Today’s post was typed one handed, and with Marta’s left hand at that. She is experiencing a severe bought of carpal tunnel and icing her right arm as she types. The typos should be gone, but if you catch one, send warm thoughts her way.

NEWS

The Beach House Restaurant
Now you can enjoy lunch and ocean views at the Beach House Restaurant in Poipu. We’re pretty excited about this because we like to snorkel in the little bay right next to the restaurant. You build up an appetite swimming with sea turtles and tropical fish, and lunch used to be a good 10 minutes away.

Lunch goes from 11 to 3, and the menu features burgers and fries ($11), veggie wraps ($10), fish tacos ($17), and seared fresh catch on a rice noodle salad topped with tropical fruit salsa and cilantro pesto. What a tasty and healthy way to refuel! Click here to check out the lunch menu.

Lilikoi Lunch Wagon Island-style chili, with chili sauce, quinoa and green salad. Daniel Lane photo

Lilikoi Lunch & Juice Bar
I wrote about these guys last July for MidWeek Kauai, and we’re disheartened to hear the ladies are struggling. This sad news comes from our friends at the vegan lunch truck at Anini Beach, “We regret to inform you that due to various circumstances we have decided to remain closed until sometime around mid-April. We very much look forward to re-opening and serving you our ono pono food as soon as possible! Stay tuned for updates on Facebook, or call 652-5834 to hear our message as it gets closer to the date. As always, we so appreciate your support and understanding as we navigate this first year.”

Coconut Collector
We’ve got a big coconut tree in our yard that needs some love, and Troy may be the guy to give it. In exchange for coconuts, he will trim fronds, clean up, and leave you a few. Trees must be productive and on the eastside; Wailua to Anahola. If you can’t part with you nuts, he offers a full “Resort Trim” for $60. Call him at 808-212-7980.

Lokilani Galvez serving Chicken Chasseur. Daniel Lane photo

Fine Dining at Kauai Community College
The 2012 Spring Fine Dining season is almost booked. Only a few seats are still available for reservations on April 18, 19, and 24. This past week diners enjoyed deconstructed sushi rolls, ahi carpaccio and lobster bisque for starters. Main dishes included prosciutto wrapped shutome, Coquilles St Joseph; Steak Oscar; duck confit with Hamakua mushroom sauce, and honey mustard braised beef short ribs. Dessert included honey, apple goat cheese, a chocolate sampler or Banana Foster bread pudding. Yum! We’re going down on April 25 for Dan’s birthday. Call Duane at 808-245-8365 to snatch up those last seats.

Papalani Gelato
Papalani Gelato’s gelato and sorbetto is now on the shelves at Papaya’s Natural Foods and Cafe. The ice cream shop, located in Poipu’s Kukuiula Shopping Village, features Hawaiian grown and made products. If you stop by the their store right now, you’ll get a scoop of Irish Gelato. It’s got Bailey’s Irish Cream, rich fudge and creamy caramel. Yummy!

EVENTS

Kauai Independent Food Bank, Spring Food Drive March 1 – April  30
The Kauai Independent Food Bank hopes to raise 40,000 pounds of nutritious food and $40,000. Watch for the brown grocery bags and remittance envelopes in the Garden Island Newspaper in late February, fill them up, and take them to any of the following drop-off sites: Hanalei, Hanapepe, Kalaheo, Kapaa, Koloa, Lihue, and Waimea Fire Stations, as well as our Food Bank warehouse in Nawiliwili. Every dollar and pound of food donated will bring a smile to those in need.

Art Cafe Hemingway, March 3 through April 1
One of our favorite new hangouts, and a restaurant soon to be featured in MidWeek Kauai, is Art Cafe Hemingway. We like this European-style coffee shop, and especially like that it has an art gallery upstairs. Stop by for a cup of coffee and check out painter Kelly Keane’s work.

2012 Prince Kuhio Celebration, March 11 – March 26
The Prince Kuhio celebration is in full swing. This Monday, we are going to learn how to make salt at the Hanapepe Salt Pond. It’s free, and the salt is pretty special; it can only be given as a gift, and can not be purchased in stores. Next Monday, we’ll post about the experience. Click here for a list of events

St. Patrick’s Day – Saturday, March 17

Oasis on the Beach
Dance party and live music from The Quake. Drink specials and green beer. There will be a “greenest outfit”, and a “flip cup” contests. $10 cover, music starts at 9:30 p.m.

Rob’s Good Times Grill
The party’s already started at Rob’s Good Times Grill. Last week, Rob’s wife Lolly Silverman had this to say, “This year since the event falls on a Saturday, we thought we would  turn it into a family friendly event during the day. Free snow cones, green cotton candy and air brushed tattoos for the kids from 1 to 5 p.m.

“A large enclosed tent will be set up adjoining the length of the establishment.  It will be bigger and better than last year’s party–which was a blast! Charity dunking booth (with local celebrities being dunked) will benefit Kauai Hospice, Kauai United Way and Surf Riders Foundation.

“Ron Wiley will be on hand with Kustom Sounds Kauai all day.  Great food, great fun all day from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Live music from 4 to 11 p.m. By then the party will be really going, finishing up with DJ Jason till 2 a.m.”

Check out their Facebook page for the schedule of family fun and live music. Food and drink specials are $6, and include Corned Beef and Cabbage, Corned Beef Sandwich, Irish Stew, Shepard’s Pie, Guinness, Jameson, Irish Car Bombs, Baileys and Bushmill.

International Garden Island TriFest
For a healthy way to celebrate wear your green shorts and head down to the Kauai Marriott Resort and Kalapaki Bay. Kids Duathlon, Aquathlon , Splash & Dash (5k,750M,5K), 5K Run/Walk and SUP (Multi Tier) Paddle Event all  done on Marriott Grounds. Awards will be on site. Local food vendors, awards and door prizes after the races. For information click here. Student discounts available.

Upcoming

The Children of the Land Center for Polynesian Culture (Nā Keiki O Ka `Āina) has recently welcomed the Kauai Community Seed Bank to its headquarters in downtown Kapaa. In celebration of the partnership, the 9th Biannual Kauai Community Seed and Plant Exchange will be held at the Center on April 1st, 2012.

The Kaua`i Community Seed Bank is a collaborative project of Regenerations Botanical Garden and Children of the Land. It was established in 2007, born out of the idea that diverse varieties of plants could best be grown and maintained by the general public, thereby contributing to the global conservation of important and threatened plant life. The bank currently holds hundreds of varieties of edible, medicinal, and native seeds in cool dry storage, while its living plant collection is growing in numerous garden and farm locations around the island.

Both organizations are very excited about the new collaboration. Nā Keiki O Ka `Āina’s director Phil Villatora stated, “We all started from seed–we feed nature and it feeds us. This is what it takes to stay close to the land, and this is what both groups are all about.” Villatora will be sharing keiki coconut palm trees that are being carefully thinned out from the overgrowth at the old Coco Palms Resort in Wailua.

Paul Massey, director of Regenerations and manager of the seed bank, will be providing rooted `awa cuttings (kava) grown at the Regenerations Seed Garden in Kalihiwai. “Life giving seeds are central to the survival and enrichment of all cultures on Earth, and it’s a great honor to help perpetuate the traditions here in Hawaii”, said Massey.

Admission is free. Participants are asked to bring non-invasive, non-GMO, pre-cleaned, insect and disease free cuttings, potted plants, and seeds to share freely. Seed and plant check-in is from noon to 2 p.m. Presentations on the seed bank, la`au lapa`au, and Coco Palms mālama `āina project will happen from 2 to 3 p.m.; the pule, and exchange will follow at 3 p.m. Live music by Malama Pono Alstars from 3 to 5, then Cook Islands/Tahitian drumming begins at 5, followed by fire dancing and poi ball performance at the Center’s outdoor stage. The seed lab will be open with hands-on activities. People who have never been to a seed and plant exchange are encouraged to come. Event organizer Jill Richardson says, “The exchange is like a pot-luck for plant nuts–this event really shines because of the beautiful offerings that the others bring.” Come early to enjoy information booths, demonstrations, and live music. For more information please call 808-652-4118 or go to www.ribg.org

Jared Silva serves up Chili Pepper Shrimp Scampi. Daniel Lane photo

Merriman’s Fish House, April 2, 5:30 p.m.
Last Wednesday, I posted “In the Kitchen with the Executive Chef of Merriman’s Fish House Kauai”. Whew! That’s a long title, but we gotta show up on those Google search engines! Anyway, we were there to interview chef Mark Arriola for the upcoming Koloa Rum Dinner. The four-course dinner showcases locally made, small-batch, award-winning Koloa Rum. After tasting the cocktails, and sampling the food, we can assure you that the evening will be spirited and delicious! Call 808-742-8385 for reservations, and read about it in the March 26 issue of MidWeek Kauai.

Garden Isle Racing Association, April 7
Due to rain flooding out the racetrack, the season of drag racing at Kauai Raceway Park in Mana begins on April 7. It’s $12 per person. Food trucks include Mele’s Kusina, Killah Steaks, and ice cream. For more information call Bobby Barros at (808) 635-6034.