Vacationing in Hawaii - My Top 5 Restaurant Picks

Hawaii is a very popular vacation destination for people throughout the World. The masses flock here for the beaches, the sun, the waves, and the "Aloha" spirit. In planning you're next vacation to the island of Oahu - Hawaii, I want to help you plan your menu because food is a huge part of any vacation and it is around meals that memories are built.

This article is for those who are looking to eat where the "locals" eat and not necessarily where the tour guides might take you. I will share with you my 5 favorite spots to dine on Oahu and I hope that you will get a chance to try them all when you visit.

Whether you are staying in Waikiki or at the luxurious JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa, you must eat at one of the world famous Roy's Restaurants located at either Ko'olina or Honolulu and soon to be in Waikiki. They offer some of the best Euro-Asian cuisine on the island. Their Ko'olina location is open for lunch and dinner while their Honolulu location is only open for dinner. The menu consists of seafood, meat and vegetarian fare using all of the island's finest ingredients. One of my personal favorites is their Hawaiian Style Misoyaki Butterfish which melts in your mouth while exploding with flavor. What's great about this dish is you can order a small, appetizer portion and still have room for the many other delicious palate pleasers. And be sure to save room for dessert as their famous Chocolate Souffle is a wonderful way to end your meal. The price range is $19 - $35 for the main entrees though you can easily make a meal out of their many appetizers and dessert selections. The atmosphere is fun and exciting and very kid friendly.

Next on my list of favorites is Side Street Inn, 1225 Hopaka Street, located in an industrial area of Honolulu located near Ala Moana Shopping Center. It's a little tricky to find if you are a visitor to the island, but it is worth finding. Side Street Inn is more of a bar than a restaurant, but they do have really good island style food. They are best known for their fried pork chops which are extremely tasty and one of my husband's favorites. He tried making them at home, but it doesn't taste the same. The pork chops go well with the fried rice or the fried noodles which is no coincidence because everything tastes better when it's fried (in my opinion, albeit, not the best for you). The price range is $8 - $25. If you do decide to make your way to Side Street Inn, go early as they do get crowded with locals everyday of the week.

If you are cruising on the West side of the island, please visit En Fuego located in the Kapolei Marketplace. This is another local favorite. It has an ultra casual setting which makes it a perfect place to dine after spending a day at the beach. You order at the counter and they bring the food to your table. Most of their plates come with a choice of brown or white rice and green salad. If you are carb conscious, you can ask for all salad and their dressing is really yummy. The favorite dish is their garlic chicken which is seasoned just right and if you really love garlic, you can have it spicy, too. My favorite item from their menu is the garlic ahi (tuna). The ahi is packed with flavor in each and every bite, delicious! The price range is $7 - $10 and they also cater.

For those of you looking for something a little more upscale, Alan Wong's is a must try. They are located in Honolulu on 1857 South King Street and if you drive too quickly, you may miss it. Reservations are a must due to the popularity of this intimate, quaint restaurant. Alan Wong's is a special treat for those of us who live here because the food is phenomenal and it is a little pricey, with their entrees ranging from $26 - $52. However, the food is worth every penny. Might I suggest a delectable Ginger Crusted Onaga in miso sesame vinaigrette or a very mouth watering plate of Twice Cooked Short Ribs? They offer you a variety of side dishes to accompany most of their entrees and if you are adventurous, they sometimes have poi (mashed taro root). Also, to drink, please have a lychee martini and think of me. I would go there just to have one of those. Try it and you'll see.

Last but not least, if you are in the mood for sushi, Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar is my pick though since they moved to Waikiki, it is a little far for us to drive to. (If you live in Hawaii, anywhere that takes more than 15 minutes to drive to is considered far.) But just the same, Sansei has one of the best sushi bars on the island. They have all the favorites from California rolls to Tekka Maki (tuna rolls) to more creative sushi such as their Spider Roll which consists of soft shell crab, cucumber and daikon (radish) sprouts served with a Thai Chili Sauce and sweet unagi glaze. They also have various hot dishes on their menu if there happens to be someone in your party who is squeamish about trying sushi (though not all sushi is raw fish). Sansei is located in the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa. I think they may still have a happy hour that is probably worth checking out.

These are my hot picks for the island of Oahu as far as food is concerned. Although there are several other restaurants that I do love, I'll save it for another article. I hope that when you do get a chance to visit Hawaii or if you already live here, you'll get a chance to taste what the island has to offer. Happy Eating!