In Hawaii, ohana always includes cousins, whether blood-related or hanai (informally adopted). That is surely the case for Moku Kitchen, the latest restaurant concept by chef and restaurateur Peter Merriman and his business partner, Bill Terry, who together also opened Monkeypod Kitchen.

Moku is set to open in October in Kakaako’s Salt complex. (Merriman’s upscale, namesake restaurant is under a separate company.)

While Moku Kitchen will have similarities to the more established Monkeypod Kitchen, it will be distinct in a few ways, pricing being one of them.

“You’re not going to see $40 entrees,” Terry said.

A draft menu has prices starting at $6.95 for Shinsato pork pot stickers and topping out at $27.95 for rotisserie- roasted Big Island prime rib with horseradish sauce, jus and jalapeno mashed potato.

Many Moku dishes will be familiar to Monkeypod Kitchen customers, including appetizers such as pumpkin ravioli, poke tacos, and Kauai shrimp and Hamakua mushroom dim sum.

“I think one of the interesting things about Monkeypod that we are definitely trying to bring to Moku is that we don’t really have an ethnic identity,” Terry said.

The concept is more about Merriman’s tastes and what he and Terry like to eat. Dishes can range from dim sum to burgers and fish and chips, and Moku will build on the success of dishes that have worked well on other menus, Terry said.

Terry hopes the restaurant will become known for its burgers, as its new high-heat griddle will enable chefs to cook them “roadside-style.”

“When the burger is cooked on the high-heat griddle top, it creates a crust and caramelization of the meat that is addicting,” said Neil Murphy, executive chef at Merriman’s Hawaii.

On the menu, 6-ounce “thin roadside burgers” come regular, as a cheeseburger, and with mushroom and provolone cheese. Moku also will offer 8-ounce “classic thick” burgers teriyaki-style, bahn mi-style, with kalua pork and bleu cheese, and rotisserie-roasted.

In fact, the restaurant’s rotisserie roaster will be a star feature of the kitchen, producing everything from soy-honey ducks to Maui Gold pineapple, Murphy said. Rotisserie-roasted vegetables, marinated with fresh rosemary, garlic, sea salt and chili flakes, will include beets, hearts of palm, pumpkin, onions and garlic.

The vegetables will be offered as entrees, side dishes and pizza toppings.

Other offerings: raw bar options, including various types of poke (the menu calls them “shuckin’ tasty”); wood-fired pizza; a selection of tacos with bulgogi and duck choices; noodle dishes including saimin and chow fun; salads; and, of course, a keiki menu.

Two aspects of Moku standard to all Merriman restaurants are the commitment to making everything from scratch and the support of local farmers, ranchers and fishermen by serving food they grow, raise and catch. Merriman is a founding member of the Hawaii Regional Cuisine movement that dates back to the early 1990s.

The nearly 8,000-square-foot restaurant, with an indoor and outdoor seating capacity of 280 guests, is doubling down on handcrafted cocktails for the big Moku bar, Terry said.

The bar is fashioned after those in celebrity chef-driven restaurants that place a large bar in the middle of the room. The intent is that the dining experience center on the bar, creating a fun and social atmosphere.

“We really embraced that. We want the bar to be an even bigger presence at Moku,” he said.

The menu lists a dozen “culinary cocktails” at $12.50, including the Monkeypod Mai Tai, a mix of Old Lahaina light and dark rums, fresh lime and other ingredients made in-house.

Dozens of microbrews will be served at 29 degrees, the temperature at which Merriman and Terry believe beer tastes best. They will be available in flights of four choices as well. Wines on tap will be offered by the glass from kegs as well as by the bottle.

Terry and Merriman are well aware that Salt, and Kakaako in general, has a thriving bar scene. Bevy, the newly opened Village Bottle Shop & Tasting room and other venues are already spread throughout the area.

But Terry says a growing handcrafted cocktail scene in Kakaako will increase interest.

“All will benefit. … It will be a win-win for everybody.”