Honolulu Restaurants

On Oahu, nearly any cuisine imaginable can be found. A few, however, are not to be missed while visiting. The first, of course, is the unique cuisine of Hawaii itself. The cuisine is a mishmash of various influences, including American, Asian, and Portuguese, that were brought by different immigrants to the islands. Dishes eaten by the first Polynesian arrivals are still eaten today, including poi (mashed taro) and the famous pit-roasted pig. Since then, pineapple, spam, Japanese gravy, and more have also shown up on the Hawaiian menu. Not surprisingly, many dishes also incorporate fresh fish. Restaurants throughout Honolulu offer Hawaiian food, at varying price ranges. Hawaiian barbecue is one of the less expensive and more fun ways to enjoy the unique island flavors. Check out the Shore Bird Beach Broiler. You can pick and poke at steak, ribs, chicken and fresh fish as it all sizzles on your own personal grill here.

Another common restaurant type is the sushi restaurant. There are quite a few excellent sushi restaurants, and there are few places in the world that have sashimi this fresh. Sit at the sushi counter or sushi bar and request the chef's choice to get the freshest selections. Many sushi places also have other Japanese cuisine, so the less seafood-inclined can find tonkatsu (breaded pork or chicken cutlets with sauce), shabu shabu (hot pot), and more. There are also a number of Japanese restaurants that sell bento boxes, single-person boxed meals, that are perfect for taking out for a picnic on the beach or on a hike. Visit the Sugoi Bento, a "Best Plate Lunch" winner three years running.

Chinese restaurants can also be easy to come across. Since most of the Chinese immigrants were Cantonese, many feature dim sum on their menus. Delicious roast pork and roast duck with crispy skin can also be found in Chinatown.

And as with any metropolis, it's possible to find just about anything else -- French, Greek, Vietnamese, Thai, and much more. For multicultural dining, a visit to Indigo Restaurant is a must. This place features a creative mix of traditional Asian and avant-garde European cuisine. Anything with seafood in it is still likely to feature the fresh catch available daily on the island, so take advantage while you're in Honolulu.

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