KAPAA — There are multiple types of sea breezes flowing through the open-air dining room at Oasis on the Beach in Kapaa, and one of them you can most certainly order at the bar. The restaurant, tucked in a corner
KAPAA — There are multiple types of sea breezes flowing through the open-air dining room at Oasis on the Beach in Kapaa, and one of them you can most certainly order at the bar.
The restaurant, tucked in a corner of the Waipouli Beach Resort, has a banquet on the beach kind of feel and boasts relaxed oceanfront dining with a menu made of locally sourced ingredients.
Honey-glazed calamari, fresh catch crudo, and crispy Okinawan sweet potato chips start off the menu for dinner, which begins at 4 p.m. daily.
The organic West Coast clams in achiote oil and white wine with Portuguese sausage, cilantro, garlic and shallots made it to my table on the Tuesday night I chose to try out dinner at the restaurant.
The succulent clams were paired with a Makers’ Mark cocktail from Oasis’ creative bartenders who blended the bourbon with cherries, fresh squeezed and locally sourced lime, grapefruit and orange juices, St. Germaine elderflower liquor and house-made ginger beer.
While the drink didn’t come with a name, its festive flavor made me think of Christmas.
Dinner entrees at Oasis on the Beach are served in half and full portions. The Grilled Catch is worth diving in and ordering the full dinner.
Chef Sean Smull’s pairing of chermoula sauce and a sherry reduction caters a juicy and pleasantly flaky fish. But, it’s what accompanies the fresh-catch that makes this dish sing — a kabocha pumpkin mash that further instilled a holiday feeling with every bite.
Dinner prices at Oasis on the Beach range between $8 and $15 for pupus. Full sized dinner entrees are priced from $28 and half sizes start at around $16.
The restaurant also serves breakfast, starting at 8 a.m., lunch starting at 11 a.m., and has a happy hour from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
A grassy hedge is about all that separates the tables from the ocean, and the dining room’s doors can be closed in short order when an impromptu Hawaiian rainstorm comes through.
The friendly staff lends a classy and casual air to the place, and the bar’s design, reminiscent of a voyaging canoe, creates a good atmosphere for after-dinner drinks.
Food allergies are accommodated without hesitation, and Smull is able to modify nearly the entire menu to accommodate those with gluten and dairy allergies. As with most restaurants, it’s always nice to call ahead and let them know about allergies so the kitchen can prepare in advance.
The beach is just a few feet from the restaurant and a walk in the surf is a great way to end a meal at Oasis, especially if there is live music on tap — and if you time it right, you might just catch the sunset, too.
