Family
affair
Crayons,
coloring books and kid-friendly menus make
dining with keiki a pleasant experience
If
recent transplants are ever going to experience
culture shock, it’s going to happen when they
see the diversity of the family-style
restaurants here in the Islands.
“They
may have moved from a place that doesn’t have
the international flavor like Hawai‘i does,”
said Gail Chew, Hawaii Restaurant Association
executive director. “It could be shocking when
they see all the different ethnic
restaurants.”
However,
malihini can take comfort in knowing that such
Mainland franchises as Sizzler, CPK, Ruby
Tuesday, Dave & Buster’s and other
recognizable names do exist here. And soon
enough, they’ll also discover that the local
family dining scene is as diverse as
Hawai‘i’s population.
Places
like Zippy’s, Shiro’s and L & L
Drive-Inn, to name but a few, have all become
household names.
For
Windward residents, Pah Ke’s, Casablanca,
Lucy’s Grill n’ Bar, Haleiwa Joe’s Seafood
Grill, and Cinnamon’s are recent hot spots for
family dining. However, the opening of Formaggio
Grill — whose sister restaurant is a trendy
wine bar in Kapahulu — is sure to provide
another comfortable gathering place for the
ohana.
In
East O‘ahu, family-friendly and ethnic
restaurants abound. The Greek Marina, Teddy’s
Bigger Burgers, Kona Brewing Company, BluWater
Grill, Le Bistro, Nick’s Café, Lung Fung and
the Chef’s Table each offer distinct cultural
menus.
In
Kaimuki, finding a parking spot here is about as
difficult as choosing where to eat. JJ’s
Bistro and French Pastry, Town, Café Laufer,
Big City Diner, 3660 on the Rise, Happy Days and
12th Avenue Grill all compete for hungry diners.
Metro
Honolulu and Waikiki families have a vast
selection of restaurants from which to choose.
Ward and Ala Moana shopping centers are both
packed with eateries, and so is Waikiki. At
Aloha Tower Marketplace, the new Tower Grill,
Don Ho’s Island Grill, Hong Kong Harbour View,
Hooter’s and Chai’s Island Bistro are
popular with tourists and locals alike. Down the
street, Sam Choy’s Breakfast, Lunch &
Crab, Nico’s at Pier 38 and El Charro provide
different types of cuisine: local, Mediterranean
and Tex Mex, respectively.
In
the Pearl City and Leeward areas, families will
go to Anna Miller’s for its pies and
early-bird specials and visit Bravo downstairs
for its “local-style” marinara sauce and
garlic bread “poppers.” Kapolei residents
will frequent En Fuego and HO HO in the Market
Place. And in Waipahu, Elena’s Home of the
Finest Filipino Foods and the Poke Stop are
must-tries.
A
drive to the North Shore will undoubtedly stir
up the appetite. For breakfast, Koa Pancake
House offers a full-on menu, as well as, of
course, fluffy pancakes and crepes Suzette.
Uncle Bobo’s in Kaaawa dishes out some tasty
pulehu short ribs. Meanwhile, Cholo’s in the
North Shore Marketplace is crowded with hungry
surfers and tourists pining for fajitas and
tacos. Look for a little locomotive-like smoker
in Wahiawa and you’ve arrived at Molly’s
Smokehouse, where residents from across the
Island will drive just to try the smoked
brisket. In Kahuku, Giovanni’s Original White
Shrimp truck has been parked there for years, to
the delight of visitors and locals alike.
“Dining
out is a family experience,” Chew said. “So
all restaurants are ‘family-style;’ some are
just more family-friendly than others.”
TV
news family tunes in to family eateries
When
veteran KGMB-9 anchors, and husband and wife,
Guy Hagi and Kim Gennaula go out for a meal with
their two kids, Luke, 4, and Alia, 2, the family
of four have their favorite haunts.
“We
recently went to Dixie Grill on Ward,” said
Hagi, who anchors the weather segment of the
nightly news. “The sandbox really helped, the
menu was kid-friendly, and also the food came
pretty quickly.”
Speed
is important when dining with toddlers, as most
parents will attest.
But
so are the menu and the frills.
California
Pizza Kitchen gives crayons and its menu offers
kid-friendly dishes.
Columbia
Inn in Kaimuki also offers crayons and coloring
pages, as well as kids-eat-free nights.
And
if it’s a take-out family meal, Luke and Alia
love the ahi plates and desserts at Diamond Head
Market and Grill.
