Spirit of Aloha | Articles | Adventures in Dining | November/December 2004

Adventures in Dining
By: LANCE TOMINAGA

Food for the fun of it

PHOTO: BRETT UPRICHARD

There were still a few bites left of the Bananas Foster Pie, but I knew when to say when. I put my fork down and breathed a deep sigh of contentment. My dinner companion had her fill of dessert as well. It was a nice ending to an even nicer meal.

But now, with our energy and strength replenished, it was time to get back to work. We had, after all, alien invaders from space to contend with. Not to mention flesh-eating zombies, angry ghouls and relentless ninja assassins. The very fate of planet Earth was depending on us. Really.

Chuck E. Cheese’s is the ultimate kids’ party place. The ‘Äina Haina location has more than 40 attractions in its arcade, from video auto racing and a basketball toss to toddler rides and skeet ball. There’s even a video game called “Brave Firefighters,” where you and a friend can team up to put out massive fires. On the far side of the dining area is an automated puppet and video show that has Chuck E. himself belting tunes like “I Want My Chuck E. Cheese.”

As for the food, well, you have to remember that this is a kids’ hangout. Cheese pizzas rule here. The prices are reasonable—a medium cheese pizza is $14.59, plus $1.75 for each additional topping—and the taste is somewhere between gourmet and microwave. It’s not great, but I still wound up eating my entire individual pepperoni pizza ($5.29). Specialty pizzas such as Vegetarian, All-Meat, Super Combo and BBQ Chicken are also available.

My companion visited the salad bar ($3.49 for the small plate, $5.99 for the large) and returned with a healthy sampling of spinach, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, sprouts, bell peppers, pineapple, cantaloupe and beets. We also tried a plate of spicy buffalo wings ($4.89), which may be the best item on the menu. Also offered are sandwiches, hot dogs, mozzarella sticks and fries.

The dessert menu didn’t look like anything special—ice cream, birthday cake and cotton candy—so we used those few extra dollars to play more games. Maybe Chuck E. Cheese’s should change its slogan to “The place where even grown-ups can be kids.”

Our next stop was Dave & Buster’s (tel. 589-2215), a lively establishment that is often referred to as “Chuck E. Cheese’s for adults.” Located at the Victoria Ward Entertainment Complex in Honolulu, the 40,000-square-foot restaurant/game center has been entertaining residents and visitors alike since it opened in October 2001. D&B is another popular chain that has more than 30 locations throughout the United States.

The three-level complex includes the Grand Dining Room, the Viewpoint Bar and the Million-Dollar Midway, as well as shuffleboard, billiards, a rooftop bar and other dining and entertainment offerings.

D&B doesn’t skimp on the menu, either. There’s a full selection of salads, burgers and sandwiches, seafood, pasta, chicken, steak and ribs. Appetizers are priced from $4 to $10, while entrées are in the $10 to $20 range.

My dinner companion raved about her Char-Grilled Atlantic Salmon ($19.99), lightly seasoned with fresh herbs and served with citrus rice and saut馥d green beans. I decided on one of the restaurant痴 specialties, Jack Daniel痴 Ribeye Steak ($19.99), a 12-ounce USDA choice cut marinated and glazed with Jack Daniel痴 BBQ sauce and served with mashed potatoes and crispy frazzled onions. Every bite was succulent, tender and bursting with flavor. For steak lovers like myself, it doesn稚 get much better than this.

Other entr馥s on the menu include D&B痴 Classic BBQ Ribs (slow-cooked, tender Saint Louis-style pork ribs basted with barbecue sauce); Cajun Tilapia with Shrimp and Chardonnay Sauce; Parmesan Crusted Chicken Scallopini; Delta Chicken Cobb Salad; Gorgonzola Sirloin Steak; and much more.

After dessert, we made a beeline for the Midway. You can purchase a D&B Power Card that activates all of the attractions at the arcade (except for the coin action games). We spent more than an hour playing games, enjoying drinks and browsing through D&B痴 ticket redemption center (named, appropriately enough, The Winner痴 Circle). It was there that I spotted the ultimate prize: a sleek, 13-inch TV/VCR combo. It could be ours for 55,000 tickets!

It is the combination of good food and a dizzying array of entertainment options that will bring us back to D&B. Besides, we only need another 54,945 tickets to get that TV/VCR.

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