Last weekend we wanted to take my sister somewhere special for her birthday. She chose a fancy Hawaiian fusion seafood restaurant near the harbor in Baltimore, named Roy’s. It was located right next to the Marriott Baltimore Waterfront Hotel, where I had been married 2 years previously and I had a good feeling about it. I was right.

My sister called to make the reservation and they asked if there was a special occasion and when they found out there was, they made sure that colorful streamers would be placed on our table. The restaurant is a chain, started by Roy Yamaguchi in Hawaii in 1988. There are now 33 locations around the US and even Japan and Guam!

They offer valet parking for $6 but there was plenty of street parking on the day we dined, as long as you don’t mind parallel parking. It was only a short walk and a pleasant night.

The menu is diverse. About 1/2 to 1/3 of the items are local specials, which they said they change every few weeks. The rest are the "classics" which can be found at any Roy’s location. Our waiter had spiky hair and was very friendly and funny, we knew immediately that we’d like him. We all started with the pineapple martini cocktail and loved it. They also offer interesting sangrias.

For the appetizer our waiter recommended the "canoe" which offered a variety of items and he told us that he has never taken a canoe back with any food on it! It contained shrimp sticks, szechuan baby back ribs, ahi tuna, and pork and shrimp potstickers. We loved it and he was not disappointed when he returned and there was not a bit of food left on the plate. For dinner, there were only 2 items chosen between the 6 of us, every one of us ordered either the Shellfish Combo, with scallops and shrimp; or the Crab-stuffed Flounder. There was a mélange of flavors accented in these dishes and a strong Asian motif. We all loved it, my husband even ate the vegetable sides (including tomato and bok choi), which he usually never does!

Dessert needed to be ordered in advance since it required extra time to prepare, and we got 2 of the molten chocolate souffle cakes with raspberry sauce, and one pineapple upside down cake. They all came with ice creams, one of which was a fabulous coconut ice cream. My sister also received a candle-lit cupcake with ice creams and fruits on it brought out by the waiter as we sang to her. The words for "Happy Birthday" in Hawaiian were written on the plate in raspberry sauce.

Our dinner for 6 people with drinks, appetizers and desserts and a 20% tip came to $335. But considering the ambiance, excellent service and fresh tasty food selections, we felt it was money well spent!

While on a weekend getaway with my family, we decided to have dinner at Roy's, located in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. This restaurant specializes in "Hawaiian-infused cuisine" (as they call it). The dishes are primarily seafood, but there are other entrees that include chicken, steaks, etc.

We first discovered the Roy's franchise while on vacation in Hawaii 3 years ago. The location we ate at was in Kihei, Maui. However, the original restaurant (founded by chef Roy Yamaguchi) is located in Honolulu.

Even though we were in Baltimore, after a few minutes inside Roy's, and we felt as though we were on an island vacation. The interior of the restaurant is decorated in a tropical, yet modern theme. The walls are painted in a soft peach hue, while large oil paintings of exotic flowers decorate the walls. There are also several large floral arrangements filled with hibiscus and birds of paradise scattered around the restaurant.

We started with cocktails at the bar while waiting for our table. The cocktail menu was quite impressive: there were specialty drinks and martinis made with tropical juices and given authentic Hawaiian names like "Lava Flow" and the "Maui Mango Margarita." The entrees were just as creative. We started out with Fried Calamari and Lobster Dumpling appetizers, which were fantastic! For my entree I had the Macadamia Encrusted Mahi-Mahi in a lobster/brandy sauce, which was excellent as well. For dessert, everyone shared the Sorbet sampler, which featured three different types of sorbet: mango, lemon, and mixed berry, scattered with fresh raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries. The presentation of each dish was amazing!

Roy's is a bit pricey, however. The average appetizer costs around $10, and the entrees range from around $20 to $35. You definitely get your money's worth, however. I recommend making reservations, since it was packed when we got there. Their website is www.roysrestaurant.com should you need more info.