Where are we?
No seriously, where the heck are we? And more importantly, Hualani’s, where the heck are you?
Great staff here. They answer the phone immediately and give clear directions. They're so new they're not on the map so if you're near the Marriott, it's a left after the second bridge after the golf club.
They're worth finding, no matter how many times your GPS tries to turn you around, and no matter how hangry you are by the time you get there, their house special salad of Fried Calamari will turn things around. A plate-bowl of generous, jumbo rings rest on a green-grass bed with roasted pineapple pillows. A fruity, flighty tropical vinaigrette is surprisingly impact-ful with a splash of Japanese mirin for an unexpected angle.
If you ever manage to look up from the salad, you'll notice a breathtaking view. The dining room gets cold as the sun sets behind the Anini lighthouse, but they dish out some substantial beach towels, and you won't suffer much within those warm folds.
Fork up some warm folds of the catch of the day Naragi while you're at it. The cocktails will keep you warm, but this freshly caught slice of tender butter hits some brighter notes against an avocado-poblano purée. The pepper dishes out a hint of sass and some yucca fries keeps it rooted.
The main even is this Fried Whole Red Snapper. The fish itself is absolutely majestic, and the flesh flakes off like melt-in-your-mouth bolts of silk. A cool mango-papaya slaw gives it a Thai persuasion...if you can ever tear yourself away from that fish.
Hualani's may be new to the island, but they are exactly what Kauai needs. The dinner is absolutely exquisite, the absolute best food I’ve had in Hawaii, not to mention some of the best food I've had anywhere in years.
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