Seth Peterson likes to play with his food. Well, it’s more like experimenting. PB&Js made with powdered peanut butter and liquid-filled jelly balls; nutella powder paired with fresh apple bananas and meat caramel: concentrated pork stock blended with caramelized sugar
Seth Peterson likes to play with his food. Well, it’s more like experimenting. PB&Js made with powdered peanut butter and liquid-filled jelly balls; nutella powder paired with fresh apple bananas and meat caramel: concentrated pork stock blended with caramelized sugar and cream.
With a B.S. in biology, a job at Kailani Farms in Kilauea and a food loving heart, it seems natural that Peterson would serve molecular gastronomy. Also known as science forward food, the discipline attracts inquisitive chefs who take traditional tastes and textures and flip them on their head.
“I made a liquid gingersnap cookie that was solid on the outside and gave it to my friends on the farm,” Peterson said. “They loved it! This kind of food is a trippy thing for your head.”
He’s wearing a blue T-shirt with the molecular structure for umami, a name for savory, which is one of five basic tastes. Under the diagram reads, “OOH-Mami. I want more.”
After reading blogs and cookbooks by industry leaders, Peterson honed his skills while cooking multi-course dinners for large groups of friends. After two years, he and his wife Paulette opened a food trailer called Kickshaws, which means a delicious bite of food.
Although Kickshaws does not serve over-the-top molecular gastronomy, Peterson uses scientific techniques for his sandwich-based menu. And it’s not complicated. For his 100 percent Awesome Burger ($12), salt, chuck short-rib, sirloin and bacon are put through a meat grinder. As it’s extruded, Peterson preserves its horizontal, cylindrical shape. When disks are cut into patties, the strands are cut short, making the burger exceedingly tender.
A pineapple, black pepper, onion marmalade is piled on top, along with gooey Gouda cheese, mayonnaise, arugula and tomato, which are served on a Deli & Bread Connection torta roll.
Typically, pork belly is cured and made into bacon, but in Peterson’s PBAT ($12) it’s cooked for six hours, sous vide. The technique involves cooking food in vacuum-sealed pouches submerged in a water bath that is held at a precise temperature. Once the pork belly is meltingly tender, Peterson crisps it on the grill. Peppery arugula, juicy tomato, pickled mustard seeds and applewood smoked mayonnaise conspire to create an explosion of umami-based flavor —something Peterson strives for in every dish.
Vegans will appreciate the spicy Tempeh Banh Mi ($10). Peterson’s spin on the Vietnamese sandwich includes tempeh (fermented soybeans) that’s marinated in yellow curry overnight and seared on the grill. It’s topped with coconut Sriracha mayonnaise and smoked soy sauce gel, both of which Peterson makes in his “lab.” Pickled carrots, cilantro oil and cucumber make it the most flavorful vegan sandwich I’ve ever had.
On any given day, the first 20 people receive an amuse-bouche. The bite-sized gift is a hard riff on molecular gastronomy and designed to whet your appetite. A Dueling Tip Jar enables customers to vote for their favorite specials. Recently, Spam Larb (Sriracha pickled pineapple, cilantro, mint and ground spam served in a lettuce cup) beat Apple Cheddar Bacon Risotto and the Umami Bomb Grilled Cheese.
Recently, Kickshaws featured a Sour Sampler highlighting delightful miracle berries, which are known for taking the sour out of any food and making it sweet. The playful dish was served with segmented lemons, limes, grapefruit and sour cream with a balsamic vinegar drizzle.
Kickshaws is at the Small Boat Harbor in Port Allen, and every Friday during Hanapepe Art Night. The best way to find out about specials and locations is to like them on Facebook. If you’re lucky, you’ll be one of 20 people who get an amuse-bouche during Truck Stop Thursday at the Kauai Beer Company on March 6 at 5:30 p.m. Kickshaws, 651-6750, Small Boat Harbor, Port Allen, Thursday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Marta Lane is a Kauai-based food writer. For more information, visit TastingKauai.com.
