After a morning full of snorkeling and swimming at nearby Poipu beaches, Keith and I popped into Koloa Fish Market for some lunch. By the name, we expected a larger store or actual fish market like we are used to on the East Coast. Instead, this was a small store with one deli counter displaying the fish and salad offerings.
Hot food can also be ordered off the menu that they cook up in the back. This spot is definitely mostly frequented by locals. The food is fresh, service fast, and prices affordable. We did not feel intimidated at all. After a quick glance at the fresh poke offerings of the day, we settled on a half-pound of the Kim Chee Ahi Poke, quarter-pound of the Seaweed salad, and also a hot plate lunch of Kalua Pork. The poke (pronounced "poh-kay") was super fresh and the chunks not too fishy at all. The dish is a hybrid of ceviche and tartare using more onion and soy sauce to marinade as opposed to citrus. I was worried that the kim chee spices might be too spicy for me, but they were not at all. Rather providing a more pickled flavor associated with the Korean side dish. The seaweed salad was very mild, cool, and refreshing with lots of sesame oil. The plate lunch came with white rice; lomi lomi salmon, which is another ceviche-like dish with lots of tomatoes, onions, and salmon; flavorless glass noodles; and another spoonful of regular ahi poke. The kalua pork itself was much more juicy from the fat, but I was not a fan even though Keith seemed to really like it. Koloa Fish Market is probably overlooked by tourists, but I suggest you peak inside next time you visit Kauai for some decent and really authentic poke or plate lunch to go.Total Rating: 3.475
Food: 3.5, Price: 4, Service: 3, Ambience: 2, Accessibility: 5
What I ate:
Kim Chee Ahi Poke and Seaweed Salad
Kalua Pork Plate Lunch
with white rice, lomi lomi salmon, glass noodles, and ahi poke
