I’m all for creativity, but it seems many chefs have succumbed to the notion that they can be the next culinary superstar, to the detriment of the dining experience. They see the path to nirvana through invention and tinker away at deconstruction of the classics, adding a pinch of the new here and there.

Trouble is, most diners don’t want the experimental. They just want something simple and edible.

This might come as a blow to the fragile chef ego, but genius is rare, and putting together disparate ingredients does not typically elevate cuisine. More important than a mash-up masquerading as creativity is taste. Do these ingredients play well together on the playground of our palate? Most of the time I find the answer is no.

I’m at a restaurant almost every day, and after a two-week hunt subject to many a quizzical experience, I felt like finding a place worth talking about had turned into mission impossible. I was getting desperate. Then Central Bakery saved the day.

Don’t let the name fool you. Yes, it’s a world-class bakery. It’s also a restaurant serving a mix of Italian- and French-style cuisine, with a few hints of its Japanese roots. Its classic combinations add up to a delicious whole.

Company president Koichiro Yanagimoto started the restaurant in Kobe, Japan, in 1999 and aimed toward expanding in the United States, but after studying the major cities of New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, he saw an abundance of bakeries, "more than Paris," he said. In Hawaii he sees open territory, with nothing comparable.

The new bakery/restaurant is in the former Wahoo’s spot behind Kahala Mall and near Olive Tree Cafe. The space has seen a stream of tenants after its Kahala Moon days, but I think this will be the one with staying power. I’ve seen people come to inspect the array of ciabatta, pain au levain, pain de campagne, thyme bread, rose bread and more, then stay for dinner after perusing the impressive menu.

The mood is bistro casual, and the space divides in half so you can opt for a spot away from those lined up for bread and pastries.

We must start with the bread because they will bring you a bowl featuring a trio of the day. I generally try to steer clear of bread for the carb factor and the fact that I want to sample many dishes, not fill up on bread. But here I could not stop eating the bread, from a basic French loaf to sunflower seed bread, and one with walnuts and cranberries, served with sides of butter, olive oil and balsamic vinegar, salt and fresh cracked pepper.

You will not go wrong if you simply share bread, the antipasto misto ($25) and charcuterie platter ($22). The charcuterie platter is a beautiful sampler featuring smoky quiche, prosciutto served over pineapple, saba, grilled salmon over a carrot salad, burrata and grilled vegetables. The salad is one of the most diverse I’ve had at a restaurant, with no fewer than a dozen vegetables, from arugula and bamboo shoots to pumpkin and string beans, in a light vinaigrette. Couldn’t stop eating either of these dishes, either.

I’ve become gun shy about ordering a couple of dishes that never quite meet expectations, but went ahead and tried the bisque ($17), described as a creamy tomato-shellfish soup, which registered as a very light lobster bisque in perfect balance, worth ordering again and again. A Provence seafood stew ($28) is another dish that could have gone wrong because most restaurants tend to overcook seafood. Here, both fish and shellfish were perfectly timed and so fresh-tasting I could overlook the lack of saffron that would have completed the experience.

Slices of braised tongue in a beef stew ($32) had the texture of short ribs and would be better understood here as filets of tongue rather than a stew. It’s accompanied on the plate with gnocchi-shaped potatoes au gratin, a puree of purple sweet potato and grilled tomatoes and Brussels sprouts.

After everything delicious that came before, mustard-and-herb-crusted rack of lamb ($32) was a disappointment, lacking the same wow factor. And while I enjoyed the oceany flavor of the sea urchin and oyster cream pasta ($23), chewy linguine didn’t quite hold up to and distracted from the beautiful sauce, which would have been better matched with a spaghetti noodle.

Central Bakery offers something lacking in our chop suey culture: restraint. At times it feels too restrained. Spaghetti is paired with a shrimp and tomato cream sauce ($20) destined to be a crowd pleaser. Yet, I thought a chiffonade of basil would punch it up. Other dishes also seemed to lack just one ingredient that would have bumped them up to addictive levels.

A lamb ragout ($25) is for devout lamb fans only because of its bold, gamey factor. Even the smell can be off-putting.

I wish I could have tried everything on the menu, and will probably return next for the cassoulet ($32) with duck confit and sausage.

We ended our meal with a terrific flourless chocolate almond cake topped with crunchy walnuts, and a light, airy Charlotte aux Fraises (strawberry shortcake), then returned two days later for a second meal ending with chocolate-raisin cheesecake. Raisins are not my favorite snack, but here the complexity of the flavor combination builds with each bite, giving me a better appreciation for these ingredients. That’s what a good chef does.

I have some reservations that the staff is still new and inexperienced, and additional chefs and pastry chefs are en route from Japan. The menu is subject to change, with more savory dishes and desserts planned. I hope any changes made are for the better.

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