No longer just a posh dining and shopping stop for tourists, the Royal Hawaiian Center (it dropped "shopping" from its name) hopes to become a destination for quick eats with the opening of its second-floor food court, referred to as the Pa'ina Lanai.

That's right, there's a new food court in the epicenter of Waikiki, with an eclectic mix of fast-food choices catering to both tourists and locals who work in Waikiki. Kenny's Hawaiian Express, a branch of the longtime Kalihi restaurant, is definitely the most resident-friendly addition. But there's also Maui Tacos, Ezogiku, Yummy's Korean BBQ, Paradise Cafe, Sbarro and even a spot for beer and cocktails.

Here's a sample of what we tried at a few of these new eateries; go to www.honolulu.metromix.com for the full story.

KENNY'S

The venerable 40-something eatery has finally ventured into the land of tourists with a truncated version of its legendary menu. Popular items at the Kalihi restaurant such as the Korean-style chicken and the mushroom burger are missing. Still, there are enough items from the original site to satisfy locals and introduce visitors to local-style dining.

Available is the BBQ beef tri-tip plate ($9.95), beef liver with bacon and onions ($8.75), chili beef frank plate ($7.95), chicken katsu ($8.95), and of course, the loco moco ($8.50). We tried the garlic 'ahi ($9.75), but it wasn't quite up to par. The poor fish seemed overcooked — a bit tough, dry and way too salty.

The plate lunches come with macaroni salad and rice. They started out serving only one scoop, but after locals balked, they went with the traditional two scoops. Whew!

Much better was the Hawaiian mixed plate with laulau, kalua pig, chicken long rice, poi, lomi salmon and haupia. Granted, everything came in containers that were a bit on the small side, but the kalua pig had a nice smoky flavor and the laulau was juicy and tender. We also enjoyed the well-seasoned chicken long rice, sprinkled with green onions.

We'd go back and deal with Waikiki craziness just for this Hawaiian plate, which was a pretty good deal at $9.95. A warning, though: It doesn't come with rice.

MAUI TACOS

"It's Mexican food with Mauitude." That's the slogan of this Maui-based chain that has branched out all over the Islands and the Mainland. Even though this Waikiki food court spot is smaller than most of their other locations, they've got all their favorites — burritos, enchiladas, tostadas and of course, tacos.

We tried the Maui taco with the mango BBQ pork and refried beans. It came on a double soft-shell corn tortilla, with chips on the side. The marinated pork had a sweet BBQ flavor, but we couldn't taste the mango. They were also a little skimpy on the pork, but generous with the cheese and lettuce. The strongest flavor came from the corn tortilla. It's a good deal, though, for $4.50, and all the salsa you want.

One of the best things about Maui Tacos is the salsa bar. We tried the Maui Fire Dancer Salsa, made with chipotle and pineapple. It definitely added a nice kick to our taco.

We overheard one diner telling her friend, "Man, I love their pineapple salsa," as she headed back for another helping of this same salsa.

EZOGIKU

Ezogiku is definitely a popular choice for Japanese tourists. While the rest of the food court eateries were a little slow, there was a steady line in front of this Tokyo-based ramen chain.

They serve standard ramen with miso, shoyu or shio broths. They've also got char siu ramen ($8.45), seafood champon ($8.45) and a variety of rice bowls all under $8. For an additional $1.75, you can add four pieces of gyoza to any entree.

The noodles in our bowl of char siu ramen came overcooked, probably because the broth was nearly boiling hot. And the shoyu-flavored broth didn't have the pork flavor we were hoping for. But they were generous with the char siu, which helped offset our disappointment with the mushy noodles.

Even though we ate in the dining area, the ramen came in a Styrofoam bowl, which only further reminded us that we weren't eating the best-quality ramen.

OTHER QUICK BITES

Sometimes, all you want — or have time for — is a quick slice, and Sbarro will suffice. It's good to have this type of variety available in one place.

Later this month, the rapidly expanding California franchise Tacone will open its first Hawai'i location in the food court, next to Maui Tacos. Tacone specializes in panini and gourmet wraps, filled with things like filet mignon, grilled chicken and bell peppers. Sam Shenkus, Royal Hawaiian Center's marketing director, says there's a lot of excitement about Tacone's opening, considering its popularity on the Mainland.

Also coming is Salad Creations, a make-it-yourself salad and sandwich place, and Panda Express, the tried-and-true Chinese takeout spot.