Local Chains & Familiar Names

Todai, 1910 Ala Moana Blvd. (tel. 808/947-1000), part of a string of Japanese seafood buffet restaurants with locations ranging from Dallas to Portland to the Beverly Center, is packing 'em in at the gateway to Waikiki with bountiful buffet of sushi (40 kinds), hot entrees (tempura, calamari, fresh fish, gyoza, king crab legs, teppanyaki), and delectable desserts. There's not much ambience, but no one cares; the food is terrific, the selection impressive, the operation as smooth as the green-tea cake, and the prices eye-popping: Lunch is $15 on weekdays and $18 on weekends; dinner is $28 on weekdays and $29 on weekends.

Ala Moana Center's third floor is a mecca for dining and schmoozing. The open-air Mai Tai Bar is a popular watering hole. Next door are the boisterous Bubba Gump Shrimp Company (tel. 808/949-4867) and California Pizza Kitchen (tel. 808/941-7715; I have to note that on my last visit, it was surprisingly very dirty), which also maintains branches in Waikiki, at 2284 Kalakaua Ave., next door to the Waikiki Beachcomber (tel. 808/924-2000); Kahala Mall, 4211 Waialae Ave. (tel. 808/737-9446); and Pearlridge, 98-1005 Moanalua Rd. (tel. 808/487-7741).

L & L Drive-Inn is a plate-lunch bonanza, with 45 locations in Hawaii -- 36 on Oahu alone. Meanwhile, Zippy's Restaurants, the maestros of quick meals, offer a surprisingly good selection of fresh seafood, saimin, chili, and local fare, plus the wholesome new low-fat, vegetarian "Shintani Cuisine" (based on the dietary principles of Hawaiian doctor Terry Shintani). Every restaurant (21 of them on Oahu, at last count) offers a daily Shintani special, and some locations (Kahala, Vineyard, Pearlridge, Kapolei, Waipio) sell cold Shintani items in 2-pound portions to take home and heat up. Call tel. 808/973-0880 to find the location nearest you.

It's hard to spend more than $7 on the French and Vietnamese specials at the Ba-Le Sandwich Shops: pho, croissants as good as the espresso, and wonderful taro/tapioca desserts. Among Ba-Le's 20 locations are those at Ala Moana Center (tel. 808/944-4752) and 333 Ward Ave. (tel. 808/591-0935).

The ubiquitous Boston's North End Pizza Bakery chain claims an enthusiastic following with its reasonable prices and generous toppings. Boston's can be found in Kaimuki, Kaneohe, and Makakilo.

For Italian food, Buca di Beppo (tel. 808/591-0880) is in the Ward Entertainment Center, 1030 Auahi St. Heaping plates of Italian food, enough to feed a hungry family, make this place quite popular, along with the reasonable prices. Reservations are a must.

In Waikiki, the local Hard Rock Cafe is at 1837 Kapiolani Blvd. (tel. 808/955-7383). At the Ala Moana end of Waikiki, Outback Steakhouse, 1765 Ala Moana Blvd. (tel. 808/951-6274), serves great steaks and is always full. In downtown's Restaurant Row, beef eaters can also chow down at swanky Ruth's Chris Steak House, 500 Ala Moana Blvd. (tel. 808/599-3860).