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Your appetite has set sail for the tropics, but you're still standing there on the dock. And it's late. And you''re hungry. And all you can think about is something really good to eat, maybe a piece of crusty-on-the-outside, meltingly tender inside, perfectly grilled and blackened swordfish on a bed of spring greens doused in a piquant, citrusy dressing with some fresh mango scattered all over everything. With a lusty glass of red wine to wash it all down.

The thought of schlepping through the 24-hour frozen food department has all the appeal of oral surgery--without the Novacaine. What to do?

Set your compass for New Monterey and find fuel for your nocturnal notions at the newly opened Hula''s. Or for that matter, make it lunch or brunch if you''re in the mood for fresh, spicy, sweet, zesty island flavors. After several years of thinking about opening a restaurant together, Chris and Craig Delaney decided to go for it.

Craig and his wife, Tina Hyatt-Delaney, had a long history in the restaurant business while living in Maui. Craig''s brother, Chris, split his time between New York and Los Angeles, following his career in photography and theater. Together, they conceived an outlet that would combine their creative energies on the mainland, celebrate the spirit of the tropics, and fill a niche where they sensed a void.

"We all love Hawaii," Chris explains. "The aloha spirit is the casual, warm, inviting feeling that we wanted to bring to this area. We feel that there''s a huge connection between California and Hawaii. Either everyone has lived there, or been there, or wants to go. So we decided on an island grill menu--food from Jamaica, South America, the Caribbean, Thailand. And we decided to make it accessible, so we''re staying open late and making it possible to get a really good dinner in a comfortable atmosphere and a reasonable price."

"When we decided that we had talked about it enough, and it was time to do it, Tina and I started out in Virginia on a trip across country," says Chris, "looking for just the right place. Craig met up with us in Boulder and we looked around there, Telluride, Aspen, Sun Valley, and then here. We were drawn to this area for the natural beauty, and we think New Monterey is up-and-coming. We also eat out a lot and we like upbeat energy--so that''s what we''ve created here."

The same open, airy feeling of the former Island Caf‚ has been embellished by new, warm vitality. Exotic hardwood tables are complemented by banquettes splashed with bright, tropical prints. A young Bing Crosby on the beach sports a ukelele and smiles down from the elevated overlook dining area to the wine and beer bar below, part of a fun collection of Hawaiian art that enlivens the atmosphere.

The artful setting is well-matched to a lively menu. Running the kitchen is Francisco Madsen, who expresses a fondness for keeping things simple. "What we''re doing is taking the best flavors from the islands and putting them with the products that we have here. We keep it simple and fresh, instead of intimidating," he remarks. The ahi sashimi is a case in point, already one of the most popular choices. And the kalua pork has become a favorite even of first-timers, marinated in ginger, soy sauce and pineapple juice for a day before roasting. Accompaniments like sweet potato fries, plantains, black beans and sticky rice round things out nicely.

Only a couple of weeks old, Hula''s has opened to a welcome embrace from both discriminating diners on the lookout for the latest, as well as singles in need of a satisfying burger and a beer for under $10. cw