Other Hawaii posts: Kauai, Kauai Quilting, Kauai Food, Kauai Sightseeing, Oahu Fireworks.

After our week in Kauai, we moved to Oahu and stayed another week. We spent 4th of July weekend in Waikiki then headed out to the JW Marriott Ihilani (about 40 minutes from Honolulu on the Leeward side of the island) for the rest of the week. I loved this resort, and it was a great home base while we bounced around the island.

Our food adventures here were very different from Kauai. We ate at the resort a few time–sandwiches by the beach or pool–and at several chain places. It was kind of the nature of the trip; we often found ourselves in the car or on the move to somewhere else, grabbing something quick. And the food was generally fancier and more expensive in Oahu, especially around Honolulu. But there were some exceptions, and we loved them.

We walked around Honolulu’s Chinatown and had lunch at Little Village Noodle House. There were a surprising number of Vietnamese noodle shops in Chinatown, but I’m glad we went here. The Peking Duck was pretty great.

We had a great dinner at Tango Cafe in Honolulu, too. I forgot to take pictures of the incredible tomato soup and seriously delicious Five Spice Braised Short Rib (I may have to try and recreate that at home), but I did get a photo of some of the decor. I loved this place, and it was actually one of the more affordable places we ate in Honolulu.

We went to the Polynesian Cultural Center on the North Shore for a luau (more on that entertaining experience another day). The buffet was pretty decent, with kalua pork (everywhere on this island, even Cheesecake Factory), teriyaki chicken, chicken long rice (could not eat that stuff), and poi. This is a taro roll, lots of stuff is made with taro as well. It was yummy, like a slightly starchier potato roll.

Pretty good eats, and pretty good sightseeing. I’ll be posting more on our Oahu week in the next few days.

**UPDATE: I forgot to mention the famous Cafe Haleiwa on the North Shore!

We had a great breakfast there before driving all along the North Shore. Super friendly staff, slightly terrifying bathroom. But all good.