Customer Reviews

Kauai Restaurants And Dining With Princeville And Poipu Beach

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I think its time for Bob and Cindy Carpenter to broaden their horizons and set out across the world to create more restaurant guide series!

This little treasure, Kauai Restaurants and Dining is a pocket book that is a must for anyone traveling to or thinking of traveling the Hawaiian Islands and or to Kauai. Packed with information such as: Diverse Island Cuisines, Regional Dining, Watering Holes, Hawaii Food & Culture Glossary the guide is as easy to read as it is helpful. Looking for the beachfront bistro, excellent views, leisurely dining or Island Icon, its all in this little gem of a foodie guide.

If you think Hawaiian Cusine is just about bananas, coconuts and the Luaus think again. First, Cindy and Bob educate the reader about the rich diverse ethnic cusines that make the island of Kauai a "food lovers" destination. Next in a brilliant and easy format the restaurant collection includes everything from hours, style, dress, phone numbers, prices and more to a menu sampler and their own impressions.

When in Rome do as the Romans do...when in Kauai check out the wonderful diverse ethnic cuisines with the help of this Restaurant Guide book.

This is truly a must have guide for those wanting to make the most of their dining experiences while visiting the island of Kauai. The guide is comprehensive and well written, yet easy to use and small enough to keep in my wife's purse while traveling around the island. The restaurants are broken down by region and category. Are you vacationing with your entire family, interested in seeing a luau or maybe you want to hit a watering hole or two. Those lists are there as well. All the important location info is included, with pricing, sample menus and most importantly, Bob and Cindy Carpenter's overall impressions. Most guide books will tell you a place is good or a local favorite, but the Carpenters have taken it a step further. They actually list their personal favorites. In addition, all the establishments in the book are places the Carpenters would return to. My wife and I thought that was great and found their descriptions and recommendations to be spot on accurate. Forget about chain restaurants, I want to eat the local foods, eat as many meals on/near the water as possible and experience the cuisines that Hawaii has to offer. For us, this is just as important as the sites we see. But what we didn't know (until visiting Hawaii and reading the Carpenters books) was how diverse the Hawaiian dining experience can be. It is truly an adventure and this is what the Carpenters so eloquently explain. They describe eleven different cuisines as well as provide a glossary of Hawaiian food, culture and seafood terms. The glossary was invaluable to us. I can't tell you how many times we referred to it while dining. As is written on the back cover of the guide book, Hawaii dining "IS the crossroads of the Pacific where cultural influences from around the world have converged to create a blend of cuisines unlike any other found on earth." So, for those new to the island, as well as the seasoned veterans, bring your appetite and this guide book...in my opinion, you'll have lots of GREAT dining adventures.

I am one of those people who does NOT live to eat, so I am anything but knowledgeable about food and restaurants. My top picks are often hamburgers and French fries, or pizza. When contemplating my first trip to Hawaii, I definitely needed help with where and what I was going to eat, in what I consider a foreign land. The last thing I wanted to do was to sign up for a guided tour, but with this book, I feel that I can survive on my own.

Since fine dining is not one of my priorities, I appreciated the numerous places, in the book, that offer very reasonable prices, and casual dress. The "Getting Around" section offers great tips in navigating this foreign land, and the "Quirks & Caveats" and "Cuisines" sections clarify the choices I will be faced with when I land on the island.

Each individual review gives all the necessary details such as hours, location, phone number, web site, as well as sample menu items, and prices. Finally, the authors' comments on "impressions" described the intangible issues of ambiance like the type of view I will enjoy with the meal, to help me make my choice.

After finishing the book, I can't wait to get to Kauai!!

This guide came in very handy when my family (mom, dad, sons 7 & 11) went to Kauai this summer. We found a number of good places to eat that we never would have found on our own. It would help if the authors noted if the restaurants had children's menus - that is a deciding factor for us when dining out, especially in an expensive location like Hawaii. I would definitely recommend this guide.

This book was incredibly useful during my trip to Kaua'i. I thought the reviews were spot on and I was thankful to have a book I was confident would lead me in the right direction - especially since meals are so expensive in Kaua'i. I thought the organization could have been better. Restaurants are listed alphabetically rather than by region. There is a list of restaurants by region in the back but I think it would be better organized by region initially. Nevertheless, this is a must have for your trip.

My husband and I were in Kauai in 1988. We have been back MANY times to the other islands but not Kauai. I enjoyed reading this book because it told of a few restaurants that were still around and informed us of a few we would like to try on one of our next visits. I found this book to be "top notch" and very thoroughly researched.....it sure makes our decisions alot easier. The authors are to be highly commended. This book is as good as their others!

This is the second version of this book we have purchased and it gives simple but honest opinions of a large number of local restuarants. Reviewers are dependable sources and the book is worth the price...

This book was very helpful, especially used in conjunction with " The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook" since the second book does a better job of rating. The Restaurant book is more of a good directory.

Informative while being fun at the same time. Gives great insite to the island

I borrowed a copy of this guide for a recent Kauai getaway and was totally impressed. The descriptions were right on the money. We live in Hawaii and enjoy everything the islands have to offer. It can be an interesting mix so it's nice to know what you're getting into before walking through the door. And yes, I've ordered my own copy so I'll be prepared for our next trip.