ssia
Oahu by a wide margin. Best wine stores, best restaurants! However, it is also the most populated island, with all the benefits and problems that population brings. It my least favorite island, but it has its own charm.
Thanks William
I stayed in Wikikki (sp?) once and was not impressed. Felt kind of run down. I spent nearly every waking moment scuba diving or snorkling so didnt get to check out the scene much but I did enjoy the Japanese restaurants.
My personal opinion, FWIW, is that the Big Island is the best for everything. 
None of them. I believe you live in/near SF. Enjoy fine dining there. Enjoy the beaches, sunsets, and not wearing long pants or shoes while you are in Hawaii.
Wailea, Maui
December 30, 2010
+1. Beer, beer, beer, tequila, beer, beer, martini, beer, beer, tequila. Repeat.
Liotta should have some thoughts here…
Good point
Fish and fruit (in season) is better in Hawaii than SF
Cooking skills and everything else is not
Oahu is the best for food
Oahu is my least favorite island to visit by a wide margin
Precisely.
Hawaii is not for fine dining and wine - if that is why you are going, change your plans. If you want tropical weather, sand, ocean, surfing, snorkeling, and girly drinks with pineapple in them, go to Hawaii, and have some fish tacos.
If you are fortunate enough to be in Hawaii, you shouldn’t even CARE about food or wine. All the indulgences of the islands are right there, man.
Last time I was in hawaii it was papaya season. I ate more papaya than should be medically possible.
What is mango season?
I agree. Food/wine wouldnt be the reason we go to Hawaii but if there was some little hamlet or resort with killer food that might make the decision easier. Sounds like nothing stands out though so it won’t be a variable in our decision.
Maybe I should ask which Island has the best spam sushi sandwhiches? [wink.gif]
We found pretty solid food on both Kauai and The BI- not a foodie’s dream but definetly not roughing it.
Been awhile since i was there, but if you’re on Maui and want to do a ‘nice’ dinner, hit Lahaina Grill. Good food, nice wine list. Or you could go sit on the deck at Kimo’s and watch the sun set.
I would put Mama’s Fish House, La Mer, and to a lesser extent, Chef Mavro’s, Alan Wong’s and a few others, up there with any city in the country’s best restaurants. Obviously, they do not reach the top tier of places like EMP, Alinea, etc. but they are very good. When I visited Honolulu and the big island last year I ate at a lot of excellent places. La Mer, 3660 On The Rise, Doraku, Hiroshi, Pahui’a, Manta, Merriman’s- all visited, all enjoyed immensely. Some other places that were stop ins or less than stellar included Roy’s (Honolulu), Tommy Bahama, Canoe House. We have been to Maui three times in the last six years and have found numerous places we enjoy there as well. I would not dismiss Hawaii as a culinary destination.
Mango season varies somewhat from year to year but usually mid june to mid july is the heart of it.If John Gonzalez says different, I’d go with his opinion.
I think Oahu definitely could fill one with culinary adventures over a week trip. Especially if one is not from one of the U.S.’ culinary cities. John L’s characterization is correct that the top spots (La Mer, Wong’s, Mavro etc) would not be top spots in those cities, you can have really good meals there. Especially if you like seafood, and pacific-rim cuisine. I usually stop in Honolulu because we have some friends there who we can see and get a couple of good meals in.
The other islands are a definite step down food-wise. Maui is probably the best of the rest, but I don’t like Maui as much as Kauai or the Big Isle. Those two don’t have a lot of excellent food, but as others have said, that isn’t what you go to Hawaii for. Honestly I usually get one or two high quality meals, then enjoy the lower-key spots, and always make some great fish at the pad. We are more house/condo renters than hotel stayers.
Barry, my recollection is that mango season (which varies slightly as there are at least a dozen types to be found there) is basically summer. June thru Sept, with middle (July-August) being the peak. One definitely has to go to the farmers’ market to get not just mangoes, papayas, and pineapples; but to try dragonfruit, fresh lychee, mangosteen, starfruit, kiwano, chermoya. The adventurous can even find the occsional durian.
P.S. I’m with Barry, in thinking the North Shore of Kauai is the best place on the islands.
For posterity, here’s what I posted on a thread not as well titled as this one re: North Shore Kauai food.
(It’s a response to the allegation of poor wine selection on the island)
"But they allow BYO, just bring a case over!
Probably two good restaurants at the north shore and one inconsistent one. Unfortunately, the best one, Bar Acuda, doesn’t vary the menu that much during the week. But if you like fish that you can’t get anywhere, Hanalei Dolphin can serve you a simple but very delicious different type of fish 7 days in a row (mong chong, hebe, mahi, walu, opah, uku, buttagucci, shutome ) and not even bother with ahi or ono unless you love it.
Other places for the most part is strictly ahi or ono (other than Pacific Cafe when it was open). Unfortunately, the Dolphin only has onaga rarely and never opaakapaaka (I would go to the Princeville hotel for Onaga).
The Dolphin has a fish store associated with it that has killer seared cajun ahi sashimi at a bargain price - it would be my lunch (along with a salad to go from Papaya’s salad bar) about five times a week.
Postcards is very uneven, some great meals and many others that make you pull your hair out over the dippie service.