When nothing else will do but oceanfront fine dining in the heart of paradise, plan your trip to Stevenson’s Library in South Shore Kauai. Set in the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa, this upscale eatery lets you enjoy the best sushi and spirits around in a beautiful setting. Whether you sidle up to the koa wood bar, lounge in the dining room, or go out on the open-air lanai, you’re sure to have an incredible dining experience from start to finish.
Since they only do sushi and spirits, you can trust that they definitely go big in creating their food and drink menus. In line with the library theme of the restaurant, their drink menu has 10 full chapters of cocktails, beer, wine, sake, and spirits.
Whether you’re looking to enjoy a signature cocktail, craft brew, glass of wine, or straight shots, you’re bound to find your favorite selections listed at Stevenson’s Library. Want something a little different? Go with a Japanese Whisky or Shochu, like Namihana Shochu Haleiwa Hawaii made from purple Okinawan potato and rice.
On the food side of things, Stevenson’s Library keeps their menu to just two pages, but it’s chockful of all the fan favorites. From nigiri and sashimi to temaki and maki rolls, there’s a little something for everyone. They even have a dedicated sushi menu for adventurous kids age 12 years and under. Made as a bento box dinner, the Keiki meal comes with an entrée, two sides, dessert, and drink of their choice.
Whether you just want to sip on drinks or go all out with the full sushi spread, you can dine at the bar, in the dining room, or out on the open-air lanai. For the best ocean views, the lanai is the obvious choice, although the indoor dining spaces feel warm, welcoming, and wholly sophisticated.
Stop by to sample these items from Stevenson’s Library:
Grape Gatsby
As with all their signature cocktails, the flavors in the Grape Gatsby beautifully capture the essence of the tale. To create this amazing drink, they start with a Woodford Reserve bourbon and then add a dash of Fonseca Bin ruby port wine. To elevate the refined flavors, even more, this drink gets lemon sour, aromatic bitters, and fresh, grated nutmeg.
Lobster Dynamite
With its bold ocean flavors in every bite, the Lobster Dynamite serves as a great way to kickstart your sushi experience. The chefs expertly prepare this dish by cooking lobster tail, scallops and crab just right. Then, they take all those decadent ingredients to the next level with mushrooms, white onion, and tobiko plus both dynamite sauce and eel sauce.
Stevenson’s Maki
As their signature sushi roll, the Stevenson’s Maki is a must-try experience at each and every visit. In this roll, you get a perfect mix of seared blackened ahi and lump crab plus avocado, cucumber, and green onions. Then, they add their signature dynamite sauce before putting tobiko over the top to bring all the flavors together.
As you dine on your selections, try to save room for dessert. Their exquisite Japanese Cheesecake never fails to delight with its powerful combo of yuzu, raspberry, and powdered sugar flavors. If you’d like something a little heavier, then go with the Tiramisushi, which features all the classic flavors in an imaginative presentation. You can even get your tiramisu-inspired dessert gluten-free upon request.
Insider Tips:
-Although Stevenson’s Library stays open until 11 pm, they stop serving sushi at 10 pm.
-When dining with six or more at your table, expect them to automatically add an 18% gratuity to the bill.
-If you want gluten-free fare, look for menu items marked |gf|, and then request that they leave out the wheat. Vegan items are marked with a |v|.
-All items marked Grand Hyatt Garden Greens feature fresh greens grown onsite in their hydroponic farm.