SHERATON WAIKIKI

Easter Sunday is still a couple of weeks off, but now is the time to make reservations for the holiday meal. For a traditional brunch experience, the Sheraton Waikiki is hosting a Chandon Champagne Bubble Brunch ($55 adults, $15 ages 6-12, free under 5) at the new Twist at the Hanohano Room. The menu includes prime rib, ham, lamb, an omelet station, a cold buffet with salads and poke, a dessert station and your choice of a glass of Chandon Champagne or bottomless mimosas. Before the brunch starts at 11 a.m., take the keiki to the underwater egg hunt at 9 a.m. in the hotel's newly refurbished swimming pool. The egg hunt is free with a brunch reservation.

Sheraton Waikiki, 2255 Kalakaua Ave., 716-8109

RUTH'S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE

Go where the meat is always good for an Easter dinner of prime rib and a one-pound baked potato for $39.95. Or, for the same price, get the three-course "Ruth's Classic" menu of the restaurant's signature dishes, including a choice of salad, a main dish choice of steak, chicken, shrimp or fish with one side dish and a dessert. The restaurant will open early at 4 p.m. on Easter Sunday.

Ruth's Chris Steak House, two locations: Restaurant Row, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., 599-3860; Waikiki Beach Walk, 226 Lewers St., 440-7910

KOCHI

From the people who made Gulick's Deli a local favorite comes Kochi, a family restaurant known for its generous portions and reasonable prices. What better reason to eat your Easter meal here? The Easter brunch buffet (10 a.m.-2 p.m.; $35.95 adults, $30.95 seniors, $13.95 ages 3-8) will include carving, salad and omelet stations, a sushi bar and a dessert bar.

Kochi, 1936 S. King St., 941-2835

THE MANDALAY

For the less traditional, celebrate Easter with a dim sum brunch (10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.; $20.99 adults, $16.99 seniors, $13.99 ages 3-12) at Mandalay.

The Mandalay, 1055 Alakea St., 525-8585

Brasserie Du Vin (1155 Bethel St., across from the Hawai'i Theatre) has expanded its happy hour to include a menu of specialty cocktails that sell for half price 4-6 p.m Mondays through Saturdays. On the menu are the "Du Vin Martini" (vodka, Chambord and pineapple juice), "Le Soleil" (vodka, limoncello and Campari), "La Lune" (rum, Grand Marnier, pineapple and cranberry juices) and "Le Petit Mort" (liliko'i vodka, limoncello, lemon-lime soda).

Get "A Taste of Scotland," the opening event for this weekend's Hawaiian Scottish Festival, tonight at The Willows (901 Hausten St., 952-9200, 5-9 p.m., $25 per person). Drink rare Scottish beers, and dare to eat haggis (it's an Americanized version of the traditional organ-and-grain-stuffed sausage of Scotland, but it's not for finicky eaters).

Epic Restaurant (1131 Nu'uanu Ave., 587-7877) is offering a special April prix fixe five-course tasting menu for $30. "April Madness" kicked off this week and will run through the end of the month. The menu: mesclun salad, seafood gyoza, broiled teriyaki wild king salmon, filet mignon and warm bread pudding.

Stage (237-5429) is celebrating its second birthday with a two-for-one dining special. Order anything off the menu April 6-18, and the restaurant will pick up half the tab, exclusive of alcohol, tax and tip.

KANIKAPILA TIME

The food at Kani Ka Pila Grille isn't what everyone's talking about, though it offers lunch and dinner daily.

Like its name suggests ("kanikapila" is Hawaiian for "backyard jam"), the real draw here is the cafe's weekly line-up of live local music.

The restaurant was designed with live music in mind, and when it opened March 18 it was only fitting that the great Cyril Pahinui be the first performer to grace the stage. With a roster of other great Hawaiian music performers such as Kawika Kahiapo, Brother Noland and Kaukahi on the schedule, we have one more reason to visit Waikiki, and it isn't for the mai tais (but we like those too).

TRY THIS

OH, SWEET IKA!

If you're craving something sweet, salty, and, well ... fishy, we found your new favorite snack: chocolate-dipped ika from Big Island Candies. Pieces of dried, chewy cuttlefish are dipped in rich chocolate, creating a fun, local-style treat to share with the whole family. A bit of advice: Be prepare to do lots of chewing, especially if you attempt to eat the whole thing in one bite. A 3-ounce bag goes for $7.50 at www.bigislandcandies.com.