Fave Five Friday: Pizza

Last weekend, wifey, BIL, BIL’s gf and I were trying to figure out where to grind. The thought of trying a unique/tasty pizza came up but, for the life of me, I couldn’t think of any besides the usual suspects. This one’s for those of you who will be in a similar predicament in the future. You’re welcome. 😛

So here’s my list of favorite pizzas in Hawaii:

1. Brick Oven Pizza (Kalaheo, Kauai) – every trip to Kauai HAS TO include Brick Oven fo sho!
2. California Pizza Kitchen – they have a lot of winnahz, but one of my favorites is probably the Original BBQ Chicken one (sans the onions).
3. La Pizza Rina – I love those little 8 inchers.
4. Domino’s Pizza – makes me reminisce to the days when pops – only on special occasions – used to treat us to Domino’s Pizza (he was/is a health freak!)
5. Round Table Pizza – I’ve never tried it before, but BIL seems to swear by it, so I’m curious. 😛

Yeah, I know, not very interesting, but I’m not much of a pizza connoisseur. Teach me a lil’ sumthin’ sumthin’ will ya? 🙂

Happy VHO7V Friday y’all! Have a good weekend and I’ll see y’all on Monday! 🙂

P.S. Wish me luck with BJ Penn this weekend!

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EATS! – Kauaian Style – Part I

 Part I  | Part II | Part III

OK, I’ve got issues. 427 pictures and videos in just 4 short days on Kauai… I need help.

But my issues = your gain cause we’ll get to embark on the second adventure of EATS (Ed Ate Tasty Stuffs)! Ya ready?

So right off the bat, we head southwest towards Kalaheo. We first stop by a vendor’s office to drop off some famous Apple Napples from Zippy’s, then kill time in the area by going on a mini hike at _____________ park and the nearby town of ________________. Crud! Sorry folks… I forgot that if I name these places, a future edition of “Where in Hawaii” would be ruined. LOL! Just use your imagination with me won’tcha? 😉

In any case, we head back to Kalaheo and arrive at a favorite of many: Brick Oven Pizza, some of the best damn pizza you’ll ever eat.

Super Pizza from Brick Oven Pizza

We ordered the popular “Super Pizza” with garlic butter crust and all the fixin’s. What an awesome start to our vacay.

*skipping boring details of our trip*

For our next meal, we decided to go to BarbieQ!‘s suggested Blossoming Lotus in Kapaa. I’ve heard a lot about this place (heck, they’ve even won numerous awards), but have never gone because, well, frankly, I’m a meatatarian (yes dudes, it’s a vegan joint). The lady was interested in checking it out, so we did.

Kaya’s Cosmic Cornbread – Southwest spelt cornbread served with homemade squash sage butter. – $7

Teriyaki Bowl – Brown rice, kale, peanut sauce and choice of tofu or tempeh. – $13

Seniorita Bombia’s Enchilada Casserole – Spanish marinated & baked tempeh, beans, rice, chili sauce & cashew “cheeze” layered between corn tortillas and topped with carob mole, salsa and sour cream. – $20

*skipping more details…*

For lunch the next day, we stopped over at Garden Island Barbecue & Chinese Restaurant in Lihue. This was suggested many times by the readers of my Kau Kau Kauai series, as well as BarbieQ! again right here, so there is where we had to be.

Mini Mahi Mahi – $5.75

Mixed Plate (Hamburger Steak, Teriyaki Steak Lemon Chicken and Beef Curry) – $7.25
(Requested – and got! – a change for the Lemon Chicken! Yay!)

Since this Wednesday will be “Where in Hawaii” Wednesday (based out of Kauai), I’ll make the posts for this whole week Kauai related. Smaht chyeah?

EATS! for Tuesday will include Kauai Chocolate, pupus aboard Holoholo Charters and Hamura’s Saimin, and Thursday we’ll cover Kountry Style Kitchen, Postcards Cafe, and Kalypso. Then, we’ll round it all off on Friday with a Kauai-related Fave Five Friday post. Sound like fun? 🙂 Sound off below won’tcha?

 Part I  | Part II | Part III

Kau Kau Kauai – Part 3

Part I | Part II | Part III

Well, we’ve finally made it gang. The 3rd and final part in our Kau Kau Kauai series. Please! Hold back your tears!

In part 1, we spanned the Garden Isle for favorites such as Tip Top Motel & Cafe, Waimea Brewing Company, and Jo Jo’s Shave Ice. The 2nd part of our series took us to Ono’s Family Restaurant, Hamura’s Saimin and Duke’s, among others! Now, we’ll round it all out with stops at such hotspots like the Cafe Hanalei Sunday Brunch, Brick Oven Pizza and Polynesia Cafe.

Those previous Kau Kau Kauai adventures were written under the pretense that you were visiting these places all in a day’s work, when in actuality, each and every one of the Kauai restaurants were visited over the course of many, many visits there. The mishmash was then somehow puzzled together to create a single piece supposedly taking place over the course of one day. If you were fooled, please accept my humble apology. If you were not, but played along anyway, please accept my humble gratitude.

In this final piece, there ain’t no hidin’ it. It’s going to be a feeble attempt at throwing in the best of the rest, if you will, so prepare yourself for multiple breakfasts, numerous lunches, many dinners and miscellaneous treats in between for good measure. 😉

Conveniently located in the Coconut Marketplace in Kapa`a, Eggbert’s is not hard to find.

Eggbert’s Sign

Out front, they have a sign that boasts about their Loco Moco so guess what dis buggah just haaad to get.

Loco Moco from Eggbert’s

Out Honestly, the details are a bit fuzzy (I last visited there in October of 2005), but I do know that it wasn’t bad. As I’m sure with most of you, I only remember bad food experiences very vividly.

Eggbert’s Kauai Family Specialty Restaurant Coconut Marketplace 4-484 Kuhio Highway Kapa`a, Kauai, HI 96746 (map) (808) 822-3787

There were no plans on eating at this next stop really, but after many visitor requests about this place in my previous column, I just had to check things out at Dani’s for myself.

Dani’s Sign

I had the $6 Corn Beef Hash with 2 eggs and rice special. The other options for this special were Rego’s Portuguese Sausage (instead of the corned beef hash) and toast or hash brown (instead of rice).

Now because momma always taught me that if I have nothing good to say, don’t say anything at all, I’ll just say that I enjoyed my other Kauai breakfast stops a lot more. I know this is a local favorite, but to me, the portions were quite small and tasted “canned”.

Corned Beef Hash with Two Eggs & Rice

On the other hand, my eating partner Art enjoyed his $6.20 hamburger steak with scrambled eggs & rice combo.

Hamburger Steak with Scrambled Eggs & Rice

Dani’s Restaurant 4201 Rice Street Lihue, Kauai, HI 96766 (map) (808) 245-4991

Full yet? I’m just getting started my dears. Let’s drive on up to the the Princeville Resort where, every Sunday, they have the popular Cafe Hanalei Sunday Brunch.

The menu and prices are noted as subject to change without notice, but on this occasion, it boasted the following:

Salads:

• Kilauea Baby Greens with Assorted Dressings
• Crisp Romaine Caesar Style
• Chicken Pad Thai Noodle Salad
• Hawaiian Sweet Potato Salad
• Kailani Spinach and Chinese Duck Salad
• Spicy Crab and Kimchee with Cucumber
• Marinated Heart of Palm and Artichoke
• Spicy Thai Beef Salad
• Local Potato Macaroni Salad
• Thai Style Ahi Tuna Poke

Miscellaneous Salad Items

Chilled Seafood and Specialty Items:

• Iced Seafood Display
• Peel & Eat Shrimp, New Zealand Mussels and Dungeness Crab Legs
• Horseradish Spiked Cocktail Sauce
• Fresh Lemons
• California Rolls with Wasabi and Pickled Ginger
• Imported and Domestic Cheese Display
• Assorted Water Crackers and Breads
• Crisp Vegetable Crudite with Selection of Dips
• Atlantic Smoked Salmon Display
• Bagels and Cream Cheese with Red Onion and Capers
• Grilled Marinated Vegetable Display

Dungeness Crab Legs

Entrée:

• Fresh Island Catch of the Day
• Tossed Pasta of the Day
• Eggs Benedict
• Chef’s Brunch Potato
• Carved Slow Roasted Beef
• Wok Seared Kauai Prawns
• Moloaa Tomato Bisque
• Chinese Style Fried Rice
• Crisp Bacon, Link and Portuguese Sausage
• Stuffed Roasted Loin of Pork
• Pancit Noodles with Crispy Asian Duck
• Seasonal Local Vegetables
• Chef’s Omelette Station

Chef’s Omelette Station

Desserts:

• Pastry Chef’s Dessert Display
• Fresh Crepes with a Variety of Fillings
• Sliced Island Fruits

Fresh Crepes with Cherries and Vanilla Ice Cream

As made obvious by my packed plate, I was a fan…

Just part of the damage I was doing to the buffet….

Though the food is good, the highlight of the Sunday Brunch is actually the view. (! – If you come at the right time and request to sit outside, you may be able to get a table with an amazing view…)

Your view from Cafe Hanalei

Cafe Hanalei Sunday Brunch: 10AM-2PM Princeville Resort 5520 Ka Haku Road Princeville, Kauai, HI 96722 (map) (808) 826-9644 – TEL (808) 826-1166 – FAX

For the next two stops in our never ending day of gluttony, I have to apologize… Thumbing through my photo archives didn’t turn up many results in terms of usable pics. The Deli & Bread Connection, Inc. and Brick Oven Pizza are however, two stops that cannot go unmentioned.

Located in the Kukui Grove Shopping Center, this sandwich joint is always crowded during the lunch hour. They also sell fresh baked bread and, according to their business card, gourmet kitchenware as well.

Two different sandwiches from the Deli & Bread Connection, Inc.

Deli & Bread Connection, Inc. Kukui Grove Shopping Center 3-2600 Kaumualii Highway #1005 Lihue, Kauai, HI. 96766 (map) (808) 245-7115 (808) 245-3492 – FAX

Long revered as the best pizza on Kauai, Brick Oven Pizza sits conveniently off Kaumualii Highway in Kalaheo. These pizzas are hella fresh and homemade in their brick hearth.

Pepperoni and mushroom pizza from Brick Oven Pizza

Brick Oven Pizza 2-2555 Kaumualii Hwy Kalaheo, Kauai, HI 96741 (map) (808) 332-8561 Tues-Sunday 11AM-10PM Closed on Mondays

While we’re here, we might as well cross the street and continue our foodfest at the Kalaheo Cafe & Coffee Co.

Kalaheo Cafe & Coffee Co. Sign

Not only do they serve delicious coffee from the wee hours of the morning, they also offer fresh baked breads and serve up a healthy menu for lunch and dinner. On this occasion, I ordered up their special of the day: Eggs scrambled with roasted veggies & a tiger shrimp seafood mix, topped with hollandaise sauce & served with hash browns & toast for $10.25.

Eggs scrambled with roasted veggies & a tiger shrimp seafood mix, topped with hollandaise sauce & served with hash browns & toast for $10.25.

Kalaheo Cafe & Coffee Co. 2-2560 Kaumualii Hwy Kalaheo, HI. 96741 (map) (808) 332-5858 (808) 332-5868 FAX (800) 255-0137 Toll Free Email: javatalk@kalaheo.com Open daily from 6:30AM-2:30PM Dinners are Wed-Sat from 5:30 PM

We’ve finally reached the end of the road gang. Our last stop in this journey of Kauai Kau Kau takes us back north to the city of Hanalei. Located just inside the main entrance of the Ching Young Village Shopping Center, Polynesia Cafe is one of those pleasant surprises you won’t find very often. Billing themselves as gourmet food on paper plates, this little surfer’s-style cafe delivers on that mantra.

Entrance to Polynesia Cafe

Their menu is chock-full of gourmet entrees like Mac-Nut Herb Crusted Ahi or Thai Tofu & Veggie, salads, sandwiches and a variety of Mexican dishes. They even had a dessert case filled with tasty looking delights.

Dessert case at Polynesia Cafe

On this occasion, we ordered up Sesame Chicken and Chicken Quesadilla and a Lemon Bar for good measure for dessert.

On the menu, the Sesame Chicken was defined as “orange ginger glaze with curry batter” and went for $9.95. It came with mixed veggies and was served over a bed of rice.

Sesame Chicken – orange ginger glaze with curry batter for $9.95

The Chicken Quesadilla went for $8.95 and came with rice, beans and condiments for the quesadilla.

Chicken Quesadilla from Polynesia Cafe for $8.95

I don’t quite recall how much the lemon bar was, but lemme tell ya, it was worth every fattening bite!

Lemon Bar from Polynesia Cafe

Polynesia Cafe Ching Young Village Shopping Center 5300 Ka Haku Road Hanalei, HI 96714 (map) (808) 826-1999

…Annnnd I’m spent!

So there you have it! The season finale, the fairytale ending, the photo finish… You won’t ever have to hear the words “Kau Kau Kauai” and “World Wide Ed” in the same sentence anymore… Well, at least until I work on the prequels. *grin*

Much love for hanging in there with me gang. It was fun! Now… to work on “Munchy Maui” and “Broke Da Mout’ Big Island!” 😉

Part I | Part II | Part III