WE'RE CRAVING: MOTHERS' DAY MEALS

THE CHART HOUSE

The family-friendly Chart House pulls out all the stops for Mom's Day, with a massive buffet from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 10 ($38.50 adults, $16.50 ages 6-11), of all the buffet staples plus Hawaiian food. Reservations required.

The Chart House, 1755 Ala Moana Blvd., 941-6660

INDIGO RESTAURANT

Let chef Glenn Chu spoil her on her special day with his signature dim sum, plus a full buffet, an omelette station and a dessert station from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 10 ($40 adults, $20 ages 6-12). Reservations required.

Indigo Restaurant, 1121 Nu'uanu Ave., 521-2900

PIKAKE TERRACE

The Sheraton Princess Kaiulani gives moms options: a morning brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. ($39.50 adults, $19.75 ages 5-12) for the early risers, and an evening buffet from 5 to 9:30 p.m. ($49.50 adults, $24.75 ages 5-12) for the night owls. There will be live Hawaiian music at the May 10 dinner buffet. Reservations recommended.

Pikake Terrace at Sheraton Princess Kaiulani, 120 Kaiulani Ave., 921-4600

RUMFIRE

Chef Colin Hazama will do the cooking, if you show up on May 10 for his four-course Mother's Day dinner with optional cocktail pairings ($65 per person, $85 with cocktail pairing). On the menu: ali'i mushroom-stuffed moi, wasabi-crusted filet mignon and a reconstructed Caprese salad to start, and a white chocolate panna cotta and dark chocolate mousse to cap things off. Reservations recommended.

RumFire in the Sheraton Waikiki, 2255 Kalakaua Ave., 921-4600

BEACHHOUSE AT THE MOANA

Chef Rod Uyehara does brunch, too. And how. Included in his Mother's Day buffet is everything from artisanal cheeses to super-fresh seafood and his signature steak to a fresh salad buffet.

Beachhouse at the Moana, 2365 Kalakaua Ave., 921-4600.

FOOD NEWS

The Kahala Hotel & Resort (367-2525) is hosting a week-long food event, "Taste of Toh-Ka-Lin at Hoku's." The restaurant welcomes chef Liang Shu Neng of Japan's premiere Chinese restaurant Toh-Ka-Lin. Toh-Ka-Lin's signature dishes will be available a la carte for dinner from May 10-16. Featured dishes include marinated shrimp and scallops with Chinese chives, shark fin and crab roe soup, hot pot, sweet and sour pork, and almond jelly.

Okonomiyaki Chibo Restaurant (922-9722) at Royal Hawaiian Center now offers a late-night happy hour of food and drink specials 10 p.m to 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

The Royal Hawaiian Center has extended its free parking special through June. Guests of any of the center's restaurants get four hours of free parking, with restaurant validation.

In Maui food news: Maui Prince Hotel, Makena Resort welcomes a new addition to its dining scene. Molokini Bar & Grille (808-874-1111), a casual-dining restaurant with chef Greg Gaspar at the helm, opened this week.

D.K. Kodama has struck again, this time on Maui. Along with partner and chef Eric Arbogast, Kodama has opened Cuatro (808-879-1110) in Kihei. The casual eatery serves Latin-inspired Pacific Rim cuisine in a family-friendly environment.

FROM JAPAN WITH ALOHA

Newly opened Aloha Table is to Japanese what, say, Benihana is to us. That is, Aloha Table specializes in serving local-style cuisine in Japan. With locations in Nagoya, Tokyo, Yokohama, Saitama, Toyohashi and now Waikiki, Aloha Table has made a name for itself as Japan's leading Hawai'i-style restaurant. The menu reads like a combination of a local drive-in menu (mochiko chicken, loco moco), an Italian-style bistro menu (clam and zucchini spaghettini, mushroom and chicken penne) and a tropical cafe menu that specializes in culinary kitsch (coconut rum Jell-O with pineapple granite). At Aloha Table, it's like eating at home, only different.

ALOHA TABLE

2238 Lau'ula St. second floor

922-2221

Hours: noon-2 a.m. daily

SMALL BITES

INSTANT GOURMET JOE

Just when you thought Starbucks Coffee couldn't become an even bigger part of your life, they go and create the best instant coffee ever made. Is it even possible for instant coffee to be good? Apparently so. Will it replace the real stuff? Never. But it's great for joe on the go. Dubbed "Via," it's only available online at www.starbucks.com. The company is shooting for a fall 2009 in-store release.