Ola at Turtle Bay Resort

Description:

• Even if you are staying in Waikiki, plan a day at the beach on the North Shore and eat here for dinner -- you will not regret it. First, the location is literally on the beach next door to the Turtle Bay Resort. Second, the restaurant is an open-air beach pavilion, made from ironwood trees harvested from the surrounding area. The view is of the Pacific waves lapping onto the sand, and the atmosphere when they light the tiki torches at sunset is very, very romantic. But, wait, the best part is . . . the food! Chef Fred DeAngelo named his restaurant Ola, which means "alive" or "healthy" in Hawaiian, and he insists on only the freshest of ingredients. The menu is filled with creative selections (the ahi and lobster poke served with a wonton spoon) and some of the best food you will eat in Hawaii, like the incredible slow-poached togarashi salmon with a sweet, sugar-cane crust served with Okinawan sweet potato and locally grown corn; the Lawai'a fishermen's stew with lobster, shrimp, scallops, and fresh fish; and a kiawe-smoked beef tenderloin that is so tasty, you'll never forget it.

• © Frommer's 2012

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Highly Recommended 2010