Scratch Kitchen is known for its local-style take on Southern comfort food, and fans of the Kakaako location will be happy to know that some of those dishes made their way to its new brick-and-mortar in Kapolei. One dish in particular is my favorite: the crispy Brussels ($12) appetizer. This one hits all the right flavor notes for me. It’s tangy thanks to the capers and salty/sour from the shoyu vinaigrette, and the shredded Parm adds a depth of savory flavor. The best is when you’re able to snag the perfectly charred single leaves that are saturated in the vinaigrette and have chunks of Parmesan stuck to it.
To try something different, we ordered the new popcorn chicken appetizer ($12), too. It came with housemade dipping sauces, and I appreciated that the “popcorn” chicken morsels were actually pretty large. You get quite a bit of meat instead of a smidgen with tons of fried batter. There are also higher-end apps like the Abacargot (Pacific abalone escargot) or the bone marrow — $22 each — that looked delicious. Maybe for a future visit.
For my entree, I got the Kapolei loco moco with pork adobo ($20) that’s served over garlic rice and comes with two eggs, pickled onions and cherry tomatoes. You can also get the loco moco with a regular 8-ounce patty, but, as evidenced by my adulation of the crispy Brussels sprouts, vinegary adobo is right up my alley. Different in this dish is the consistency of the gravy, which isn’t as thick as you’d expect it to be. That being said, my rice ended up a little soggy, but it didn’t bother me because that means the rice soaked up all the sauce. The rest of my dining party didn’t particularly like the texture. Oh well, their loss.
My husband got the spicy Southern fried chicken and waffle ($20), which was a little salty, but it could be my taste buds not accustomed to the seasoning. The massive piece of chicken sits atop a thick waffle and the dish is held together by a big ole knife. Removing the cutlery reminded me of little animated Arthur in Disney’s The Sword in the Stone.
The Scratch Kapolei Benedict ($24) comes with your choice of pork belly or applewood smoked ham — and you can add smoked salmon for $4. I liked the pork belly because the texture of the meat paired well with the English muffin, and the pork belly to muffin ratio was perfect. No solo English muffin bites here. The tomatoes, avocado spread and salad cut the heaviness of the protein and hollandaise, making for a well-balanced dish.
Finally, on your way out, order a fresh-squeezed lemonade ($6) to-go from Lemon Supply. They’re available in flavors like original, yuzu, basil, li hing and raspberry — and are the perfect beverages to beat the West side heat.
Scratch Kitchen Kapolei
Address
Ka Makana Alii
91-5431 Kapolei Pkwy. No. 425, Kapolei
Phone
808-900-3463
Hours
9 a.m.-9 p.m. daily
Instagram:
@scratchkitchenhi
Website
scratchkitchenhi.com
Food: 3/5
Price: $$
Ambiance: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Parking: free at the mall
