A ‘new’ look, the same Pacific blue view
Friday - June 06, 2008
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There’s a curious thing that happens when you walk into the Shore Bird in Waikiki. It’s like your internal vacation button is hit and you feel yourself adopting an immediate and more leisurely pace. Blame it on the vast expanse of blue waves rhythmically hitting the shore, or the fact that you can breakfast at a fresh fruit buffet while sitting a few steps from the sand. This “new” Shore Bird is enough to blow away all of the preconceived notions you have about Waikiki, including the commonly heard “too expensive” (Shore Bird is offering some incredible deals to celebrate 29 years in Waikiki),“too difficult to park” (free valet parking at Outrigger Reef when you dine at Shore Bird), “too many tourists”(try the Aloha Friday Lunchtime show once a month or dinner Saturday night and you’ll be amazed at the savvy local dining crowd). And for further debunking of Waikiki dining myths? Just ask Shore Bird general manager Del Uyehara. He’s the guy who’s heard them all.
“I think that sometimes people forget what Hawaii is all about,“he says, sitting at a table looking out at an expanse of what he calls “the Pacific blue.”
“But when local people come here, take in the plantation house-style of the restaurant and look out right onto the beach, it brings them back.”
Renovations at Shore Bird took place about seven years ago,and the Outrigger Reef is completing the last of its $112-million refurbishment, but that’s news to lots of locals.
“People who haven’t been here in a long time don’t even know about our renovations,” says Del. “They still imagine Shore Bird the way it used to be.”
Today, dark-green paint, clean, white wood paneling, ceiling fans and touches of Hawaiiana on everything from lamps to fabrics give Shore Bird the appeal of an old plantation home - with a million-dollar view.“It’s like having a back yard on the beach,” says Del,“only there’s no need to worry about cleaning up.”
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Shore Bird opens at 7 a.m. daily, serving breakfast from an all-youcan-eat-buffet that’s heavy on fresh fruit and light on the budget. The regular buffet price, which includes breads, pastries, eggs, meats and freshly carved ham and roast turkey, is $12.95.“It’s hard to beat our price, our value and our view,” says Del.
Lunch offers a daily themed buffet (Friday there’s a Hawaiian spread complete with lomi salmon, poi and kalua pig), along with an a la carte menu of salads, burgers and sandwiches.
At dinner, especially around sunset,Shore Bird can get really busy, so it’s best to call ahead and make a reservation.Shore Bird’s “back yard on the beach” approach is apparent in the menu, which encourages guests to choose a cut of beef, pork, chicken or fish and then head for the giant grill to cook their own. There’s an all-you-can-eat salad bar as an accompaniment, and a range of appetizers that include some excellent ahi katsu and sashimi. If you’re not too confident of your own grilling capabilities,there’s a chef on hand to help out.
With a coveted Waikiki Beach view, Shore Bird makes Waikiki accessible to all of us. Sure you have to get up and grill your own dinner, but when you think that your bill may likely be less than the tip at other oceanfront restaurants, it’s hard to find anything not to love about an evening here.
“A lot of our regular customers like to come down for dinner at about 8:30,” says Del. “They miss the early evening rush and then stay for our free karaoke.” Food is served until 1 a.m., as are cocktails and after-dinner drinks.
Whether you’re looking for a beautiful place to take family or visiting friends for breakfast, an inexpensive lunch before a late afternoon swim, or one of the best value spots to catch the sunset, it’s hard to find anywhere to beat the value of Shore Bird this summer.
Shore Bird Restaurant And Beach Bar
Beachfront in the Outrigger Reef Hotel
2169 Kalia Road
Waikiki
922-2887
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