Michelle was born with a fork in her hand. As…
Let the tropics inspire your holiday favories by tasting the culinary delights of beautiful Kauai.

I’m always looking for a new twist on favorite dishes for our holiday dinner chez Michelle’s. On the lush green island of Kaua’i we stayed on the dryer side of the island in beautiful Poipu at The Grand Hyatt Kaua’i Resort and Spa. Dining at Tidepools restaurant one evening we asked what they do to share the holidays with their guests. Surprising to me they do a festive holiday meal so away-from-home you can enjoy a lovely holiday meal with all of the trimmings.

Tidepools, the signature restaurant here is in a unique grouping of thatched rooms over a pond filled with koi. Views to the surrounding gardens or the waterfall are lovely. And the food is mainly seafood, deftly prepared and served artfully. Locals love it here too and many come to celebrate the most special occasions in their lives. The menu changes to feature what is fresh. On the night of our dinner there were scallops, poke, prawns, mahimahi, local snapper, NY steak, Rime Rib, Filet Mignon and chops. Chef sources as much locally as possible and they also grow produce and herbs in their garden. The Chef de Cusine and Maui-boy, Eric Bartolome sure knows how to prepare fish! I adored my Hamachi crudo with radish and ponzu appy and just about died when biting into the beautifully presented local snapper wrapped in a ti leaf with stir fried veggies, buckwheat soba and chili garlic sauce. I have no idea what my dinner partner had- too engrossed in my own meal and after one of the signature cocktails, the “Tai Chi” a riff on the Mai Tai, I didn’t care- except to look at the dessert menu. And here’s an insider tip: reserve table #43 a favorite for marriage proposals and romantic interludes.

- Author: The Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa
- Yield: 8 -12 servings 1x
- Category: starch
- Cuisine: holiday
Ingredients
- 1 lb .5 kilogram Sweet Potatoes
- 18 oz .5 liters Coconut Milk
- 14 oz .4 liters Coconut Syrup
- Garnish: fresh or packaged coconut flakes
- Note:I prefer less sugar so I use about half the coconut syrup called for.
Instructions
- Rinse potatoes well and dry.
- Toss potatoes with oil, salt & pepper.
- Roast at 320 degrees for about one hour, until fully cooked and a skewer passes through them easily.
- Cool potatoes.
- Meanwhile in a saucepan, mix and warm coconut syrup and coconut milk.
- Slice cooled potatoes and arrange in a baking dish.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until hot.
- Drizzle with coconut mixture and garnish with coconut flakes. Serve hot.
Michelle was born with a fork in her hand. As a culinary travel writer and confirmed foodophile she delights in the world-wide discovery of new flavor profiles, spices, salts and herbs. Based in one of the world's foodie meccas; Portland, Oregon, not far from "Pinot Noir Heaven" Michelle shares culinary travel and chef's recipes. Her photography has appeared in Saveur Magazine and she has contributed culinary travel articles to Forbes online, WSJ online, Business Insider, Condé Nast Digital Media, Islands magazine and many others. A confirmed globetrotter, she still keeps her bags packed and fork in hand (well . . . except through airport security.)