Kaua‘i’s newest restaurant in Kapa‘a opened quietly in mid-February, serving food pulled up from the waters and the land on Kaua‘i and its Neighbor Islands in an innovative style. Its beachfront location, a talented young chef and commitment to locally-produced
Kaua‘i’s newest restaurant in Kapa‘a opened quietly in mid-February, serving food pulled up from the waters and the land on Kaua‘i and its Neighbor Islands in an innovative style. Its beachfront location, a talented young chef and commitment to locally-produced food are likely reasons why they have gotten progressively busier each week at the Oasis on the Beach at Waipouli Beach Resort.
Zack Sato, originally from Maui, most recently from the Royal Hawaiian Hotel on O‘ahu, is a 23-year-old prodigy crafting Hawaiian regional cuisine in an unusually small kitchen. In addition to the set menu, Sato has a “chef’s choice” revolving menu, small plates starting at $8 made nightly created from the availability of the freshest ingredients and Sato’s imagination. One of the chef’s choice plates last week was a taro falafel with Kaua‘i tomatoes and cucumbers dressed with a cilantro raita.
“That dish is 100 percent local right there,” Sato said, who was happy to find garbanzo beans being grown on Kaua‘i, an ingredient in the falafel. Sato’s method for obtaining the best possible local produce and meats is to first find it on Kaua‘i, and then secondly find it on the other islands, like the meaty ali‘i mushrooms from the island of Hawai’i, fried tempura-style to accompany the short rib chef’s choice plate with a mango glaze.
“It’s really amazing what he’s pulling off,” Stefan Mandel, manager and partner of Oasis, said of Sato, considering the small kitchen built for the former Tahitian Lanai, which was created more as a poolside bar to serve light food. Mandel said the other consulting chef with Oasis is Peter Foster, a “chef to the stars” on O‘ahu.
Oasis on the Beach is not just serving local, sustainable food, but taking it a step further to give credit to the farmers and fisherman on their menu: “Kevin Yamase’s Catch of the Minute” is the name of the fresh fish on the set menu; “Kaneshiro Pua‘a” is named for the braised pork shoulder.
“We are a restaurant boasting 85 percent sustainable to Kaua‘i,” Mandel said, excited to be part of an establishment helping the island’s agriculture and economy. Mandel has been in the restaurant business for over 15 years, and his specialties lie in making sure the front of the house runs smoothly, and that the bar is stocked with specialty brews like Franzinkaner, a German beer, and some other distinguished favorites you won’t find easily on Kaua‘i. Ryan Sanford, another manager at Oasis, makes a mean mojito with local ginger and fresh mint.
Oasis on the Beach is currently open Tuesday through Sunday, with a happy hour from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and dinner from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The happy hour serves $3 drafts, $4 well drinks and $6 top-shelf mai tais. There are multiple plans for the future, like lunch, and an “Oasis After Dark” night on the weekend with dancing and serving food until late. Oasis has a dancing permit, and already has music almost nightly.
Anson Lardizabal and Jimmy Roberts played last week, motorcycle comrades with Paul Kyno, co-owner of Oasis. Lardizabal, who works with the lu‘au at Kilohana, plays with the Papa‘a Bay Boys and teaches ‘ukulele at King Kaumuali’i Elementary School, said he enjoys playing at Oasis.
“I would definitely like to make this a second home,” he said. He and Roberts jammed to a full house with blustery trade winds swirling off the ocean just feet away in the open-air atmosphere. Oasis may be the restaurant closest to the beach on the island. You could throw your fork from your table and it would land in the sand.
Since they opened Feb. 15, the fickle elements typical to the Eastside in springtime prompted Mandel to order blankets for guests if they want to still sit outside, as he wants them to be comfortable.
Look for Sato and the Oasis crew at Taste of Hawai‘i this summer.
Oasis on the Beach is located at the Waipouli Beach Resort in Waipouli on Kuhio Highway across from Safeway. For more information, call 822-9332.
