Gather around fresh seafood

Seaside Sampler ($45 with poke or $48 with ceviche)

Fresh seafood, fine wine, a fun atmosphere — and fantastic new menu items: The Seaside is a great place for friends and family to gather around food.

With a focus on sharing plates and pupus, highlights of the mouthwatering menu include hand-shucked Fresh Oysters ($5.50 -$6 each), Signature New England Chowder ($10, standard bowl) and seafood shipped in fresh from around the world.

Crab and Chimichurri ($26)

A great place to start is the Seaside Sampler ($45 with poke or $48 with ceviche).

The sampler starts with a delectable choice between local ahi poke (ginger shoyu or spicy) and ceviche (shrimp or octopus) and also includes four pieces of shrimp cocktail and four oysters — fresh from worldwide locations based on seasonality. Currently on the menu are Kusshi, Stellar Bay and Sunseeker oysters from British Columbia and Canada, and Kumamoto oysters from Washington state.

Prosciutto and Arugula Flatbread ($16)

“All of our fresh oysters are hand-shucked when ordered,” says general manager Todd Vrooman. “You can taste the difference — we call it the taste of the ocean — that salty briny taste that you get off the oyster will only happen if it’s shucked fresh.”

New to the menu are flat-bread pizzas. The Crab and Chimichurri ($26) spreads Dungeness crab, chimichurri and cracked pink pepper over white sauce and mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. For those who prefer a land-based dish, the Prosciutto and Arugula Flatbread ($16) offers a savory, red sauce-based alternative to the restaurant’s signature seafood dishes.

For fresh seafood and fun, stop by The Seaside on Seaside Avenue in the heart of Waikiki.