Olympic Cafe Kapa'a, Kauai, Hawaii

Olympic Cafe

The last place we went for tacos, the day before we had to leave.
Up the stairs mid-way through Kapa'a, just off Kuhio Hwy., on your way north or south.
The second floor is open along both long walls parallel to the street.
You sit one story up and enjoy the food and watch cars, trucks, cyclists, tourists and locals, go about their respective business.
Birds flit in and out looking to get a nibble here or there before being chased back out by the staff to the power and phone lines that hang outside the windows a few feet away.
Warm breeze blowing out to the ocean a block or so away.
They give you a plate of fixin's so you can put it together any way you like. Black beans lettuce cheese rice and a yummy tropical salsa. The fish was done just right in delicious little cubes, and the grilled banana is a nice touch.
The local beer was ice cold and a great accompaniment to the tacos.

Common Ground Kilauea, Kauai, Hawaii ---- Closed

You turn off the main road, Kuhio Highway or Rte 56, near Kilauea, and amble down a one-lane road to get to the Common Ground grounds. Not only is there the restaurant, with one of the most appetizingly healthy plates of foods, but also the gardens where quite a few of the ingredients are grown and a small event center. 
I mean, look at that plate of food, will you? You can barely see the fish for the greens that are covering it. Trust me, the fish is there and the greens aren't there to hide some half-assed chunks of fish either, no sirree, big ol' hunks of ocean fresh fish cooked to a juicy doneness. And you can forget eating these tacos with your hands unless you don't plan on putting it down at all. Pleasing to look at, delicious to eat, and healthy as well...what a concept...
There was also live music on and off a small stage in the café the afternoon we visited.
After you have finished, or even while you are waiting for your order, you gotta go for a walk in the gardens. The vegetables and flowers are so pleasurable to walk among all the while inhaling the warm trade winds coming down the hills and across the landscape before heading back out to sea. 
There sure wasn't snorkeling right after this lunch, uh-unh...This was a more 'go back and get acquainted with the chaise lounge on the beach at the hotel' kind of meal.... But Hell yeah we'll go back again!

Tropical Taco Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii

Tropical Taco
At first glance you look at the plate and say Hmm canned mooshy refritos, sprinkle of cheddar, iceberg lettuce, plain white tortillas, bag chips and you pause...then you look around and you realize that this place started out as a truck, moved indoors, and just didn't feel the need to change the menu...keeping it simple...you then take a big deep breath of oh so beautiful, oozing-tropical 'downtown' Hanalei...you look out at the cars driving by on the two-lane blacktop (Kauai's answer to 'Highway'), on their way to beaches east or west, or to a hike in the hills somewhere, dogs and surfboards on at least 3 out of every 4 vehicles and both attached (or not) in so many novel and creative ways, and all legal I guess, but you gotta wonder sometimes...and then it dawns on you that, as soon as you finish this combo plate with a big cup of lemonade, you are heading back to another glorious afternoon of snorkeling at Tunnels Beach, watching fish and drying off saltysticky on the warm sand in the afternoon sun....
and those tacos just got that much tastier....