At age 28, Brian Chan ran away to Las Vegas, intent on becoming a professional poker player.

Things didn’t work out as planned, so he took on restaurant jobs in Sin City before returning home to Hawaii, where he hadn’t quite lost the gambling spirit. His new game just happens to be one of the riskiest of all: the restaurant business.

But his odds weren’t too bad, considering he hails from restaurateur family. He took a chance three years ago when he opened Scratch Kitchen & Bakery in Chinatown, already home to his family’s Little Village restaurant.

Building on Scratch’s success, he recently opened Scratch Kitchen & Meatery in Ward Village Shops’ South Shore Market. At the new restaurant, diners can still find the global-inspired, comfort-driven breakfasts and lunches comparable to Chinatown’s offerings. They can also look forward to dinner, which never took off in Chinatown.

No doubt some of the skills associated with great poker players have served Chan well. These include the ability to read people and his attention to detail. I’ve watched him watch the crowd and the people who work for him, registering the rhythm of the room and areas where improvements can be made. It shows in diligent service from kitchen to dining room.

The restaurant is still most crowded by day, while people grow accustomed to the new dinner service. American breakfasts tend to be heavy, and Scratch takes it up a notch or two, providing enough fuel to power one up for the whole day, not just through lunchtime. It’s not enough to have plain shrimp ‘n’ grits. Here, it comes with slices of andouille sausage, a trio of head-on Kauai shrimp, over-easy eggs and red-eye gravy ($15). The common bacon, eggs and pancake breakfast does not exist here.

Even a yoga bowl ($13), geared toward lighter eaters, is not plain bunny fare. This hearty bowl starts with brown rice and farro, over which are layers of curry- roasted root vegetables, roasted chickpeas, crispy Brussels sprouts, raita, toasted almonds and, finally, a sunny side up egg.

If you’re not accustomed to such heavy meals, tread lightly at lunchtime, lest you start snoozing at the office after a BC Burger ($14) or Pork Schnitzel Sammy ($14). By day, the restaurant is bustling and noisy. In the evening, the music is turned down, creating a sexier, mellow vibe. I love it.

Through his travels and observations, Chan has developed a good understanding of what people like to eat. The dinner menu is packed with savory, no-nonsense comfort fare, with just the right touch of novelty to wake the jaded.

The tone is set with small plates such as The Perfect Crab Cake ($12), a meaty sensation served with lemon aioli, scallion oil and Scratch’s version of etoufee; an oyster roast over country toast ($12), with sherry cream sauce and a few pieces of Spanish chorizo; and deviled eggs ($8), always a favorite in my book, topped here with smoked salmon and crispy salmon skin. More, please!

Southern influences turn up via Creole red beans served with crostini ($8), and braised collard greens that accompany a cast-iron-roasted, local-raised grilled Pono Pork chop ($22).

True to the restaurant’s name, the meaty menu also includes 12-hour sous vide beef short ribs ($24) with chimichurri sauce, and buttermilk-batter Southern hot chicken with a Buffalo-style sauce. The three crunchy, boneless chicken fillets are stacked onto maple-vanilla French toast.

Dishes are subject to change as seasonal ingredients become available.

Morning, noon and night, a lot of bread on the menu contributes to diners’ satisfaction levels, as no one ever leaves hungry. If not bread, carbs arrive in the form of patatas bravas, crisp-skinned broiled new potatoes tossed with Italian sausage and finished with anchovy aioli and queso fresco.

Veggies can be just as sinful, including charred broccoli ($8) with Romesco sauce, Pecorino cheese and toasted almonds; or crispy Brussels sprouts ($6) accompanied by a soft egg and Parmesan. A refreshing honey-infused watermelon salad ($10) offers respite from hot summer days, the sweet watermelon served over arugula and frisee with Gorgonzola in balance with a tart champagne dressing.

It’s tempting to finish everything on your plate, but save room for dessert that generally includes more carbs in the form of bread pudding ($8). Most recently, the bread pudding was an audacious combination of classic Jack and Coke. In this case the Tennessee whiskey is the star of a bracing caramel-like ice cream, and the Coke is reduced to a slick black syrup. The bread soaks it all up and the result is quite magical.

Nadine Kam’s restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Advertiser.

Reach her at nkam@staradvertiser.com.