Bowling has been barely hanging on here for decades, with just a few facilities remaining on Oahu. Country Lanes Waipahu, Kapiolani Bowl, Stadium Bowl-O-Drome and others are all long gone.

But in COVID-19 times, this is a sport that can be played within safety strictures — even though it is indoors — as long as everyone follows the rules about wearing masks and keeping away from folks not in your pod. Bowlers, in fact, have more physical contact with food than each other.

The cuisine isn’t just hot dogs, nachos and cheap beer like the old days. And now, when happy memories are even more precious than usual and many of us have plenty of, ahem, spare time, bowling remains the comfort food of sports.

Here are three Oahu bowling alleys that have survived, with food a big part of their draw:

LEEWARD BOWL BAR & GRILL AND EIGHT50

Don’t expect to see “pupu” on the shared menu at these dining establishments attached to either side of Leeward Bowl.

“We have to call them appetizers,” says Cef Maduli, the chef in the kitchen that services both. “We have to be more like restaurants and less like bars. The liquor commission is really monitoring that strictly.”

Changes due to COVID-19 mean closing time is earlier, yet again. It was 2 a.m, then midnight and now 10 p.m., under Tier 2 of Oahu’s phased re-openings.

The menu has also been tweaked — something Maduli does regularly, anyway. Full meals for individuals were always available, but now they are the focal point.

“Sharing style is not a good thing right now,” he says.

You might want it all for yourself, anyway. I did when I got the pastele with chorizo fried rice and macaroni salad ($13.95).

Maduli, who has nearly 30 years experience as a chef, does most of the food prep from scratch with his staff. But he can’t take credit for the pastele, which he gets from a friend’s relative.

“After people gave us some really good samples, we thought maybe we should entertain some subcontracting,” says Maduli, who also outsources laulau. “We just make sure the product is consistent and the customer is happy. That’s the ultimate goal.”

This customer was also happy with the yakiniku with Portuguese sausage ($13.95).

How did Leeward Bowl end up with two restaurants? And how did it get matched to a spot specializing in trendy high-end whiskey (250 varieties) and craft beers?

The space that eight50 occupies used to be a game room. But the Pearl City Shopping Center is also home to a Chuck E. Cheese, which is video-game dominated. So, soon after Maduli’s arrival in 2014, he and owners Roy and Victoria Akimoto decided to go in a more adult direction.

The bowling alley’s other restaurant already had a bar, so they aimed for a type of lounge that would draw a different clientele, Maduli says. This was another reason to adjust the menu.

Beer and whiskey go best with bold protein items, he says. “Beef, pork, lamb. We try to pair it up and will always have a suggestion.”

“You can never go wrong with rib-eye steak,” says server Alex Mateo. It comes with sweet onions, mushrooms and mac salad for $27.95. Other favorites include dynamite chicken ($13.95) and squid karaage ($18.75).

There’s plenty of variety. The menu also features pork belly ($15.95) in four styles: Okinawan, Japanese, Filipino and Spanish.

Another of the new rules is you can’t order alcohol without food.

“So it’s even more imperative that the food has to be good,” Maduli says. “We take it slow and see how the clientele likes it. Not just nonbowlers, but the bowlers, too, they play a very significant role. If they’re not happy they’re gonna leave after bowling and go somewhere else. Zippy’s is right next door.”

THE ALLEY RESTAURANT AT AIEA BOWL

The last time I’d had oxtail soup was very long ago at Kam Bowl — which still exists, but just as a restaurant. Back then, I was more into the bowling than the bowl.

After a visit to The Alley Restaurant at Aiea Bowl, I understand. A great bowl of oxtail is a symphony of flavors and textures. The meat comes off the bone easily, in big chunks. The broth is flavorful and not too salty. With all those garnishes — bok choy, shiitake mushroom, peanuts, ginger, Chinese parsley — it’s hard to imagine anything more diversely savory.

But what is it that separates The Alley’s oxtail from others? “I think it’s the ponzu that makes the difference,” says server Kamea Helekunihi.

The tang of the citrus soy sauce does provide a very noticable extra pop, but there are other keys. Bobby Kumasaki, restaurant manager, says after the oxtails are boiled to “get rid of impurities and some of the fat,” they are simmered in the broth for seven hours.

“The meat is allowed to absorb the flavor of the broth,” he says. “And, as always, it starts with the quality of the ingredients. There are different levels of everything. We use better quality oxtails than most.”

Oxtail soup ($16.95) is the headliner at The Alley — especially since it was featured on Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” on the Food Network several years ago. It’s not unusual to sell 100 servings in a day. But plenty of other stars shine on the menu. I’ve had the boneless kalbi sandwich ($12.75) and spicy shrimp plate ($17.50). Both are perfectly seasoned winners, with the kalbi tender and the shrimp firm.

There’s no rule that you have to bowl to eat, and many come to The Alley just for the food. In fact, that was the only option when bowling was prohibited, from March to early June, then again from August to mid-October. At least you could still get takeout.

“Our restaurant customers were very loyal,” assistant manager Symbree DeSa says.

Now, people pass in and out in a steady flow, to eat or bowl or both, and the socially distanced line for takeout is often still long.

Tim and Maho Lee feel comfortable enough to regularly bring their son Brandon, 7, who loves bowling, and the karaage chicken.

“You have the best of both worlds here,” Tim Lee says. “World-class food and you can also enjoy a legendary sport anyone can play. They have that ramp, so even kids who can’t walk, or elderly aunties and uncles can play, too.”

Maybe I should have used the ramp. My first roll of a bowling ball in more than 20 years resulted in a strike. But then came performance anxiety and two gutter balls — my old normal. It reminded me that you can be a terrible bowler, but get lucky once in awhile.

And, plus, there’s always the food.

STRIKE ZONE SNACK BAR, FORT SHAFTER BOWLING CENTER

Remembering some fun cosmic bowling family outings in the ’90s, I made a trip to Fort Shafter. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a military ID, but you don’t need one — just make sure your license, registration and safety check are all up to date.

The base has a long history of bowling, going back to at least 1909. Numerous reports on newspaper sports pages highlighted the exploits of military keglers throughout the 1950s.

But there’s nothing rustic about the place. Like the other survivors, this bowling center is completely modernized and, especially now, sanitized. It’s equipped with lights and a music system for cosmic bowling, but that’s on pause now due to the pandemic. “Too much of a party atmosphere,” says manager Roy Murakami.

A mix of locals and soldiers still come nightly to bowl, eat and drink. The snack bar menu reflects the activity, with a variety of deli-type sandwiches, and daily specials that include island-style plate lunches with rice and mac salad.

“We have to accommodate both locals and the soldiers,” Murakami says of the facility, which is managed by Army MWR (Morale, Welfare and Recreation), with food products ordered from Hawaii wholesaler Sysco Hawaii.

“The pastrami is really good,” says JoAnn Uchimura. Her boyfriend, George Roller (yes, his real name, he showed me an ID) agrees. They’re regulars at Shafter and they know their stuff.

The sandwich lives up to the hype. The hoagie bun is lightly toasted, making the crust crunchy, but the inside soft and warm. It’s a good contrast to the salty and spicy meat and melted Swiss cheese.

But a side item steals the show; it’s the best potato salad I’ve ever eaten.

“German style,” says snack bar manager Pele Va‘a, who has worked there more than 20 years.

That means bacon, and a bit of mustard and relish mixed into the mayo. It’s part of the sandwich combo, which also includes ice tea … all for just $9.45.

“It’s so good people come from all over the island for it,” Va‘a says. “Just for that, and they don’t even bowl.”

BOWLING ALLEYS ON OAHU

>> Aiea Bowl (The Alley Restaurant), 99-115 Aiea Heights Drive; 488-6854

>> Leeward Bowl (eight50, Leeward Bowl Bar & Grill), 850 Kamehameha Highway, Pearl City; 454-1350

>> Pali Lanes Bowling Center (no restaurant), 120 Hekili St., Kailua; 261-0828

BOWLING ON BASE

Open to civilians with state ID and current auto documents:

>> Fort Shafter Bowling Center (Strike Zone Snack Bar), 186 Chapplear Road; 438-6733

>> Hickam Bowling Center (snack bar), 365 Kuntz Ave.; 448-9959

>> K-Bay Lanes (Strikers Grill & Tap), 1666 Fifth St., Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe; 254-7663

>> Naval Station Bowling Center (snack bar), 630 Pierce St., Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam; 473-2574

>> Schofield Bowling Center (snack bar), 557 Burr Place, Schofield Barracks; 655-0573