Modern Vietnamese fusion eatery Chao first opened for takeout this past July. At that time, the eatery featured a limited menu of banh mi, Vietnamese iced coffee, and chicken rice.
The eatery has come a long way since then — it celebrated its grand opening last month, and now offers dine-in service for lunch, happy hour, dinner and brunch.
While we ordered when the restaurant initially opened, it was time for a return visit to check out the dinner menu. I highly recommend making a reservation — even on a Tuesday evening, the restaurant was bustling.
If you want to start with something light, go for the hamachi crudo ($16) or seafood ceviche ($14).
The hamachi crudo features generous pieces of Kyushu yellowtail topped with cilantro, tobiko roe, fresno chili and calamansi ponzu. The buttery yellowtail is especially refreshing, thanks to the ponzu.
The seafood ceviche ($14) is a combo of Hokkaido scallops, shrimp, calamari, coconut, lime and fresno chili, served with shrimp chips for scooping. The dish boasts bright citrusy flavors that pair nicely with the crispy chips.
These crispy spring rolls ($13) feature a meaty twist — the filling is pork and veggie mix, and they come with house pickles, lettuce and nuoc cham. The spring rolls boast a delectably crispy exterior, but they’re on the heavier side; they don’t skimp on the meat-and-veggie filling. Still, they satisfied the craving — we can’t go to a Vietnamese eatery and not get spring rolls or pho.
The eatery’s Vietnamese chicken wings ($15) are not to be missed, according to our server. These crispy wings are coated with a caramelized fish sauce and topped with chives.
We’re told Chao’s nuoc cham fish sauce is diluted with vinegar, resulting in a lighter flavor. It’s tangy but not too salty, and each chicken wing is adequately coated so you won’t have to worry about them being dry.
During dinner, customers can choose from beef ($22) or chicken pho ($19). While pho is commonly made with beef, we were encouraged to try the chicken pho.
This comforting dish is the perfect antidote if you’re feeling under the weather. The chicken broth is cooked for 24 hours and is complete with rice noodles and tender, poached chicken. The broth is light and clean-tasting, but still packed with flavor.
The soft shell crab pasta ($22) is one of the restaurant’s bestselling dishes. It comprises fresh noodles with two pieces of soft shell crab, lemongrass and garlic beurre monte. The crunchy, deep-fried soft shell crabs contrast nicely with the creamy, garlicky sauce.
The eatery’s dessert options are on the refreshing side and aren’t overly sweet. The velvety flan ($9) is topped with shredded coconut and served with seasonal fruit.
We also got a sneak peek of a new mango tapioca dessert that might be coming soon to the menu. The creamy tapioca pudding was topped with a generous amount of mango chunks, resulting in a silky, smooth yet refreshing dessert.
The eatery’s happy hour menu is available from 2 to 5 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays; guests can take advantage of slight discounts on dishes and cocktails. The lunch menu — with dishes like lemongrass chicken ($14) and roast pork ($16) banh mi — is served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays.
Chao’s all-day brunch menu is on Sundays only and includes local favorites with a twist. You can look forward to house braised brisket moco ($25), duck confit ‘n waffles ($24) and pandan waffles ($14), a dessert that comes with coconut tapioca crème and mung beans.
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CONTACT
Chao
Nuʻuanu Shopping Center
1613 Nuʻuanu Ave., Honolulu
808-888-0166
Chaohawaii.com
Instagram: @chaohawaii
Open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, brunch 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sundays
Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
