Tommy Van Buggenhout and Chinook Vandecasteele, two hospitality lovers who fell in love with the wider world, opened their restaurant ‘Ohana’ on Brechtsebaan in Schoten in the summer of 2020. The two globetrotters serve worldly cuisine from Hawaii and Southeast Asia, among others, in a homely atmosphere. The restaurateurs themselves love nothing more than discovering exotic destinations to taste the culture and local cuisine. Street food from Hawaii, the Philippines, Thailand, Bali and Ibiza, among others, serve as inspiration for surprising, home-made dishes with fresh ingredients, immersing customers in the best memories of their faraway travels.
Tommy and Chinook opened restaurant Ohana on Brechtsebaan in Schoten in the summer of 2020
“Super nice location, a real holiday feeling! The team is super friendly and welcoming. The food is top notch. You can see and taste that everything is super fresh. Highly recommended!” – Laura Verbeeck
Pop-up Aloha Antwerp became Restaurant Ohana
2020 got off to a tumultuous start for Tommy and Chinook. Normally that summer, the couple welcomed guests to their pop-up ‘Aloha Antwerp’ along the Scheldt river in Antwerp for the third time in a row. But in the middle of preparations, the corona crisis threw a spanner in the works. When the Burgerij at 298 Brechtsebaan in Schoten called it quits, it opened up an opportunity for Tommy and Chinook of a permanent business. With this restaurant, which is also open outside the summer season, they are now realising a new dream.
Pop-up Aloha Antwerp became Restaurant Ohana
“A visit to Ohana had long been on my wish list and last Friday it was finally here. We received a tremendously warm welcome here and the staff did a super good job throughout the evening to make us feel more than welcome. We were also spoiled in terms of food and drink: the cocktails were original and all very tasty, the appetisers we shared with the table made us long for more and the main courses were definitely worth a try. The dessert menu is rather limited, but even here they do their best to arrange something tasty for everyone. In short: highly recommended where we will definitely return.” – Tom Meskens
Worldly street food as a menu full of culinary travel memories
Worldly street food from Hawaii, the Philippines, Thailand, Bali, Ibiza… use Tommy and Chinook as inspiration to conjure up the most surprising flavour combinations on our plates and in our glasses in Belgium. They want to immerse customers’ taste buds in the best memories of their distant travels. Ohana on Brechtsebaan in Schoten is “the ideal destination for a trip at home,” say Chinook and Tommy. “It is near the water, next to a cycle route and literally at the crossroads between the communities where we grew up as children,” they say.
Ohana, ‘family’ in the broadest sense of the word
Ohana, family in the broadest sense of the word
In Hawaiian culture, Ohana stands for family in the broadest sense of the word. As such, Ohana Restaurant is meant to be a place where everyone can feel welcome and where you will be pampered to the full with fresh, home-cooked goodies. Ohana stands for tasty, fresh dishes with a menu where meat, fish, veggie and vegan lovers alike will find their thing.
“Both our restaurant and lounge area are a place where everyone can feel welcome and where customers are pampered with fresh, home-made delicacies.” – Chinook Vandecasteele
The exotic menu at Ohana features delicious, fresh dishes, where meat, fish, veggie, and vegan lovers alike can find their liking.
What’s on the menu at Ohana?
At Ohana, you are welcome for lunch, dinner and ‘in between’. The menu includes fresh and spicy poké bowls. This is also the right place for a diverse range of finger food. Think sticky Edamame Beans, Bali Style Tempeh Satay or Duke’s Nachos. Or how about the dessert menu, including the dessert O O Orgasmo ( = a dessert cocktail with white rum, coffee, amaretto, vanilla and chocolate)? The Ohana cocktails are inspired by drinks they had the opportunity to taste themselves throughout their travels. Each cocktail has a distinctive flavour of its own and was composed entirely by Tommy and Chinook. Names of cocktails and mocktails like Crazy in the Coconut and Kiss on the lips will make you dream away to faraway destinations.
“Worldly street food from Hawaii, the Philippines, Thailand, Bali, Ibiza…. We want to immerse customers’ taste buds in the best memories of our distant travels.” – Tommy Van Buggenhout
At Ohana serves fresh, natural mineral water Pineo
Pineo’s neutral fresh taste goes perfectly with all wines and dishes. A natural mineral water that cannot be found everywhere. Fresh and pure water, which goes perfectly with the high quality and super fresh produce and dishes, served at Ohana.
At Ohana you drink natural mineral water Pineo
“Really good vibe & atmosphere, friendly service, yummy cocktails and really good food. What else do you need! They even have sunshine in a glass.” – Remmelt Beckers
