Escape to the Royal Hawaiian Islands

Lauren Vane

Wanna dance the Hula? If you’re feeling the tropical urge, instead of

a long flight and a pricey resort stay, put on your best Hawaiian

shirt and mellow out at the Royal Hawaiian -- Laguna’s own island

escape.

The Royal Hawaiian was a bustling spot for late night dining --

and drinking -- on a recent Saturday night. As I grabbed the giant

tiki door handle and stepped inside, I entered into a tropical oasis

of fish tanks, bamboo and more tiki.

Patrons of the crowded bar area spilled out in the lobby and kept

us entertained as we waited for our table. Having not yet looked at

the menu, I wondered what I could expect. What exactly defines the

genre of Hawaiian food? I let my culinary dreams run wild.

The main dining room was quiet and soothing, with the low lull of

Hawaiian music humming in the background. Unlike most restaurants,

the tables weren’t too close, making for a quiet, private dinner.

On the back of the menu, I saw a selection of tropical drinks that

was nothing short of overwhelming; there may have been more choices

of rummy concoctions than there were entrees. Our waitress informed

us that the house special was the lapu lapu ($9.50), a double mai-tai

in a large glass, or there was also the Big Kahuna, an even larger

version of the lapu lapu. Frightened by both these drinks with names

that sounded as if they were going to eat me alive, I went with the

classic mai tai ($5.75). My friend ordered the chi chi ($5.75), a

blend of vodka with coconut and pineapple juice.

Despite the uber-tropical aura, the restaurant menu seemed to

offer the same surf and turf choices you would see on the menu of an

American steakhouse, with a slightly Hawaiian twist. I decided on the

New York steak, ($18.95) which came with a good recommendation from

the waitress. My friend ordered the lobster and spare ribs combo

($29.95).

While we enjoyed the music and the mesmerizing tropical fish in a

nearby tank, our meal began with two outstanding sides: a starter

salad with “Ono Ono” dressing and a cup of French onion soup. The

soup and salad were full of flavor; our palettes were now properly

prepped for the main course.

The entrees arrived in simple presentation, each with a side order

of garlic mashed potatoes. The steak was cooked to order and not too

dry. The garlic mashed potatoes were a hit.

At the meal’s finale, I finally found the taste of the islands I

was looking for: Coconut-Pineapple ice cream ($1.50). Mahalo!