NEWS:

Restore Kauai Farmers Market

The Perfect Margarita at Tortilla Republic. Daniel Lane photo

The new Restore Kauai Farmers Market not only makes parking a lot easier, but the value added products are a welcome addition to the Wednesday farmers market. There is a nicely graded dirt pathway that leads to the hugely popular Kapaa Market across the street. Vendors such as Midnight Bear Breads, and Kauai Kunana Dairy line the entrance.

Kunana Dairy’s marinated herb with olive oil goat cheese. Daniel Lane photo

Collin Darrell’s pop-up restaurant, Grown, is now at the Restore Kauai Market. He is at the entrance with a selection of locally sourced and produced grab and go items such as Kauai Kombucha, gluten-free Hippie Cafe desserts, and this Wednesday, he made a roasted carrot salad with homemade croutons and a basil grapefruit vinaigrette.

Dragon fruit is a special summertime treat. Daniel Lane photo

Moloaa Oragincaa’s Rapoza mangos are coming on, and I look forward to tasting them this Sunday at the Mango Festival. At the market table, there were huge heads of lettuce, corn on the cob and the first flush of dragon fruit. Dragon fruit season is short this year. Normally it starts in July and runs through October.

Kauai Community College

Sweet and sour General Tso’s Chicken at KCC. Daniel Lane photo

The students in the Culinary Arts Program will begin their Fine Dining service on August 28. Continental Cuisine runs for six weeks, then after a two week break, Asian Cuisine runs for seven weeks. Each week, a different culture is highlighted. Continental Cuisine features classic American and European dishes, and Asian Cuisine includes Sichuan, Thailand, Vietnam, Korea and dishes from the Pacific Islands. For reservations call Duane Miyasato at 808-245-8365.

The Right Slice

The Right Slice Apple Banana Pie. Daniel Lane photo

The Right Slice is testing eight to 10 new pie flavors. Two of the potentials include Banana Bread Boston Cream Pie and Orange Rosemary Cream Pie. The tasting will be held on Sunday, August 26, and there are two seatings to choose from; 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. If you’d like to be a taster, sign up at the bakery in Lihue anytime between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. This is limited to the first 10 people who sign up (per seating) and pay $15 per person. Guests can also sign up on Tuesday at the Waipa farmers market or Wednesday at Kukuiula Culinary Market. For more information call 808-212-8320.

Bull Shed

Castle Resorts & Hotels has begun management of the oceanfront restaurant Bull Shed, along with the Kauai Kailani and Mokihana hotels. Castle Resorts & Hotels now manages 21 hotels, condominium resorts and villas on five Hawaiian Islands, Saipan and New Zealand.

“The addition of Kauai Kailani, Mokihana, and the Bull Shed Restaurant to our portfolio gives our guests even more options when planning their Garden Isle vacations,” said Alan Mattson, chief operating officer and president of Castle Resorts & Hotels. “We now operate seven hotels and condominium resorts on Kauai, all of which offer settings and amenities for a variety of budgets and preferences.”

Kauai Kailani is an oceanfront condominium resort conveniently located near Kapaa on Kauai’s eastern shore. Guests can choose from two-bedroom garden view, ocean view, or oceanfront condominium suites. An outstanding vacation choice for families, Kauai Kailani condos feature fully equipped kitchens, private lanai, and free WiFi. The resort’s amenities include two swimming pools, a barbecue and picnic area, recreation room, two shuffleboard courts, and laundry facilities.

Mokihana is an oceanfront resort also on Kauai’s eastern Coconut Coast. It features charming studios with stunning views of the Pacific and the property’s expansive grounds. All studios are furnished and feature kitchenettes, private lanai, and free WiFi. Situated on a snorkeling beach, the property offers amenities including an oceanfront swimming pool, tennis courts, a basketball hoop, putting green, shuffleboard courts, BBQ grills, a picnic area, and coin-operated laundry facilities. Also located on property is the Bull Shed Restaurant.

The Bull Shed Restaurant offers surf and turf options, a full-bar and a view of the ocean. The menu includes prime rib, rack of lamb, and Hawaiian-fusion options such as Islander Shrimp and Hawaii catch-of-the-day.

EVENTS:

Sunday, August 19

Waipa Mango Festival

11 a.m. to 3 p.m., $1 adults, children free

Waipa Foundation is hosting a community festival celebrating the summer mango harvest. The Waipa Mango Festival welcomes residents as well as visitors. Featuring music, local artisans, and mangos! There will be Best Dessert, Best Pickled and Biggest Mango contests. Bring entries for display at 12:30 p.m., judging for contests will begin at 1:00 p.m. Entry forms will be available at festival.

A Mangolocious line up includes Mango Beer Batter Fish Tacos and Mango Salsa, Mango Glazed Smoked Pork, Mango Curry Chicken Wraps, Mango Bread, Mango Cheesecake and Mango Ice Cream. Space is limited for grower workshops in tree management, pruning and feeding. For more information call 631-4112.

Friday, August 24

Tasting Kauai Culinary Tour

Fresh Kauai honeycomb. Daniel Lane photo

Our next day-long culinary romp through paradise is quickly approaching. The day begins with a tour of a 26-acre exotic fruit farm where we get to sample what’s in season. After the farm, we join executive chef Guy Higa at the Kauai Marriott Resort for an outdoor cooking demonstration. This is one of the highlights of the day, as our guests enjoy learning about tips, preparations, and products that professional chefs use. We cap off the day with a cocktail making class at The Feral Pig, and a presentation by Koloa Rum.

Click here to read about our last tour, or check out our Kauai Culinary Tour page.

A Midsummer Night’s Dreamscape

6 p.m. to 2 a.m., Na Aina Kai, $100

Enjoy an evening of magic, theater and food outside, on the botanical grounds of Na Aina Kai. A four-course meal will be presented by Sushi Bushido, and theatrical acts will be performed between courses. At 10 p.m., head over to the Lighthouse Bistro in Kilauea, for a private after-hours party.

Nani Moon Mead will be featured in the cocktails. The Sunset Dream is made with house-infused vanilla vodka, coconut rum, Winter Sun Mead, and lilikoi juice and is topped with a hibiscus-lime orange liquor float. Yum! For more information, check out A Midsummer Night’s Dreamscape on Facebook.

ONGOING:

Pono Photo

A rare view of Sunset With Kong. Daniel Lane photo

Java Kai is showcasing images from Pono Photo throughout August. If you don’t know, Pono Photo is my husband Daniel Lane’s company, and he is the exclusive photographer for Tasting Kauai, as well as MidWeek Kauai’s “Eye on Kauai”, “Tastes of Kauai” and “Farmers Markets” columns.

Thursday, August 23 through Sunday, August 26

Kauai County Farm Bureau Fair

Vidinha Stadium, Lihue

The food at this year’s Kauai County Farm Fair ranges from carnival fare such as turkey legs, caramel corn and funnel cakes to local-style favorites that include chicken katsu, malasadas, lau lau, saimin, and kalua pig.

Opening day features a free Kauai honey tasting at 6 p.m., and at 8:30, you can buy Rhode Island Red baby chickens for $4 each.

At 6:30, six of Kauai’s best chefs compete in the Kauai Coffee Celebrity Chef Cookoff. For $25 you can sample all six entries, and then judge for yourself and vote for your favorite. Winners receive a $2,000 donation for the charity of their choice.

The contenders are:

• 

  Kahau Manzo executive chef of Westin’s Nanea. Daniel Lane photo

  Kahau Manzo executive chef of Westin’s Nanea. Last year, chef Manzo won with his version of the ”plate lunch” which featured mahi mahi lau lau loaded with purple sweet potatoes, pork, and lomi lomi tomatoes drizzled with lemongrass shoyu vinaigrette. Judges also got to try sushi rice topped with kalbi braised short ribs and cucumber kim chee. His donation went to the Charity Walk, a statewide event that helps hundreds of local charities throughout Hawaii.

• Ron Miller, owner and executive chef of the Hikilau Lanai. In the past he’s made noodles for the Hukilau Saimin that included homemade fish sausage, Kaneshiro Farms pork belly, basil and cilantro. He and his team served Banana Whoopie Pies for dessert. “This year, we plan to participate in the 4-H livestock auction,” says Ron. “Maybe we’ll buy an animal or two.”
• Rey Montemayor, executive sous chef at the Kauai Marriott Resort and Beach Club. Previous dishes include Aloha Spice Shrimp with Kauai Fresh Farms lettuce and lilikoi coriander vinaigrette. The second plate was steamed Kauai-grown moi with fresh shrimp.
• Mark Arriola, executive chef at Merriman’s Fish House. Previous dishes featured a tasting of watermelon. Judges voted on watermelon agua fresca; sugarcane smoked Kauai shrimp on a Thai watermelon salad; and braised pork manapua with watermelon rind namasu.
• Living Foods Market is a new contender, as well as Collin Darrell’s pop-up restaurant Grown. Collin’s improvised menus are based on what’s available at the farmers market, and usually includes local fish, Kaneshiro Farms pork, Omao Ranch lamb, or Aakukui Ranch beef.

I hope to see you there. We can compare notes!