Chef with taste for fusion turns brunch on its head

I have three words for you: kim chee scones. They’ll be your new obsession, and the place to get them is at the new Koko Head Cafe in Kaimuki, in the space that was formerly home to 12th Ave Grill, which moved to bigger digs up the street.

The new cafe marks a partnership between celebrity chef Lee Anne Wong and restaurateur Kevin Hanney, who appears to be cornering the market on the hill with these two restaurants as well as Salt Bar & Kitchen.

He knows better than to compete with himself, so while 12th Ave and Salt focus on evening fare, Koko Head Cafe focuses on the day with brunch available from 7 a.m. to about 2:30 p.m.

Wong’s brunch menu is unlike that of any other restaurant in town, and as far as breakfast dishes go, it’s entirely different from the traditional fare served at neighboring Koa Pancake House.

"Not everyone will like it, but we’re focused on sustainability, supporting the local community, with everything made in-house daily," Wong said of items ranging from poi biscuits to maple-flavored Shinsato pork sausages.

Wong might be considered a late bloomer when it comes to the kitchen arts. It wasn’t until she moved away from her home outside Albany, N.Y., that she got into the kitchen.

She said she grew up eating like a typical American kid, raised on a steady diet of hamburgers, hot dogs and pizza, nothing that inspired dreams of culinary nirvana.

"Taco Bell was the be-all (and) end-all of Mexican food until I went to Mexico in my 20s. When you go out into the world, you find it changes you,’" she said.

Even so, she was on track for a fashion career, graduating from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. But once she got out of school, she found spending her days hunched over a sewing machine as a sample maker wasn’t appealing. At home in Brooklyn, her television only allowed her to watch the major networks, public television and, by some fluke, the Food Network, which became a source of fascination.

She took a front-of-the-house job at a West Village restaurant, where she was eventually allowed into the kitchen to cook her own meals. From there, inspired by Food Network, she started cooking for friends who suggested another calling.

She enrolled at the French Culinary Institute and, upon graduating, went to work for Marcus Samuelsson at Aquavit. With her TV obsession, she entered Bravo’s "Top Chef" competition and although she didn’t win, she impressed producers enough to be tapped as culinary producer for the next four seasons of the show, where she was charged with budgeting, sourcing and styling the ingredients for the various challenges, which led to blogging, webcast opportunities, commentator status on the Cooking Channel and a role as chef consultant on the feature film "No Reservations."

In that time, she traveled to Hawaii several times for various events and fell in love, which required her to set down some roots, to the benefit of our culinary scene.

Now, about those scones ($5): Wong credits Samuelsson with giving her a taste for fusion, and this unlikely combination of chopped sour-spicy cabbage, savory bacon and cheddar plays quite well together. It is one of my favorite items from a menu that includes a number of surprises.

If you prefer waking up to sweets, look no farther than Cornflake French Toast ($14). As if a decadent soft center and crunchy exterior aren’t enough, this baby is accompanied by Frosted Flake gelato, black pepper-maple syrup and topped with sugared billionaire’s bacon.

Also on the sweet list is Breakfast Bruschetta ($6) of local fruit layered over macadamia nut yogurt and light, airy Japanese rusk.

On the savory side, one of my favorites is a miso-smoked pork and onion omelet ($14), but don’t underestimate the power of simplicity. Just as divine is a creamy, classic French-style omelet ($11) without filling ingredients. In all its perfection, this egg requires no added pepper, salt, ketchup, hot sauce, shoyu or whatever you believe eggs need to be palatable.

A number of skillet egg dishes are also offered, but don’t attempt to eat Ohayou Eggs ($15) by yourself. The richness of eggs baked with Parmesan dashi cream, local mushrooms, heritage ham and bonito flakes tastes like a heart attack on a plate. It’s best enjoyed as a dip with toast.

There are more local touches in the form of Mama’s Udon ($12), with the chubby noodles prepared yakisoba style, stir-fried with cabbage, onions, scallions, bacon, soft-poached egg and bonito; and Breakfast Bibimbap ($15), with the likes of vegetables, bacon, Portuguese sausage, heritage ham, kim chee and egg layered over garlic rice made crisp by the hot skillet.

Weaker are a local version of Eggs Benedict, Eggs Haloa ($14), served atop a poi biscuit that is rather dry, though I like the attempt at incorporating a local staple. 

The biscuit fares a little better with a biscuit and gravy combo ($9), thanks to its dense shiitake gravy. Adding a side of miso pork makes it even better.

Nadine Kam’s restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Advertiser. Reach her at nkam@staradvertiser.com.