Shrimp Station in Waimea, Kauai Island in Hawaii - Small Place, Big Flavor

For lack of a better description The Shrimp Station in Kauai is a very unassuming little shack. If a local didn't tell you about it you'd probably never see it or look and say "oh dear" and keep going. But don't!

As I said, this is a local hangout-our concierge told us not to miss stopping here when we were site-seeing the Western half of the island. Now people in Kauai do not give directions the way my husband and I are used to! On this island, Mapquest would be in BIG TROUBLE! Street signs are either nonexistent or in such sad shape you can't read them, so the islanders tell you how to get to everything with telltale landmarks. Thankfully, Shrimp Station is on the main road/highway going to Waimea Canyon, so you can't miss it.

Just past Waimea High School athletic field, on your left (if you're starting point is the Eastern or Southern point) is a restaurant with a red roof. Don't pass it by! This is the place! It's only open from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.. And from the moment the window slides open the chef and manager Peter Gampong has a line that goes practically to the street. This small treasure serves up the best coconut shrimp on the island-at least if you've talked to any of the locals or to returning tourists. Freshness is obvious, when you have your turn at ordering look just behind your friendly order taker and you will see someone peeling and cleaning shrimp right in front of you. That's all this person does for over six straight hours is clean and shell shrimp for any of the tasty dishes on the menu.

Everyone shares the few wooden bench tables out front, so you meet and talk to some fun people. On the day that my husband and I went, we sat with a family from Las Vegas who told us about some fun tidepools to make sure and visit. They also told us that this was their third time at the Shrimp Station that week! The family enjoyed the shrimp tacos the most. If I hadn't had such a huge portion of papaya and oatmeal at breakfast, that's what I would have ordered! The white corn tortillas actually smelled like toasted corn, the shrimp were of pretty good size-not the little tiny things! The cabbage was fresh and crisp. The papaya ginger tarter sauce was incredible. Refreshing, cool and with just the right amount of heat. I know because I cheated on my vow to stick to healthy eating and tasted one of those famous coconut shrimp that my husband ordered and dunked it into the sauce. Yum!

My husband's fries weren't special, but they were crisp, hot and tasty. I stayed with a diet coke. Darn, sometimes I'm too good.

If coconut shrimp or tacos aren't your "thing", The Shrimp Station also serves up Hebrew National hot dogs, Thai and Cajun shrimp offerings and many other shrimp dishes. They even have beer-battered, Sweet Chile Garlic and Scampi-style. In the mood for a burger? You're covered-chef Gampong takes ground shrimp and dips into a secret batter, coats it in bread crumbs and fries it! He tops it with the usual burger toppings and uses his fabulous tarter sauce to finish it off.

If you have room for dessert there are several Haagen Dazs favorite ice cream flavors in bars or cups to chose from as well as fruit bars.

Don't forget-across from the Waimea High School athletic field-red roof. Be there!

Maholo