We love our island and its extraordinary array of unique foods, but sometimes you have to mix it up and eat Italian. Kaua‘i Pasta is an unassuming little restaurant in a bland building on Kuhio Highway in central Lihu‘e with
We love our island and its extraordinary array of unique foods, but sometimes you have to mix it up and eat Italian.
Kaua‘i Pasta is an unassuming little restaurant in a bland building on Kuhio Highway in central Lihu‘e with the imprint “The Garden Island Publishing Company Ltd” above the door.
If you walk inside and smell newsprint instead of Fettuccini Alfredo, you’ve arrived at The Garden Island newspaper’s office. Walk back across the street after you fill out a subscription form.
You’ll often find small crowds of people waiting outside the small restaurant for a table, and it’s for the food. The decor inside is as plain as the exterior, but locals are not deterred.
The servings are huge, and the staff is as friendly as the casually dressed diners. The prices are comparatively reasonable, too. (Some would say a bargain, but we don’t use that word.)
On a recent evening, we began with the Antipasta Platter, an enormous platter of portabella mushrooms, mozzarella, locally grown tomatoes, Kaua‘i basil (made with macadamia nuts), Parmigiano Reggiano, grilled asparagus, salami and marinated olives. It’s a filling meal in itself for two and enough to go around if there are six at the table. Unfortunately, it’s only on the menu at dinner. It would make such a hearty lunch.
General Manager Adam Dooley confesses he is especially fond of the Caprese, an appetizer featuring fresh mozzarella, Kaua‘i Fresh Farms tomatoes, fresh basil, olive oil and a balsamic reduction.
“I love Caprese. If I order it, I have to order an extra for someone else,” he says. And this is about a large serving.
There are seven choices for salads, soups of the day and also generous sides ranging from sautéed green beans with bacon and garlic to asparagus au gratin and garlic butter grilled sweet corn.
For dinner, we ordered the house pasta, which is made of homemade meat sauce from A‘akukui Ranch beef, mushrooms and Italian sausage. This is a basic Italian offering that is served in a portion big enough to satisfy a surfer or a busy lifeguard. If a lifeguard saves your life, now you know where to treat him to dinner.
Goddesses, being trendy, on this evening were eager to try the latest — gluten-free dining. And, yes, Kaua‘i Pasta offers gluten-free substitutions.
We ordered the Pesto Pasta with Kaua‘i basil and Italian parsley, blended with macadamia nuts, Parmesan and olive oil. Instead of traditional pasta, we ordered a brown rice pasta substitution. It was surprisingly delicious.
What we especially like about Kaua‘i Pasta is that the kitchen is delighted to cater to requests for substitutions.
Dining in a restaurant that does not allow substitutions is like being in a relationship that frowns on extracurricular activities. Where’s the fun in that? Kaua‘i Pasta has two locations, at 3-3142 Kuhio Highway in Lihu‘e and at 4-939B Kuhio Highway in Kapa‘a. For more information, or a peek at the generous wine list and menu, visit www.kauaipasta.com. Or call 245-2227.
