Traveling to Kauai for the first half of our honeymoon, we have enjoyed many meals of fine dining.  Every day has begun with an incredible buffet at the Grand Hyatt, so we have not needed lunch after such an indulgence.  However, today we drove to Waimea Canyon and hiked about 3 1/2 miles, half of which was uphill and steep.

So, after a good workout, we were craving lunch.  Having heard good things about the fish sandwiches at Keoki’s Paradise, we stopped there on our return trip to our hotel.  Although almost every restaurant on this island is fairly casual, this was a very laid back establishment.  Dressed in hiking attire, we fit into the crowd.

Having drunk a lot of water on the drive back, we were ready for something cold to start our meal.  I had the Maui Martini which was “mango and passion fruit shaken with Ocean vodka”.  My husband chose the Wrong Island Iced Tea, made with white liquors, pineapple juice and a splash of passion fruit.  Both of our drinks were sweet and refreshing.

To accompany the drinks, we ordered an appetizer of Asian Wings.  I am not a big fan of chicken wings, but as the waitress assured me that they were the best appetizer on the menu, it seemed like we needed to try them.  My husband found them to be delicious, as did I.

For our lunches, my husband took the previously mentioned sandwich advice and ordered Keoki’s Fish Sandwich.  Described as a “grilled filet of Island fresh fish on an onion roll with sesame dressing,” this sandwich was perfect.  I chose Keoki’s Fish Taco, which was “beer batttered Island fish with our special taco sauce served in a warm flour tortilla, a side of black beans and guacamole.”  The taco sauce was a combination of a creamy sauce (possibly sour cream) and homemade salsa.  This fish taco was the best I have been served.

In addition to the food being delicious, the service was fast and friendly.  As hungry diners, the promptness was appreciated greatly.

On a final note, as we were leaving we noticed a busload of visitors (literally) waiting to be seated for lunch.  Keoki’s seems to have widespread popularity.  However, this restaurant is not a tourist trap, luring diners with overpriced, bland food.  This was the least expensive meal we ate on this island, but it also was one of the best.