Sneak peek

‘Bun in a Million’: Business owners Kaili Kaimimoku and Joshua Uehara unveil their new Liliha location and 100% vegan burger lineup.

The phrase “plate lunch” typically evokes images of Styrofoam containers loaded with loco moco or kalbi with two scoops of rice and mac salad — and a side of kanak attack. But the Hammah-Burgersteak plate at plant-based Badass Burgers features an “aina twist,” according to business owner Kaili Kaimimoku.

“This is the mother of all plate lunches,” he says. “When you get a plate lunch, it should be heavy — it’s a lot of food. Ours has two scoops of rice, two Impossible 2.0 patties, sautéed onions and mushrooms, and our ‘Hammah-ass’ brown mushroom gravy on top. It’s finished with crispy onions served with mac salad; it’s our most popular item.”

That’s just the beginning of the creatively named dishes on the Badass Burgers menu. The business — started last September by Kaimimoku and his best friend, Joshua Uehara — is the result of a childhood dream and the desire to provide healthier options to the Oahu community.

“I was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2016, and I didn’t want to do chemo or take medication to fight it,” he says. “I realized a vegan diet could help with the cancer. I vowed to help my community by providing options for a cleaner way of eating if I recovered from cancer.”

When thinking of a concept for his business, doing burgers was a no-brainer.

“A burger is something that’s universal,” Kaimimoku says. “I wanted to create a burger that’s clean but still messy (to eat). My family has been in the catering and restaurant business for a while, so this was something I always wanted to do.”

And the name?

“My grandma was a cook, and everything that she made for us was badass,” Kaimimoku remembers. “It turned into a family saying.”

Last year, Badass Burgers was open Fridays only, and based out of a commercial kitchen in Chinatown. The business recently moved into a bigger space in Liliha, where there’s room for dine-in.

“The owners (who we rented the Chinatown lot from) wanted to create a space where small businesses could get their start,” Kaimimoku says. “This new spot has a sit-down area and centrally located kitchen.”

Having a plant-based menu that doesn’t compromise quality was important to Kaimimoku. He explains that meats, especially chicken, have a distinctive texture and flavor, so he focused on re-creating those flavors using plants.

“If I’m presenting something to non-vegans, I want my product to taste as realistic as possible,” he says. “I’m a big local boy, so that was important to me.”

Trufflin’ Ass is the most popular sandwich on the menu, Kaimimoku says. It boasts two quarter-pound Impossible 2.0 patties, Vitolife cheddar cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, sautéed mushrooms, housemade truffle mayo and crispy onions enveloped in a buttery brioche bun.

“We get a lot of construction braddahs that buy this burger, and they can’t believe it’s vegan,” Kaimimoku says. “The flavors work well together.”

Kaimimoku’s personal favorite on the menu is the Crispy-Ass Korean Chick’n.

“I soak mushrooms in a special base overnight, then we batter and fry it,” he says. “I usually have four to five customers that call and ask if we’re sure it’s 100% vegan.

“I take that as a pat on the back, saying I did a good job,” he adds.

In May, Badass Burgers won an award for its Badass Chick from PETA, which named it as one of the top 10 veggie burgers on Oahu. The recognition was humbling for Kaimimoku, who doesn’t promote his business as plant based.

“I call it ‘aina based’ because when they hear that, locals are more open to it,” he explains. “I want people to realize it’s more about caring for the aina.”

Badass Burgers will celebrate its grand opening in July, and customers can look forward to weekly specials and, eventually, an expanded menu.

Badass Burgers
1502 Liliha St., Honolulu
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursdays;
10 a.m.-8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays;
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sundays
badassburgershawaii.com
Instagram: @badassburgershawaii