, and the food was great. Made to order omelette station, fresh fruit, eggs, French toast, etc...
Have a wonderful time!
Mar 4th, 2005, 07:37 PM
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I don't know if you can refer to dim sum as a wine and dine experience, although you do raise a very interesting question: what wine(s) would you match with dim sum? Right off the top of my head, dim sum being a brunch experience, I would try champagne...
In any event, your selection of restaurant and the day that you dine is dependent on the experience that you are looking for. In my opinion, if you are looking for one of the fullest visions of China that you can obtain in Hawaii, eating dim sum at the Chinatown Cultural Plaza on a Sunday morning is unmatched. The newly arrived Chinese take their children to the language schools in Chinatown that convene in the morning. The parents then go to the markets in Chinatown to shop. Going back to the Cultural Plaza to pick up the children, they then retire to the dim sum parlors for a family meal. The promenades are full of immigrant Chinese families moving to and fro, the restaurants chock-a-block with customers and serve-help alike literally bellowing their conversations and orders. You may find the experience over-the-top, but it is a mere shadow of what occurs in the dim sum palaces of Hong Kong.
To keep the experience within limits, I would advise obtaining a table by 10:30 am or perhaps a tad earlier. Legend is good, Fook Lam a few doors away is comparable but not as pricey. If you want to savor the food without the sight and sound experience, Mei Sum is the way to go, and on a weekday at that.
Questions? Email [email protected]
In any event, your selection of restaurant and the day that you dine is dependent on the experience that you are looking for. In my opinion, if you are looking for one of the fullest visions of China that you can obtain in Hawaii, eating dim sum at the Chinatown Cultural Plaza on a Sunday morning is unmatched. The newly arrived Chinese take their children to the language schools in Chinatown that convene in the morning. The parents then go to the markets in Chinatown to shop. Going back to the Cultural Plaza to pick up the children, they then retire to the dim sum parlors for a family meal. The promenades are full of immigrant Chinese families moving to and fro, the restaurants chock-a-block with customers and serve-help alike literally bellowing their conversations and orders. You may find the experience over-the-top, but it is a mere shadow of what occurs in the dim sum palaces of Hong Kong.
To keep the experience within limits, I would advise obtaining a table by 10:30 am or perhaps a tad earlier. Legend is good, Fook Lam a few doors away is comparable but not as pricey. If you want to savor the food without the sight and sound experience, Mei Sum is the way to go, and on a weekday at that.
Questions? Email [email protected]
Mar 5th, 2005, 04:25 AM
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Thanks PPC...I will email you...the thing that concerns me about dim sum is not knowing what to order..or how to slow the people down if it is just the 2 of us!! Gotta start cleaning the house right now, cause you are sound asleep anyway!! I will put the creative Dim Sum as my subject liner to you!
Now, anyone want to chime in on the other places or things. What about Roy's? Which location?
Now, anyone want to chime in on the other places or things. What about Roy's? Which location?
Mar 5th, 2005, 06:22 AM
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You MUST go to Alan Wong's on Oahu - get your reservations in advance, b/c it's one of the top restaurants in the U.S. Go w/ suggestions from your waiter - it was one of best dining experiences in Hawaii (We also loved Roys & Dukes on the islands - Dukes still rates up there w/ one of the best mai tais ever). On Kauai - we liked the Beach House Restaurant - good bar drinks - ask for a table near the beach view - it gets very crowded. Both restaurants are a bit expensive but worth it. And...yes...you must do Dukes again - would it be Hawaii without having a least one meal there?
Mar 5th, 2005, 10:27 AM
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PPC's dim sum tour is on the weekdays, so no worries on that. If you are worried about it being just the two of you for lunch, maybe I can be pursuaded to join you and help the cause. 
OR, you may want to visit me in my work habitat, where you can have dim sum at Hong Kong Harbour View. I get an employee discount, apparently. As for Mei Sum, they are serving dim sum all the way till 8 p.m. so you can still have it if you miss the lunch rush. It will definitely not be the same experience, though. If you cannot make it out of Waikiki, the Hyatt Regency has Seafood Village, which is very good with excellent service.
If you go to Roy's in hawaii kai, I recommend going early--like 5-ish. That way you can watch the sunset colors while you eat, and you'll be out of there before it gets so noisy you can't hear.
Okonomiyaki Chibo is good & different, but I don't know if I'd go out of my way to have it.
You know, there are dining options at the malls! I like Chai's at Aloha Tower Marketplace for upscale dining, but again, don't go on a weekend. It's less crowded on the weekdays and he has live entertainment nightly. Mondays is Jerry Santos, one of my favorites. Tuesdays features the famous Robert Cazimero. If you go to Ala Moana Center, some nice breakfast & lunch options include Longhi's, Mariposa, and the Pineapple Room (owned by Alan Wong). Breakfast & lunch are more reasonable for the same food.
So much food, so little time!
OR, you may want to visit me in my work habitat, where you can have dim sum at Hong Kong Harbour View. I get an employee discount, apparently. As for Mei Sum, they are serving dim sum all the way till 8 p.m. so you can still have it if you miss the lunch rush. It will definitely not be the same experience, though. If you cannot make it out of Waikiki, the Hyatt Regency has Seafood Village, which is very good with excellent service. If you go to Roy's in hawaii kai, I recommend going early--like 5-ish. That way you can watch the sunset colors while you eat, and you'll be out of there before it gets so noisy you can't hear.
Okonomiyaki Chibo is good & different, but I don't know if I'd go out of my way to have it.
You know, there are dining options at the malls! I like Chai's at Aloha Tower Marketplace for upscale dining, but again, don't go on a weekend. It's less crowded on the weekdays and he has live entertainment nightly. Mondays is Jerry Santos, one of my favorites. Tuesdays features the famous Robert Cazimero. If you go to Ala Moana Center, some nice breakfast & lunch options include Longhi's, Mariposa, and the Pineapple Room (owned by Alan Wong). Breakfast & lunch are more reasonable for the same food.
So much food, so little time!
Mar 5th, 2005, 11:07 AM
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Scotty's Beachside BBQ -- on the makai (ocean) side of the highway. It's at the north end of Kapa`a, kinda halfway between Hotel Coral Reef, and Otsuka's Furniture Store -- directly across the street from Kojima's Market.
Open 11a.m. til 9p.m., Monday thru Saturday. Dinner menu (mainly those fabulous ribs!) is available after 4p.m., and takeout is an option (small place, limited parking).
This is a brand new building (locals thought it was going to be a new house, it's so non-restaurant in its appearance!). Downstairs is just parking and storage -- they have a wheelchair accessible elevator and stairs to get customers up to the dining area. The oceanside of the restaurant is w-i-d-e open to the views -- with rolldown screens if the flies become bothersome (rarely), and 2 full all-glass-paned roll up garage doors (kewl) which are closed if wind or rain develops. Love the food, love the location...we eat there at _least_ once a week.
Across the street from Kojima's Market
Open 11a.m. til 9p.m., Monday thru Saturday. Dinner menu (mainly those fabulous ribs!) is available after 4p.m., and takeout is an option (small place, limited parking).
This is a brand new building (locals thought it was going to be a new house, it's so non-restaurant in its appearance!). Downstairs is just parking and storage -- they have a wheelchair accessible elevator and stairs to get customers up to the dining area. The oceanside of the restaurant is w-i-d-e open to the views -- with rolldown screens if the flies become bothersome (rarely), and 2 full all-glass-paned roll up garage doors (kewl) which are closed if wind or rain develops. Love the food, love the location...we eat there at _least_ once a week.
Across the street from Kojima's Market
Mar 5th, 2005, 05:59 PM
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On north shore O'ahu, don't miss K'ua A'ina for a mahi sandwich or a cheeseburger... Aoki's for a shave ice afterward... we liked Aoki's shave ice better than Matsumotos.
I am excitedly planning a trip to Kauai in June/July... so I'm also reading up on all the best dining spots... haven't been there in 5 or so years... can't wait.
Bill, when will you be in Hanalei?
I am excitedly planning a trip to Kauai in June/July... so I'm also reading up on all the best dining spots... haven't been there in 5 or so years... can't wait.
Bill, when will you be in Hanalei?
Mar 6th, 2005, 06:47 AM
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You guys are just great...MelissaHI, what do you mean hawaiikai?....Is that the regular Roy's or the one out at Ko Olina? Hey, and thanks for the invite..we may just have to buy your lunch for you!
AuntieM, if we are staying in Kapaa, we should be able to just walk to Scotty's Beachside BBQ, right or wrong?
Where is Scotty's in relation to Bubba's in Kapaa...
AuntieM, if we are staying in Kapaa, we should be able to just walk to Scotty's Beachside BBQ, right or wrong?
Where is Scotty's in relation to Bubba's in Kapaa...
Mar 6th, 2005, 08:02 AM
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iceeu2:
LocoMoco on O`ahu -- PakePorkchop and I had a loco-moco-off, and I think my choice won (didn't it???). Karen's Kitchen, downtown just off Ala Moana Boulevard.
Walking to Scotty's will depend on where you are staying in Kapa`a. Unless you're staying at the north end, you could have a l-o-n-g hike to dinner! 8-)
Scotty's is about half-mile or a mile north of Bubba's, and on the other side of the road.
LocoMoco on O`ahu -- PakePorkchop and I had a loco-moco-off, and I think my choice won (didn't it???). Karen's Kitchen, downtown just off Ala Moana Boulevard.
Walking to Scotty's will depend on where you are staying in Kapa`a. Unless you're staying at the north end, you could have a l-o-n-g hike to dinner! 8-)
Scotty's is about half-mile or a mile north of Bubba's, and on the other side of the road.
