Kauai - Hawaii with Kids - page 366

because of its multicourse dinners that won't break the bank and a kids' menu
that features burgers.
9852 Kaumualii Hwy., Waimea. & 808/338-1218. Kids' menu, highchairs, boosters, crayons. Lunch $8-$12;
dinner main courses $17-$30; kids' menu $6.50. AE, MC, V. Mon-Thurs 11am-8:30pm; Fri 11am-9pm; Sat
5-9pm.
THE COCONUT COAST
You'll find the restaurants in this section on the “Coconut Coast” map on p. 357.
EXPENSIVE
A Pacific Cafe Kauai HAWAIIAN REGIONAL/MEDITERRANEAN
This is foodie central on Kauai: casual, chic, crowded, and buzzing with energy.
Chef Jean-Marie Josselin's first Hawaii restaurant features light-as-air, deep-fried
tiger-eye sushi with wasabi beurre blanc; wok-charred mahimahi with garlic-
sesame crust and lime-ginger-butter sauce; scallop ravioli in lime-ginger sauce;
and firecracker salmon—the Josselin signatures. The menu, which changes by
the day, offers a hearty selection from the wood-burning grill, such as opah with
olives and feta, fire-roasted ono with Thai coconut green curry sauce, and spicy
pork tenderloin with banana barbecue sauce. The kids' menu has fresh fish,
chicken dishes, and pastas. If crayons don't entertain your kids, there's a toy box
to keep them happy.
In Kauai Shopping Village, 4-831 Kuhio Hwy., Kapaa. & 808/822-0013. Kids' menu, highchairs, boosters,
crayons. Reservations recommended. Main courses $20-$24; kids' menu $6.95. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily
5:30-9:30pm.
MODERATE
Caffè Coco GOURMET BISTRO This gets our vote for the most
charming ambience on Kauai, with gourmet fare cooked to order, at cafe prices,
and special attention paid to the kids. Caffè Coco appears just off the main road
at the edge of a cane field in Wailua, with a backyard that kids will love: shaded
by pomelo, avocado, mango, tangerine, lychee, and banana trees, with a view of
the Sleeping Giant Mountain. Not only do the trees create the experience of eat-
ing in an enchanted garden, they also provide many of the ingredients for the
muffins, chutneys, salsas, and fresh-squeezed juices that Ginger Carlson whips
up in her kitchen. Seats are indoors (beyond the black-light art gallery) or on the
gravel-floored back courtyard, where tiki torches flicker at night. The food is
excellent, with vegetarian and other healthful delights such as spanakopita,
homemade chai, Greek salad, fish wraps, macadamia nut-black sesame ahi with
wasabi cream, and an excellent tofu-and-roast-veggie wrap. The kids' menu fea-
tures items like quesadillas and penne pasta.
4-369 Kuhio Hwy., Wailua. & 808/822-7990. Kids' menu, highchairs, a few toys. Reservations recom-
mended. Main courses $7-$18; specials usually under $20; kids' menu $5.50-$7.75. MC, V. Tues-Sun 5-9pm.
Wailua Family Restaurant AMERICAN/LOCAL The salad bars, efficient
service, and family-friendly feeling here are legendary. Seniors and kids get dis-
counts on the huge menu and a cross-cultural salad bar that includes a Mexican
bar, pasta bar, sushi section, homemade soups, and ethnic samplings from
Korean, Japanese, Filipino, and Hawaiian traditions. Everything, from the menu
to the servings to the budget-friendly prices, winds up generous and big at
Wailua Family Restaurant. The papaya is always freshly sliced at breakfast
(there's a breakfast buffet Sat-Sun), the cornbread is good, and the eggs Bene-
dict comes with a choice of ham or turkey. You can also order mahimahi or ono
with the eggs for a high-protein start. The all-you-can-eat buffet (soup, salad,