Luau buffet plate at the Polynesian Culture Center in Oahu, Hawaii

This is a picture taken with my Blackberry of the luau dinner we had when we vacationed in Oahu, Hawaii this summer. I don't think I've posted it before but was going through the pictures on my cellphone and found this.

The luau was pretty good but it wasn't what I was expecting. It wasn't bad. It just wasn't what I created in my mind leading up to our actual attendance. I wasn't expecting lights, cameras and action but I was thinking of something different. The entertainment wasn't bad. The emcee had a wonderful voice and personality. I think it was more the way I felt being there. I guess I expected a more intimate type setting. It was like a giant cafeteria with phenomenal Hawaiian decorations. We sat at tables like in a cafeteria but well-decorated. They had salespeople (different from our "servers") coming around asking if we wanted those drinks-in-a-pineapple drinks and most people said, "Yes," but then you'd find out that they were like $5 each. They didn't tell you that up front and I think that's the sneaky side of business there because most people were like, "Oh, I didn't know that it cost anything but I guess we'll take it." Others turned them away after finding out about the cost. We were smart enough to ask up front and then said, "No, thank you."

I don't remember all the dishes but I will do my best to name the ones I do know:

• On the far left, the raw dish was marinated lomilomi salmon
• Top left corner is the Kalua Pig which was ceremoniously lifted out of the ground at the beginning of the luau entertainment
• At the top on each side of the plate in the small plastic containers with lids is Pipi Kaula - it's described as a beef jerky but to me it was more like a salami-type texture
• Top right corner is chicken long rice
• The big purple roll at the bottom of the plate is a roll made out of Taro which is where Poi comes from (the Taro root). This is one of the best rolls I have EVER tasted in my life! I had like 6 of them and the kids had quite a bit as well. It had a sort of sweet taste to it but not overly sweet. They were nice and warm and BIG!
• Just to the left of the roll, you'll see teriyaki beef. I prefer my teriyaki sauce to be sweeter versus salty but it was still very good.
• Smack dab in the middle is shoyu chicken. It tasted almost exactly the same way I make it at home. And it was damn good!
• Underneath it all, you'll see some salad. I got some to taste it but I wasn't going to waste my buffet on greens. The salad was good but not good enough to pick it over anything else on the buffet line.

So, I guess that's about it. I think I've briefly touched on our overall trip but since I found this picture I thought I'd elaborate on it.

Aloha!