Where to Eat - Honolulu, Waikiki and Oahu - page 169

influence on the chef. Highlights of the diverse menu, which extensively utilizes fresh fish
(mahimahi, ono, ahi, opakapaka, onaga, and uku) in traditional Thai preparations—unusual
for a Thai restaurant—might include local fresh catch with Thai chili and black-bean sauce;
red, green, yellow, and vegetarian curries; and spicy lemongrass soup with shrimp. The enter-
tainment and indoor-outdoor dining add to this first-class experience.
1910 Ala Moana Blvd. (at the Ala Moana end of Waikiki). & 808/941-2898. www.singhathai.com . Reservations recom-
mended. Main courses $17-$34; complete dinners $35. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 4-11pm.
Tiki'sGrill&Bar PACIFIC RIM This casual eatery, decorated in palm wood flooring with fish
nets hanging from the ceiling and lava-rock walls, is located on the second floor of the Aston
Waikiki Beach Hotel overlooking Waikiki Beach—so you'll want to grab an outside table on
the lanai before sunset. A 30-foot volcano is the showpiece in the bar (where you can snack on
pupu, or appetizers). In November 2010, Chef Ron Nasuti, formerly executive chef for Roy's
Hawaii Kai, took over the reins in the kitchen. Since then, he's moved the menu from Americ-
an to more decidedly Pacific Rim. Tiki's signature dish, king salmon glazed with lemongrass
beurre blanc, remains, but the grilled opah has a new fresh Kamauela tomato, cilantro, and
chili sauce. The desserts are all bite-size, too—at $2 each, they're not only easy on the calories,
but also on the wallet. Live Hawaiian music is featured nightly in the bar.
In the Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel, 2570 Kalakaua Ave. (at Paoakalani St.). & 808/923-TIKI [923-8454].
www.tikisgrill.com . Lunch entrees $12-$15; dinner entrees $26-$49; 3-course prix fixe menu $39. AE, DC, DISC, MC,
V. Daily 10:30am-midnight.
Tasty Tours for the Hungry Traveler
See Honolulu—one restaurant at a time. Former Honolulu newspaper food critic and chef
Matthew Gray has put together “Hawaii Food Tours” to show you a side of Hawaii that you
might not discover on your own. He offers three different types of tours, all with transportation
from your Waikiki hotel in an air-conditioned van and all with running commentary on
Hawaii's history, culture, and architecture. Our favorite was the “Hole-in-the-Wall Tour,” a
lunch tour from 9:15am to 2:30pm for $99 per person, where you visit at least four different
ethnic restaurants (Vietnamese, Indian, local food, and dessert). Matthew has already pre-
ordered the best dishes from their menus. For information and booking, call & 808/
926-FOOD (926-3663), or go to www.hawaiifoodtours.com .
Inexpensive
Cha Cha Cha MEXICAN/CARIBBEAN Its heroic margaritas, cheap happy-hour beer, pupu,
excellent homemade chips, and all-around lovable menu make this a Waikiki treasure. From
the beans to the salsa to the grilled Jamaican chicken, there's nothing wimpy about the
flavors here. The lime, coconut, and Caribbean spices make Cha Cha Cha more than plain old
Mex, adding zing to the blackened mahimahi and fresh-fish burritos, the jerk chicken breast,