Basalt Waikīkī has a brand-new menu — and a new executive chef

Located in Dukes Lane Market & Eatery in Waikīkī, Basalt Waikīkī is a hidden gem. The eatery has been open for about eight years — its anniversary is in July — but the restaurant just launched a completely new menu for the first time in years.

Lance Kosaka — formerly at renowned eateries like Top of Waikīkī, 53 By the Sea, Merriman’s and, most recently, Mariposa — joined the Basalt Waikīkī team as executive chef this past April. Born in Honolulu and raised in ‘Aiea, Kosaka got his culinary start by enrolling in Kapi‘olani Community College’s culinary program and working with chef Alan Wong in 1995.

When it comes to food, his philosophy is simple: create approachable dishes and a relaxed dining experience.  

“We’re not trying to create something super different,” Kosaka says. “When I go out to eat, I like to eat something that’s comfortable and familiar.

“For the breakfast menu, we changed mostly everything except the pancakes,” he adds. “We changed everything at night (for the dinner menu), but left the prime rib on.

The restaurant’s revamped menu debuted yesterday, and we got a taste of the new dishes at a media preview.

The new appetizers feature a variety of flavors. If you want something light and refreshing, start with the Asian-inspired beef carpaccio ($18), which comprises a medium-rare eye beef, chili-fish sauce vinaigrette, lemon, jalapeno, Thai basil, cilantro, crispy shallots and peanuts.

“Every time I go to a Vietnamese restaurant, I like to eat the lemon beef salad,” Kosaka says. “We wanted to do a carpaccio in our own way, based on the lemon beef salad.”

The eatery’s new warabi salad ($18) — with soy-cuttlefish dressing, Ho Farms cherry tomatoes and red onions — is another unique option.

“I really like warabi; I think in Hawaiʻi, it’s very underutilized, nobody really has it,” Kosaka explains. “We used to eat it with shoyu and dried shrimp; I have dried ika in it. You eat it with tomato and onions; it’s a play on a local thing.

“When people come here, I want them to get a little taste of local food; I want them to try warabi and how we eat it locally,” he adds. “There’s a little story behind each dish. I can’t do it without the staff; it was never a singular effort.”

Baby back ribs ($22) are known for their meatiness. This version boasts that fall-off-the-bone texture and a guava barbecue sauce.

“My mom used to make something like this,” Kosaka says. “We used guava jelly in it, just to make it a little local.”

The result? Ultra-tender ribs with a lingering, sticky sweet flavor.

Crab cakes ($18) are one of my favorite appetizers, and this version doesn’t disappoint. A creation from restaurant sous chef Zoe Shinjo, these crab cakes feature a generous amount of blue lump crab with a yuzu kosho honey mustard sauce. They’re served atop a shiso leaf — according to Kosaka, “When you eat it with the shiso, it adds a nice bite.”

Of the new entrees, the salmon ochazuke ($38) was the one I was looking forward to the most. I first had it when Kosaka was at Top of Waikīkī, and it was my go-to order every time at Mariposa. The dish — pan-seared salmon served atop ochazuke risotto, bubu arare, tobiko, ikura and Japanese pickled vegetables — is flavorful and comforting. The green tea comes separately so you can pour the desired amount over the risotto.

If you’re craving a pasta-like entrée, opt for the potato gnocchi ($29), which is simple and satisfying. The housemade potato gnocchi is served in a tomato and Italian sausage sauce with Ho Farms eggplant and kale, and Parmesan. Kosaka explains his team wanted to do a different version of a pasta dish, and he took the opportunity to teach his staff how to make fresh gnocchi.

Meanwhile, the hearty black pepper pork chop ($36) is inspired by Kosaka’s travels to Singapore.

“When I went to Singapore, they used to do a black pepper sauce — black pepper venison,” he says. “The black pepper sauce cuts through the fat. It comes with brussels sprouts and vegetables; I like cabbage.”

Other meaty entrees include rib-eye steak with soy-shallot butter, cremini mushrooms and balsamic reduction ($45) and the eatery’s signature Hawaiian salt and herb-crusted prime rib ($42), served with mashed potatoes and a vegetable medley.

Shinjo — whose mentor was Kosaka at her first restaurant straight out of culinary school — is the mastermind behind the eatery’s new desserts, which are exquisite works of art that feature lighter flavors and textures. Choose from an olive oil cake with yuzu curd and roasted grapes ($12); POG mousse pie with a macadamia nut-graham cracker crust, whipped cream, sesame seed brittle and fresh berries ($12); and coconut mousse tart ($12). The latter is my favorite of the three, and features a chocolate crust with chocolate mousse, coconut mousse, candied macadamia nuts and mango coulis.

“The olive oil cake is a play on an Italian-Japanese dessert, in terms of flavors,” Shinjo says. “Roasted grapes is probably one of my favorite things. When we came home from school, my grandma made tofu pie for us. I elevated it; I did a POG flavor and a graham cracker crust with sesame brittle. The chocolate haupia is lactose friendly, and it’s more of a coconut mousse than a set haupia.”

CONTACT
Basalt Waikīkī
2255 Kūhiō Ave., Honolulu
808-923-5689
Basaltwaikiki.com
Instagram: @basaltwaikiki
Open daily for brunch 8 a.m.-1 p.m., lunch 11 a.m.-1 p.m., and dinner 5-9 p.m.

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Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.