Nicole Yamashiro and her mom, Skye, enjoy the outdoor dining at the Taste at Kapolei.

Annual culinary festival benefits Kapolei-area schools

The food festival circuit runs through Oahu's west side with the Taste at Kapolei, the Rotary Club of Kapolei's benefit event for area schools. The seventh-annual Taste is set for 5:30 to 9 p.m. Sept. 23 at Ko Olina Resort & Marina.

A $70 ticket ($30 children) buys unlimited tasting of dishes from a slew of restaurants: Auntie Pasto's, Big City Diner, Chili's, Compadres, Da Spot, Dave & Buster's, Don Ho's Island Grill, Gordon Biersch, Hana Sushi, Hapa Grill, Holokai Grill, Hong Kong Harbour View Seafood Restaurant, Kolohe's Bar & Grill, L'Uraku , Outback Steakhouse, Scandinasian Culinary Concepts, Shanghai Bistro, Thai Kitchen and Zaffron.

Henry Kapono headlines the evening's entertainment, which will close with a fireworks display.

Call 674-2500 or buy tickets at Chevron Kapolei or online at www.tasteatkapolei.com.

Past Tastes have raised more than $500,000 for scholarships, educational programs and grants, event chair Keola Lloyd says.