Floating on air with new dinner specials

Oxtail Soup ($15.50)

For more than 50 years, Pagoda Floating Restaurant has been serving both locals and tourists the finest cuisine in an unforgettable setting. The iconic eatery seems to float on top of koi ponds, lush gardens and cascading waterfalls — all hidden within the hustle and bustle of Honolulu.

As for the food, Pagoda is famous for its buffet and catering services, dishing out tasty Asian-, American-and Hawaiian-influenced comfort food. Most recently, the local-style eatery started offering a la carte options for dinner. “Our customers kept asking why we don’t have a la carte dinner options,” says manager Tracy Yadao. “So most of what’s on the dinner menu now aren’t offered at our other meal times.”

Prime Rib for Two ($35)

One of the dinner specials is Prime Rib for Two ($35). Perfect for date night, it offers two 8-ounce slabs of prime rib served with soup, salad, a starch and dessert. “The meat is seasoned with rock salt, pepper and rosemary, and is slow-cooked for about six or seven hours,” says Yadao.

Another dinner special, Island Catch “Molokai Style” ($14.95), has quickly become a customer favorite. “We use basa fish, which is a flaky white fish and is really versatile — you can steam or pan-fry it,” explains Yadao. “We sauté it to a nice brown and cook it with ginger, green onions and shoyu. Then, it’s served on top of vegetables like bok choy and Chinese cabbage.”

Island Catch “Molokai Style” ($14.95)

Another local favorite for dinner is Oxtail Soup ($15.50), and at Pagoda, there’s also an Oxtail Ramen option for $16.50. According to Yadao, the oxtail is braised for a few hours, making it really tender and flavorful. “The broth is tasty and is also full of veggies,” he says.

Be sure to spend an evening at Pagoda to try one of these dishes. Currently, the restaurant has an Early Bird Special: If you’re seated by 5:30 p.m., you’ll receive 20 percent off your meal (also offered at lunch if you’re seated before 11:30 a.m.)

Pagoda Floating Restaurant

1525 Rycroft St., Honolulu
948-8354
Breakfast, 6:30-11 a.m. (a la carte), Monday-Saturday, 6:30-10 a.m. (a la carte), 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (buffet) Sunday; Dinner 5-9 p.m. nightly