Chef Sam Jackson was trying out ideas on his mates, many of them fellow expatriates.

The food at KO Pies in East Boston's Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina is not exactly Australian cuisine, but it reflects Jackson’s style of cooking.

That style consists of beautiful ingredients, simply yet inventively prepared.

Friends sampled highlights from the new KO Pies menu and previewed the second restaurant a couple of weeks before its launch.

The feel was casual — “I’ve got really good food,” said Jackson, “and I’m not going to get too caught up in the formalities."

The patio table was set simply and dotted with a mix of wines plus beers from his favorite local brewery.

Jonah crab, scallion, tomato, and avocado salad.

Grilled zucchini salad.

Barbecued lamb top.

Char-grilled salmon with mango, chili, and kaffir lime salsa.

Rum-and-spice-soaked pineapple with coconut ice cream.