The Best Dining

Honolulu - 12th Avenue Grill (114C 12th St. ( Waialae Ave. ) 808-732-9469 )
Some days you just don't feel like having another kalua pig quesadilla or fried whole moi---mainstays of Hawaii Regional cuisine menus. Opened in May 2004, 12th Avenue Grill is the antidote. Catering veteran Kevin Hanney rides the contemporary American bistro bandwagon that has been rolling on the mainland for a while into Kaimuki. The woody, airy café is simply accented with black and white images by local photographer Chris McDonough. Slide into one of the banquettes (if you can nab one---reservations aren't accepted) and order from the menu of straightforward, well-prepared food. Extra-thick, moist pork chops are accented with demi-glace and diced cooked apples; steak is marinated in kimchi sauce and lusciously charred. Hanney has his own smoker and uses it to great effect on the must-have smoked duck breast, sliced and served with an orange confiture. And to replace that moi, trout makes an appearance in a beurre blanc sauce. Award-winning local pastry chef Lisa Siu makes retro desserts like an ice cream "Almond Joy" and strawberry shortcake. This is one of those grills where you could eat every night.

Honolulu - 3660 On the Rise ( 3660 Waialae Ave , 808-737-1177 )
It's hard to remember that Russell Siu was not one of the original Hawaii Regional cuisine chefs. His achievements over the last decade have placed the Hawaii-born Siu firmly in the pantheon of local chefs that residents feel represent true Island cuisine. At 3660 On the Rise, located in the residential district of Kaimuki, Siu's main clientele is not tourists but local residents with their multicultural tastes. They sip smooth and subtle litchi martinis, while Siu satisfies them with such creations as raw oysters with wasabi granité and tobiko caviar or Waianae escargot in tomato and mushrooms. Siu's menu changes seasonally, but some classics are the nori-wrapped salmon with soy-saké glaze, the osso buco with star anise and Asian noodles and the New York steak alaea, pan-fried with Hawaiian salt and garlic. The desserts here have passed into legend---nothing too fancy, just substantial portions of traditional sweets. The sweet bread pudding with vanilla sauce, crème brûlée topped with chocolate and the fruit cobblers are justly celebrated. While not a particularly elegant dining room, it has crisp service, a good selection of premium California wines and a consistent level of excellence from the kitchen. There are now extensive private rooms and sometimes brunches and buffets on special occasions.

Honolulu - Alan Wong's Restaurant ( 1857 S. King St. , 808-949-2526 )
Opened in 1996, Alan Wong's is still the hottest restaurant in Honolulu . He's one of the three kings (along with Roy Yamaguchi and Georges Mavrothalassitis) of Hawaii Regional cuisine. It's not the setting that makes the place---the restaurant, though Cal-bistro pleasant inside, is on the fifth floor of an undistinguished office building. Only the crowded valet parking downstairs tips off its location. Inside, it's the food that matters. After cooking with André Soltner at now defunct Lutèce in New York , Wong developed his pyrotechnic style at CanoeHouse on the Big Island . Expect unexpected collisions of cultures and flavors. For instance, try the tomato soup and sandwich, a "simple" combo of three colors of puréed Big Island tomatoes, served chilled, and foie gras and kalua pig. The kitchen's way with fish makes this the best seafood restaurant in town---steamed opakapaka with shrimp and pork hash, and pan-roasted monchong in a lobster sauce. A well-edited wine list has a good choice of Reislings and other whites that match Wong's work well.

Honolulu - BluWater Grill ( Hawaii Kai Shopping Center , 377 Keahole St. , 808-395-6224 )
With a chef from Honolulu staple Ryan's, BluWater Grill isn't haute, but it's a suburban crowd-pleaser with dishes like kalua pig nachos and moist wok-fried moi. The place straddles the line between family-fun spot and sleek young professionals' watering hole. Waterside tables and tiki torches make it a cool-night winner.

Honolulu - Momomo ( 3008 Waialae Ave. , 808-737-6666 )
The black concrete block on Waialae Avenue may look mysterious, but inside it's a welcoming izakaya. Opened in June 2004 by a transplanted Nagoya businessman, Momomo has a varied menu filled with small appetizer-like dishes, more hearty entrées and all kinds of snacks like spicy Taiwan-style ramen and crab-filled fried rice. In Japan , the design trend is retro country inn with modern twists, and that's what Momomo is, with dark wood walls and elevated horigotatsu rooms and very contemporary hanging pendant lamps. Order from the well-edited saké menu to go with your parade of traditional (katsu) and trendy (mozzarella-cabbage gratin!) dishes. A good-looking young staff dressed in black is at your beck and call as late as you want---Momomo is open until midnight.