Asian food dominates, thanks to the state’s demographics (as of 2012, Hawaii was the country’s only majority-Asian state, comprising 56.9% of the total population). On Oahu, the most promising places to eat are often found in the most unexpected places. For the adventurous, eating here is like a treasure hunt.

Honolulu: Waikiki

Thanks to an influx of Japanese tourists, Waikiki now has some of the best Japanese food outside of Japan. It also has some of Honolulu’s most luxurious dining rooms with ocean views—at a price.

Dining out at the Halekulani

Sure, dining in Waikiki’s high-end hotels is often an overpriced affair, but sometimes the occasion warrants everything that comes with it—including ocean views and upscale service.

The Sunday brunch buffet at Orchids is a must—it’s the best in Hawaii, with everything from a roast-suckling-pig carving station to a sashimi and poke bar. Leave room for the ice cream sundae bar, the Halekulani’s signature fluffy coconut cake, and lots of dainty desserts. Love afternoon tea? Orchids also serves my favorite afternoon tea service on the island, with an array of sandwiches and sweets, as well as an excellent selection of premium teas.

Come sunset, head to House Without a Key for a mai tai and the lovely hula of five former Miss Hawaiis, including the legendary Kanoe Miller.

If the occasion calls for something more romantic and intimate, I go to L’Aperitif, the bar inside La Mer, where drinks are inspired by 19th-century French cocktail culture and each glass is accompanied by a delightful amuse bouche.

The Shrimp Trucks

Shrimp farming took hold in Kahuku in the ’90s and, before long, the first shrimp truck set up, serving fresh shrimp from a lunch wagon window. Now you can smell the garlic cooking before you see all the trucks and shrimp shacks—at least five, by last count. Giovanni’s Original White Shrimp Truck, is the most popular—so popular that a makeshift food court with picnic tables, shade, and a handful of other businesses has sprung up around the beat-up old white truck scrawled with tourists’ signatures. Even though the shrimp are now imported and previously frozen, Giovanni’s knows how to cook them perfectly. Scampi style is my favorite—shell-on shrimp coated in lots of butter and garlic. Twelve bucks gets you a dozen, plus two scoops of rice. Head north from Giovanni’s about a mile, and you’ll hit Romy’s, a shrimp shack instead of a truck. Here the shrimp actually come from the farm behind it. Romy’s is my favorite for the sauce—tons of sautéed and fried garlic over a half-pound of head-on shrimp, plus a container of spicy soy sauce for dipping. The shrimp, however, are inconsistent—sometimes firm and sweet, sometimes mealy.

Going Local: Uniquely Hawaiian Eats

Talk to locals who move away from Hawaii, and these are the foods they miss. Everyone’s got their own go-to place and go-to dishes—people here could spend hours arguing over the best. Here are some of my favorites:

Poke—Ruby-red cubes of fresh ʻahi (tuna), tossed with limu (seaweed), kukui nut, and Hawaiian chili pepper: Ahi poke (pronounced “po-kay”) doesn’t get better than the Hawaiian-style version at Ono Seafood or any variety at Maguro Bros.

Saimin—An only-in-Hawaii mashup of Chinese-style noodles in a Japanese dashi broth. Join the regulars at the communal table at Palace Saimin, where the interior is as simple as this bowl of noodles. Palace Saimin has been around since 1946, and it looks like it.

Loco moco—Two sunny-side up eggs over a hamburger patty and rice, all doused in brown gravy.

Spam musubi—Hawaii eats more Spam per capita than any other state. A dubious distinction to some, but don’t knock it before you try it. Spam musubi is so ubiquitous you can find it at 7-Elevens and convenience stores. But for an even finer product, Mana Bu, is the tops. Get there early; the musubi, made fresh daily, are often sold out by 9am.

Hawaiian plate—Laulau (pork wrapped in taro leaves), kālua pig (shredded, roasted pork), poi (milled taro), and haupia (like coconut Jell-O): It’s Hawaiian lūʻau food, based on what native Hawaiians used to eat. Find it at Helena’s Hawaiian Food and Highway Inn.

Tasty Tours

See Honolulu—one restaurant at a time. Former Honolulu newspaper food critic Matthew Gray put together Hawaii Food Tours to give you a taste of Hawaii. He offers two 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. The Hole-in-the-Wall Tour, includes stops at Honolulu institutions, a noodle factory, and a behind-the-scenes look at Chinatown. You’ll sample some only-in-Hawaii treats.