“It feels like Crazy Rich Asians in here — at least, because of the gold,” I told my husband upon entering newly opened Straits Hawaii. From its trendy light fixtures and tropical wallpaper to its supple, emerald green-and-tan leather seats, the restaurant’s interior will transport you from Honolulu to another metropolis. Once the sun sets, the restaurant’s lights dim, giving way to a moodier, nightclub-like ambiance.

Straits Hawaii highlights the fragrant flavors of Southeast Asia — China, Malaysia, India, Singapore and Indonesia — through its stunning cocktails and dishes. The original Straits restaurant opened in 1987 (in San Francisco) and was designed to reflect the spirt and flavors of restaurant founder/ chef Chris Yeo’s hometown. Straits’ Honolulu branch offers Hawaii-exclusive dishes (more on that later).

First things first: Cocktails, many of which feature fun, creative names.

Highly recommended are Milk & Honey ($17) — described as “boozy, citrusy and clean with a lit tle spice” — and The Jillian ($16), made with vodka, lychee liqueur, lychee juice and elderflower liqueur. The latter is for lychee lovers and boasts a social media-worthy presentation, while the Milk & Honey is smooth, almost too smooth, so drink it slowly.

“I heard many of the dishes are spicy … is that true?” I ask executive chef Reid Matsumura. (I can only handle mild spice, so I’m apprehensive before the dishes start coming out.)

“Some of the dishes have that initial spice, but then it dies down,” he reassures me. “You’ll be fine.”

Start with the ahi tartare ($28), served with delectably crisp won ton pi, taro chips and Vietnamese shrimp chips; Singapore satay sticks ($18) and roasted bone marrow with crostini ($28). The tar-tare is delicious, with a hint of spice from the jalapeños. The bone marrow is indulgent and boasts a strong, citrusy flavor that cuts the richness of the dish. The peanut sauce accompanying the satay sticks is nice and nutty, but definitely packs some heat.

We also get the roti prata ($12), since our server recommended it. While I enjoyed the flaky, pastry-like traditional Indian flatbread, the sauce it comes with is not for the faint of heart.

I recommend going to Straits with a group, as many dishes are designed to share. A signature dish is the Singapore crab ($80), which features your choice of house-crafted chili sauce or black pepper and is served with smoked garlic butter, oyster sauce, scallions and shallots. It’s flavorful and worth the messy ordeal of cracking crab.

We also try the sambal Hamachi kama ($48), served with kaffir lime aioli (this is one of the Hawaii-exclusive dishes, along with the hamachi curry crudo). The refreshing aioli is a welcome respite with each bite of kama, which is coated liberally in a sambal glaze.

Of the entrees, the origami butterfish ($39) is my favorite. This and the lemongrass beef ($46) — grilled, marinated hangar steak with chimichurri sauteed garlic bok choy and Straits frites — are great options for those who are sensitive to spice. The butterfish is “baked en papillote,” a cooking method in which the fish is placed in a bag made of parchment paper before being baked in an oven, resulting in a moist, flaky interior. The ikura and lotus chips give it a nice crunch. Meanwhile, the steak is cooked perfectly to our liking, and the thick-cut frites — slightly crispy on the outside and full of potatoey goodness — are perfection.

Noodle lovers have a variety to choose from, ranging from laksa noodle soup ($24) to crab garlic noodles ($82). We get the spicy street noodles ($24), which those with a high heat tolerance will love.

I like to end my meals with something sweet, so I was slightly disappointed to see no dessert option available. But Matsumura tells me that’s soon to change, in the form of soft serve with a Singaporean twist.

Straits Hawaii

WARD VILLAGE 1060 Auahi St. Ste. 4, Honolulu
PHONE 808-888-0683
HOURS 4-10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays; 4 p.m. to midnight Fridays-Saturdays
WEBSITE straitshawaii.com
INSTAGRAM @straitshonolulu
FOOD: ***½
PRICE: $$$
AMBIANCE: ***
SERVICE: ***
PARKING: Various parking garages around Ward Village

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta’s column focuses on new restaurants and dining experiences across Hawaii. Follow Kelli on Instagram (@kellishiromabraiotta).