Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [80]
Also recommended:
Sun Chong Co (Map; 537-3525; 127 N Hotel St;7am-5pm) Come early for almond cookies, moon cakes and candied ginger and tropical fruits.
Legend Seafood Restaurant (Map; 532-1868; Chinatown Cultural Plaza, 100 N Beretania St; dim-sum dishes $2.50-4, mains $8-20; 10:30am-2pm Mon-Fri, 8am-2pm Sat & Sun, 5:30-9:30pm daily) Impersonal banquet hall wheels heavily laden dim-sum carts for connoisseurs.
MIDRANGE & TOP END
Soul de Cuba (Map; 545-2822; 1121 Bethel St; mains $7-22; 11:30am-10pm Mon-Thu, to 11pm Fri & Sat) Sate your craving for Afro-Cuban food and out-of-this-world mojitos inside this restauro-lounge near Chinatown’s art galleries, often with live music. Stick with family-recipe classics like ropa vieja (shredded beef in tomato sauce) and black-bean soup.
Duc’s Bistro (Map; 531-6325; 1188 Maunakea St; mains lunch $12-19, dinner $16-32; 11am-2pm Mon-Fri, 5-10pm Mon-Sat) Honolulu’s power brokers hang out at this swank French-Vietnamese bistro, an escape from the seediness just outside. Flat-iron steaks, buttery escargots, fire-roasted eggplant with lime dressing, and pan-fried fish with mango relish round out a haute fusion menu. A small jazz combo serenades most evenings. Reservations recommended.
Indigo (Map; 521-2900; 1121 Nu′uanu Ave; mains $18-30; 11:30am-2pm Tue-Fri, 6-9:30pm Tue-Sat) Once a standard-bearer for a revitalized Chinatown, this still-busy eatery has let its lunch slide to a buffet level. Creative dim-sum appetizers still include ′ahi tempura rolls and goat-cheese wontons. Dinner features Pacific Rim and Asian fusion fare such as cocoa-bean seafood curry and little-known classics like Malaysian beef rendang.
Ala Moana
The bulk of local restaurants are found on side streets around the Ala Moana Center.
BUDGET
Makai Market (Map; 1st fl, Ala Moana Center; mains $6-12; 9am-9pm Mon-Sat, to 7pm Sun) Would you rather die than be caught eating at a shopping-mall food court? Let your preconceptions fly out the window at this Asian-spiced marketplace with air-con comfort. Fave spots include Yummy Korean BBQ, Japanese-style CoCo Curry House and Donburi Don-Don, and Hawaii-flavored Lahaina Chicken and the Poi Bowl.
Da Spot (Map; 941-1313; 908 Pumehana St; smoothies $5, plate lunches $7-10; 10am-9:30pm Mon-Wed, Fri & Sat, to 4pm Thu) This neighborhood storefront is home base for an enterprising chef duo, crafting smoothies and plate lunches that feature island tastes and around-the-world flavors like Egyptian chicken, Southeast Asian curries and Turkish baklava.
Also recommended:
Foodland (Map; 949-5044; Ala Moana Center, 1450 Ala Moana Blvd; 6am-10pm Mon-Fri, 7am-10pm Sat, 7am-8pm Sun) Full-service supermarket at Hawaii’s biggest mall; free parking.
Ward Farmers Market & Marukai Market Place (Map; 593-9888; Ward Gateway, 1020 Auahi St; 7am-8pm Mon-Sat, to 6pm Sun) Local-style and Asian fresh produce and prepared meals.
Kua ′Aina (Map; 591-9133; Victoria Ward Centre, 1200 Ala Moana Blvd; mains $5-9; 10:30am-9pm Mon-Sat, to 8pm Sun) Branch of Hale′iwa’s gourmet burger joint, serving crispy matchstick fries.
MIDRANGE
Gyu-Kaku (Map; 589-2989; 1221 Kapi‘olani Blvd, enter off Hopaka St; shared dishes $4-21; 5-11pm Sun-Thu, to midnight Fri & Sat) Who doesn’t love a good grill-it-yourself Asian barbecue place? Settle in with your entourage for Kobe rib-eye steak, kalbi short ribs, garlic shrimp and enoki mushrooms, all served with plentiful sweet and spicy marinades and dips.
Shokudo Japanese (Map; 941-3701; Ala Moana Pacific Center, 1585 Kapi‘olani Blvd; shared dishes $7-17; 11:30am-1am Sun-Thu, to 2am Fri & Sat) Knock back sake-tinis at this sleek Japanese-esque restaurant always filled to the rafters with island families, urbane couples and late-night clubbers. A mixed menu of island-style