Local Snapshots

Neide’s Salsa and Samba Restaurant in Hanalei is coming up with a brand new Brazilian menu. Neide, left, and Paula said you have to try the ‘churrasco misto,’ a delicious sampler of Brazilian style barbeque with steak, chicken, sausage and fries.

The endemic nene goose made an extraordinary comeback from the brink of extinction in the 1950s, when there were less than 40 birds in existence. Thanks to conservation efforts and captive breeding, there are now an estimated 2,500 nene. It’s common to see them on Kaua‘i, and many of them have identification rings wrapped around both their ankles. This particular one, seen in Kapahi, must’ve been born in the wild, as it doesn’t have any ID rings. It was also making a heck of a lot noise when this picture was taken.

Hanalei Bread Company, just outside Bar Acuda Tapas & Wine in Hanalei, offers a daily variety of exquisite breads, each of them worth a try. Just ask staff member Eva Michetti.

Banana Joe’s, right next to the Kilauea Mini Golf, has been serving some of the best smoothies and frosties on Kaua‘i for 28 years. Kelsy Burch, pictured here, says a lot of their produce is local, ‘and we like to keep it that way.’ Owners Joe Halasey and Cindy established their farm in 1979 and opened the stand in 1986. They’ve had customers from all over the world, and some of them have been coming back for more than 20 years.