"I've had a few loyal patrons calling to see if we're open," said David Nagaishi, operations manager at Ocean House, which is located at the bottom of Lewers Street, the area that's being redeveloped to pave the way for Outrigger's new residential or resort condominium and a low-rise 90,000 square-foot retail entertainment complex.

"They think we're going to close during all the construction," Nagaishi said. "But, we're not. The restaurant will stay open."

This comes as good news for Island residents who've come to appreciate this beachfront restaurant for its comfortable plantation-like setting and clean-flavored dishes.

Since introducing a new menu last December, chef Lester Omuro has strayed away from heavy cream sauces, replacing them with lighter ones that heighten an ingredient's natural flavors.

For example, Omuro uses a tangy chipotle aioli to extract the flavors from the paper-thin slices of prime rib carpaccio ($9), which are wrapped around a spear of asparagus then served with baby greens and finished with shaved parmesan cheese.

"It was a challenge to find the right combination of ingredients," smiled Omuro, who started in the food industry 20 years ago with the recently-closed K.C. Drive Inn. "We want to keep things light without losing the flavor."

This is especially true when it concerns Omuro's fish entrees, including the pan-seared onaga ($28), which is complemented with a lemony citrus beurre blanc sauce and ginger vinaigrette.

Proud that Ocean House carries the largest selection of fresh Island fish among all other local restaurants, Nagaishi said they stock everything from opah to hapuupuu (Hawaiian sea bass) to Kahuku moi.

They also offer some of the most buttery ahi sashimi ($11), which tastes as good with or without the wasabi or shoyu. (A glass of crisp white wine, however, does accentuate the flavor of the fish.)

On the topic of wines, Nagaishi said he has added several half bottles to the list.