Editor Pick
Mediterranean Gourmet Restaurant and Bar
- July 1, 2008
- Rated 5 of 5 by
mlmeredith from St. Louis, Missouri
One of the aspects of Kauai that appeals most to me is the rich selection of dining opportunities on the island. Not just the number of good restaurants, but the differing styles of cuisine that seem to hybridize perfectly with their setting. Who could predict that Mediterranean/Lebanese cooking would shine so perfectly with such a distinctly Pacific theme? Mediterranean Gourmet's seaside setting doesn't hurt either.
The first thing that appealed to me is that this is a very spacious dining area, perfect for jovial groups and romantic couples at the same time. You won't be bumping into other diners chairs just trying to navigate to the rest room (unless you're on that third or fourth mojito of course). You can have conversation and still hear the live music in the bar at the same time. That's becoming all too rare in today's corporate-bean-counter-dominated world of dining. I'll step off that soapbox for now though.
We got off to a fantastic start with some excellent hot hummus and pita bread, a combo that was replenished from time to time as it kept vanishing to our taste buds. Then came the drinks!
The four of us each had something different, the Mojito, a Haena Sunset, Mango Margarita and a Sidecar (a favorite of our table's academic sophisticate). And yes, everyone had to try a little of each, leaving us all to mull over the potential cost of a taxi back to Lihue should we indulge our baser desires. Prudence won out, since no one was willing to assume the role of designated driver, although the virgin Lava Flow did offer a possible way out of that conundrum.
Salads… yes!
But the main course was outstanding. The seafood bouillabaisse with its steamy, garlic wine broth would be the star in any restaurant anywhere. Thank goodness for the absorption capabilities of the pita bread! But on this night, the bouillabaisse was the second most popular entrée, finishing behind the paella. Wow! Now that was a dish to remember! The rice was perfect for me, with chunks of ahi, ono and shrimp throughout. But the crowning touch was two king crab legs that the server said the chef had bought fresh that morning and had been a little conflicted about how best to serve them. He made the right choice by pairing them with the paella. After devouring the crab, I still had enough paella to take back to the resort with me. There was no way I was going to leave that behind!
For more information, you can see the current menu and entertainment schedule at Mediterranean Gourmet's website. My only regret is that we weren't there on Saturday as that's when the entertainment features belly dancing. The musicians that we heard that night were very good though.
Mediterranean Gourmet is located just a few miles past Hanalei, before you get to Tunnels and Ke'e beaches, next to (part of?) the Hanalei Colony Resort. You might drive by without even noticing it, were it not for the banner of the door proclaiming its status as Honolulu Magazine's Best New Restaurant on Kauai in its 2007 Hale 'Aina Awards and Best Restaurant for 2008.
Years ago, in a galaxy far far away, I had a short career as a restaurant management trainee. One anecdote that has always stayed with me was an observation by a very successful restaurateur that he never took over a location that had not hosted at least 3 failed restaurants. It doesn't make any sense at face value, but from my observations of the 30 years since then, there may be something to that theory. I was reminded of that when I realized that on our two previous trips to the island there had been two different restaurants there; neither of which had enough appeal to pull us in from the art and jewelry store that sits by the entrance. That said, I hope that Mediterranean Gourmet proves that business theory correct by becoming a long time fixture at the north end of the island. We will definitely be going back!
From journal Kauai, My Version of Paradise