Vacations are all about exploring and trying new things, and your dining experience is no exception. If you’re planning a vacation to Hawaii, you’re likely anticipating the natural beauty, sunshine, and ocean fun. You should also look forward to the mouthwatering dishes served on the islands. Below are just four of the unique treats you can enjoy in Hawaii.

4 Dishes to Try on Your Hawaii Vacation

1. Shave Ice

You’ve never had a snow cone like this before. With tasty flavors like lilikoi, a tart tropical fruit, and li hing mui, a dried salty plum popular in China, your taste buds are in for a new experience. Many shave ice shops serve the treat with a side of vanilla ice cream or azuki bean paste, and some add mochi or drizzle condensed milk over the dessert.

2. Saimin

This dish is part of the heritage of Chinese and Japanese immigrants who moved to Hawaii, with Chinese egg noodles served in a Japanese dashi broth. As the dish has evolved, it’s grown to include green onions, fish cake, shredded nori, and Spam®. It’s so popular that you can even get a bowl of saimin at McDonalds!

3. Poke

Poke is a traditional Hawaiian dish. The name translates as “to slice” or “cut crosswise.” The central feature of the dish is sliced raw seafood, such as salmon, ahi, or octopus. The seafood is then seasoned with sea salt and seaweed. Popular variants include onions, soy sauce, and garlic.

4. Pasteles

Like saimin, pasteles are the result of immigration to Hawaii—this dish comes from Puerto Rican immigrants. In Hawaii, the ‘s’ is dropped, and the dish is pronounced as ‘pateles.’ The exterior is traditionally made with corn but, in Hawaii, was adapted to include grated green bananas combined with plantain and yuca. This wrapper is filled with any number of proteins, including pork, chicken, and seafood.

For those who want to stay on Oahu, The Imperial Hawaii Resort is the place to be. Located less than 100 yards from the renowned Waikīkī Beach, The Imperial Hawaii Resort is in the middle of the renewed Waikīkī Beach Walk and Oʻahu’s dining, shopping, and entertainment epicenter. As a combination hotel and timeshare, this resort provides a high-quality vacation experience, and their goal is to treat all owners and visitors with the true kama‘aina spirit of ho‘okipa: courtesy, respect and hospitality.  Learn more about their amenities on their website, and call (808) 923-1827 to inquire about booking a vacation or getting a timeshare.