GREAT EATS HAWAII: BAR ACUDA

Monday, February 9, 2015

BAR ACUDA

BAR ACUDA

HANALEI, KAUAI

BAR ACUDA

HANALEI CENTER

5-5161 KUHIO HIGHWAY

HANALEI, HI 96714

808-826-7081

HOURS: Daily 5:30 PM - 9:30 PM

www.restaurantbaracuda.com

When I read that a chef from San Francisco who was named one of the top 10 Best Chefs in America by Food and Wine Magazine in 1996 picked up and left the City by the Bay to surf and cook in Kauai, I had to put this on my list of places to eat when visiting the Garden Isle. Well, I finally made it back to Kauai and made the drive to Hanalei where Chef and Owner Jim Moffat has been cooking up Mediterranean style Tapas in a place where shorts, t-shirts and slippers are the norm. This is a far cry from his former award winning restaurants in San Francisco that probably catered to the suit and tie crowd. I loved Baracuda from the time we walked in. There is both indoor and outdoor patio seating that is comfortable and casual. We were seated at a large round table that was perfect for a party of five plus and 18 month old boy. I liked the fact that Bar Acuda had a decent selection of wines at very reasonable prices. We enjoyed both a white and red with our selection of international dishes. I pretty much liked everything we tried here. We ate family style so I had small bites of each dish. The dishes that I liked most were the Whole Tomato Bruschetta, Seared Ahi, Grilled Flank Steak and Grilled Lamb. As far as the desserts go, the Bread Pudding was off the charts delicious and one of the best I have ever tasted. I am already looking forward to another visit to Bar Acuda. I want to try more dishes and enjoy a few of these dishes again.