Who doesn't love going out to eat? And who doesn't love to brag on a new find or trash a restaurant that didn't cut it? It's all about word of mouth — and the experience in the mouth!

In a sense, The Honolulu Advertiser's annual 'Ilima Awards restaurant poll is a community-wide word-of-mouth program. We ask our readers to name their favorites in various categories, and their votes determine the winners of the Readers Choice awards.

In addition — because we want our say, too — our restaurant critics (Kawehi Haug, Lesa Griffith and Wanda Adams) weigh in with their choices for the best restaurants they reviewed all year long. These represent a separate set of awards called the Critics Choices.

This year, we've introduced a third award category, the Star Circle, a hall of fame for those food purveyors who have won 10 or more 'Ilima Awards. These are Alan Wong's Restaurant (best restaurant, 10 times); Ryan's Grill (best for pupu and drinks) and Starbucks (best coffee bar).

Don't vote for the Star Circle winners; they've proven themselves unbeatable and they will be honored with a song in the show and with special treatment in the restaurant guide.

The 'Ilima Awards will be announced in October in a special chapter in our annual free restaurant guide, and the winners will be honored in a Broadway parody show, followed by a tasting under the stars at Diamond Head Theatre on Oct. 13. DHT is The Advertiser's 12-year-partner in this effort and is the beneficiary of the event, their largest fundraiser of the year. The winning restaurants donate their dishes, staff and time for the popular tasting.

The event routinely sells out; tickets begin at $200 per person, and at this writing, there is but one table remaining. (Call 733-0277 for tickets.)

Everyone who votes is entered in a drawing. Three winners will receive four tickets each to the Diamond Head Theatre 2008-09 show of their choice.

Find your ballot on Page E6 of today's paper. Remember: Don't send ballots to The Advertiser; send the ballots to 'Ilima Awards, Diamond Head Theatre, 520 Makapu'u Ave., Honolulu, HI 96816.

Important rules are: One ballot per person. For print ballots, one ballot per envelope. You may not vote for any single restaurant more than once. To vote online (one vote per person): www.the.honoluluadvertiser.com/current/il/ilima.