Where to Take Mom for Mother's Day 2014

The avocado cake at The Pig and the Lady

Mother's Day is May 11 this year. Here are some places you can treat mom:

Pigging out is encouraged at The Pig and the Lady's Mother's Day brunch, which includes five family-style plates like the Laotian fried chicken and a savory Dutch baby (like a giant popover) topped with bacon and a slow-poached egg. Add on individual plates—the porchetta and tamarind-lemongrass opah belly stew, perhaps—and don't miss the toasted avocado cake with corn gelato for dessert. You're allowed to order as much as you want, but no take-home plates.
$45/$25 keiki, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 585-8255 or reservations@thepigandthelady.com. Full menu at thepigandthelady.com/mothersday

MW restaurant offers a similar concept of mixing family-style dishes and small plates for its Mother's Day brunch. Among the large plates: fried chicken and pork belly bao buns. For the small: pickled beet salad, a savory bread pudding, shrimp cocktail and more. And, of course, there's dessert: lemon tarts and coconut cakes, and for an extra $5 each, ice cream sandwiches, doughnuts and the famous lemon meringue brûlée.
$45/25, 955-6505 for reservations. Full menu at mwrestaurant.com

The five-course Mother's Day dinner at Vino includes Hamakua mushrooms with housemade ricotta agnolotti and mushroom bacon; and a choice of seared ahi nicoise salad, pan-roasted chicken with a preserved lemon jus, or sous vide filet mignon over gingered kabocha.
$43 and up, 5 to 9 p.m., 533-4476 or jpohlman@dkrestaurants.com

12th Ave Grill will offer two Mother's Day specials: salmon stuffed with blue crab ($15), and a surf-and-turf ($36) of lamb and scallops with Surinam cherry butter, rosemary creme fraiche mashed potatoes, and buttered asparagus.
732-9469 for reservations

The Pineapple Room's ever-popular Mother's Day buffet brunch features Chinese roast pork and bao buns, and made-to-order omelets and waffles. For more creative fare, pick up small plates including oysters topped with red onion and jalapeño shaved ice, a pork-hash Benedict, and lemongrass tempura slipper lobster. This is also probably the only brunch in town that offers a poi cup buffet—a build-your-own bowl of poi, kalua pig and lomi tomatoes. Almost half the brunch is devoted to the dessert spread of lilikoi custard, Waialua chocolate pudding, Kula strawberry tiramisu and more.
$47.50/$23.75 keiki, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., 945-6573 for reservations. Full menu at alanwongs.com/events

For dinner, Alan Wong's four-course Mother's Day menu offers entrees such as a pan-roasted tilapia with yuzu brown butter, and a ribeye and seafood lasagna. More touch choices for dessert: the Okinawan sweet potato cake with lemon ice cream or the Waialua chocolate bavarian with jasmine frozen custard?
$95/$145 with wine pairings, 949-1939. Full menu at alanwongs.com/events

Top of Waikiki's Mother's Day buffet brunch features all-new dishes such as a vanilla yogurt panna cotta topped with granola and fresh fruit and buttermilk biscuits with Kula strawberry jam. Heartier entrees include prime rib, luau stew and a Korean bo ssam—slow-roasted pork served with lettuce and condiments. Plus, moms get to take home a $20 gift card for a future visit.
$45/$20 keiki, 9 a.m. to 1p.m., 923-3877 for reservations

At the Kahala, choose from a luxe Mother's Day brunch buffet at Hoku's ($85), with a seafood and sushi bar, or opt for the beachfront Plumeria Beach House's ($75) for a Sunday brunch buffet that includes an entire table of chocolate desserts.
739-8760 for reservations

If Mom loves pancakes, consider Mac 24/7's Mother's Day buffet, which will offer a Mac Daddy pancake station. Entrees include seven-cheese mac 'n' cheese, prime rib and lobster bisque.
$42/$18 keiki, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., 921-5564 for reservations