You won't go hungry on Oahu. The full range of choices here includes chef-owned glamour restaurants, neighborhood eateries, fast-food joints, ethnic spots, and restaurants and food courts in shopping malls.

Sunday Brunch at the Waikiki Block Party--The latest attraction in Waikiki is Sunday brunch. The mayor of Honolulu cut back on the Sunday Brunch Block Party from once a month to once a quarter. But on these days the city closes down all traffic on Kalakaua Avenue, from Kaiulani to Liliuokalani avenues, from 9:30am to 1:30pm and has a giant block party.

AstroTurf is rolled out into the street, and tables, chairs, and bright tropical umbrellas are set up. The hotels and restaurants of Waikiki send their chefs out on the sidewalks where you can purchase everything from just-made pastries to finger-licking ribs. Entertainment ranges from a 60-member chorus to a hula troop of children. For information on the dates call tel.

If you're staying in Waikiki, just wander out to the party, but if you're coming from another part of the island, parking can be a problem. We suggest parking on the streets around the Honolulu Zoo and Kapiolani Park, where a shuttle will run you down to the brunch, or for $1 at the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center or the Waikiki Trade Center.

The Shrimp Trucks--Maybe it's a Hawaii thing, but the best, sweetest, most juicy shrimp you are ever going to eat will be from a shrimp truck on Oahu's North Shore. Several trucks line up around Kahuku on the Kamehameha Hwy, but our two favorites are: Giovanni's Original White Shrimp Truck and Kahuku Famous Shrimp.

Giovanni's (which usually parks in the middle of Kahuku) claims to be the first shrimp truck to serve the delicious aquaculture shrimp farmed in the surrounding area. The menu is simple: spicy, garlic, or lemon-and-butter shrimp. Skip the lemon-and-butter shrimp (boring), and go to the garlic (my fave) or the spicy. (They're not kidding -- it's very, very, very spicy.) The battered white truck has picnic tables under the awning outside, so you can munch away right there.

The trucks are usually in place before noon and stay until about sunset. Depending on how much shrimp you can down, expect to spend no more than $12 per person.

Downtown Honolulu

Downtowners love the informal walk-in cafes lining one side of attractive Bishop Square, at 1001 Bishop St. (at King St.), in the middle of the business district, where free entertainment is offered every Friday during lunch hour. The popular Che Pasta is a stalwart here, chic enough for business meetings and not too formal (or expensive) for a spontaneous rendezvous over pasta and minestrone. Some places in Bishop Square open for breakfast and lunch, others just for lunch, but most close when business offices empty.

Note: Keep in mind that Restaurant Row, which features several hot new establishments, offers free validated parking in the evening.