It’s not every day I devote this much space to a takeout spot, but Gochi Grill is worth an examination as the first solo project of John Iha, former executive chef of Hiroshi Eurasian Tapas.

After Hiroshi closed three years ago, Iha remained with the DK Restaurants group, working at Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar locations in Lahaina and Waikoloa on Hawaii island, before deciding to return to Oahu to start his own venture.

He enlisted fellow Hiroshi alum Sean Uyehara to help in turning out high-quality, labor-intensive bentos, which, in these early days, has him in the kitchen from 2 a.m. What that means for lunch crowds is, don’t expect any new additions to the short-but-sweet menu soon. However, Iha said he hopes that once he finds his groove he’ll be able to introduce special events, perhaps kaiseki and wine dinners that were a big part of Hiroshi’s legacy.

For now, the Bishop Street lunch crowd will be happy to know Gochi Grill is in the neighborhood, in the Remington College building space formerly occupied by The Butcher & Baker. Go early enough and you may be able to snag one of the outdoor tables on the premises. Otherwise, plan to eat at your desk and be the envy of all your co-workers.

The concise menu comprises two salads, saimin, seven entrees and two desserts that bear the hallmarks of Hiroshi in terms of quality, local flavor profiles and saucing, but in this casual, plate-lunch format comes closer to “what I like to eat,” Iha said.

Perhaps diners really are trying to limit their red meat intake, or just trying to avoid nodding off in the afternoon, but most popular in the cafe’s first week of operation have been seared salmon ($11.50) and the Gochi lunch set ($13.50) geared toward those who like variety. The salmon is served with FNG, Gochi’s fish-n-ginger mushroom sauce over a bed of choi sum. It’s served with a choice of white or brown rice and macaroni-potato salad.

The lunch set bento features a pairing of grilled teriyaki chicken and yuzu miso salmon served over soft Okahara saimin noodles with tofu salad and three pieces of ahi-cucumber uramaki sushi.

These initial preferences may change once people acknowledge the beauty of Gochi’s meat dishes that are a match or even surpass similar dishes at high-end restaurants. Start with slow-roasted and seared meatloaf ($10.50) with a truffle-mushroom gravy served with a potato croquette, plus rice, mac salad and wilted kale.

There is not a dish I order more consistently than pork belly, but the mother of all pork belly is in Gochi’s corned pig and cabbage ($10.50), a local take on an Irish classic. The corned beef-style pork simply melts on the tongue, and as much as I wanted to avoid drinking in too much fat, it was too delicious to waste any bit of it. Some of the oiliness seeps into a bed of charred cabbage that could use a lot less salt because of the extra flavoring.

Kalbi-style grilled short rib is presented like sliced steak, sans bones, layered with subtle lemongrass chimichurri and served with white or brown rice, the house mac-potato salad and choi sum.

And a tuna melt ($10.50) comprises fresh ahi mixed with lemon nori aioli, topped with mixed greens, tomato and Kizami wasabi over toasted baguette with shoestring fries.

Grab-and-go tofu ($7) and slow-roasted chicken breast ($8) salads with mixed greens are quick picks from a refrigerator also housing desserts of a creamy blueberry panna cotta ($5) and Jameson whiskey-infused banana, peanut butter and chocolate bread pudding ($5).

While dinners may be a distant dream, I hope Iha and crew will soon be able to add a few weekly lunch specials to keep regulars intrigued.

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