Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
chili sauce, one of several relishes sweetened with mango, pineapple, papaya, coconut,
banana or star fruit, and a lilikoi mustard made in-house. The lemonade is deliciously
famous too. Get yours with a minimalist quarter-scoop of sugar for best balance.
Josselin's
HAWAII REGIONAL CUISINE $$$
(
742-7117;
www.josselins.com
;
2829 Ala Kalani- kaumaka St, Shops at Kukuiʻula; dishes $8-36;
5-10pm)
Chef Jean-Marie Josselin is that rare artist in chef's clothing. A revered,
award-winning contemporary of Wolfgang Puck, his boom and bust career is the stuff of
pulp fiction and his food is culinary high art, yet somehow still understated and ap-
proachable. The salad dressings are tangy and bright, the Thai bisque is coconut creamy
and his 36-hour braised pork belly is the finest dish on the island.
It's marinated in hoisin, agave, miso, orange zest and buttermilk, bagged and roasted
for 36 hours, then plated with green apple kimchee and truffle oil potato foam. Don't be
individualistic with this menu. Order and share liberally. We'll let you decipher the can't-
miss sangria cart on your own.
Tortilla Republic
MEXICAN $$$
(
742-8884;
www.tortillarepublic.com
;
2829 Ala Kalanikaumaka St, Shops at Kukuiʻula; mains
$12-32; margarita bar 7:30am-11pm, grill 5:30am-9pm Mon-Thu, to 10pm Fri, to 2am Sat)
Bringing high-end yet traditional Mexican cooking to Poʻipu, the upstairs grill is a fine-
dining scene featuring ancho chili-rubbed and grilled fresh catch, a fabulous pork chop
al pastor, succulent carnitas and a shortrib chili verde. Best paired with one of their 75
tequila labels. The downstairs Margarita Bar serves live music on Tuesdays and
Thursdays, and offers a decent brunch.
The Dolphin
SEAFOOD $$$
(
742-1414;
www.thedolphinkauai.com
;
2829 Ala Kalanikaumaka St, Shops at Kukuiʻula; mains
$14-32; market 10am-7pm, restaurant 11:30am-3pm, 3:30am-9pm)
Brand new at research
time, this mall version of the Hanalei original comes complete with sushi bar, a terrific
fish market, classic regional seafood mains and a lunch menu populated with shrimp ta-
cos, teriyaki fish burgers and a really good seafood chowder.
Local secret: Gary Joseph Mitsui Jr, the Dolphin's longtime buyer of fish and man-
ager of kitchens, owns the sushi bar on Thursday nights, turning out his famed Gary Yaki
Special. Just order it. Then finish with the spicy
unagi nigiri
, a perfect balance of sweet
and spicy.
