CHO Brings The Fun Back To Asian Food
And there's not even anime on TV!
Last weekend I made it into CHO Funky Asian Bistro, opened to solve Miami’s overwhelming problem of Un-funky Asian Bistros. The funk in question here isn’t the usual nostril-assaulting odor of fish sauce that many Asian restaurants suffer from, but rather refers to the kitschy décor, lively ambience, and we-don’t-take-ourselves-too-seriously menu that make meals at CHO a happy time.
It’s the latest offering from Mo Alkassar, part of the partnership that brought us Ghee, Erba, Paya, and other four-letter restaurants. This time around, he’s gone to meticulous lengths to craft a menu that brings flavors from all over Asia, with strong influences of garlic, chili, sesame, and other spicy stuff. They also put fun little drawings on the menu to let diners know when a dish contains shellfish, meat, or any other allergen. Other Asian restaurants should definitely get down with that funk.
What do they mean by “funky?” Is George Clinton hanging out at the bar?
No. Though interestingly, George is still going strong at 84. By “funky,” CHO means the décor isn’t a $2 million design job meant to evoke a 1930s Kyoto cocktail lounge. It’s a collection of seemingly random objects thrown together that all seem to work, and tables covered with inside jokes about Mo and his friends. It’s a refreshing change in an era where restaurants either look like elaborate movie sets or a rec center party room.
The scene: Is just pure, Asian-inspired fun. Walk through a red-lit hallway to a host stand, where to your right a stuffed anime doll eats Cup-o-Noodles while watching TV. In the dining room, old Coke bottles, vintage radios, and dishes that look like the stuff your grandma picked up on that trip she made to The Orient in 1970 fill the shelves. Nothing here is too serious, another refreshing change from omakase sushi chefs who never smile.
What to eat and drink: You could put Cho’s chili garlic crisp on a piece of drywall and I’d probably eat an entire house worth.. It’s one of three sauces served with tapioca puffs to start each meal, and sets the bar high. The Wood Ear Mushroom with black vinegar and chili oil is addictive, a weird-looking food that’s drop-dead delicious. The Wasabi Cabbage Salad is a crisp, citrusy dish ideal to break up the oily entrees. As they are required to do at any Asian restaurant, servers will tell you the Korean Fried Chicken is “my absolute favorite.” Probably because they don’t have octopus.
On the bar side, the Neon Geisha is the move to start your meal, a fruity introduction made with Suntory, Japanese melon wildflower honey, yuzu sake, and egg white. If you’re drinking for the Gram, go for the sharable Spill the Tea, a four-person cocktail made with Haku vodka, nigori sake, lychee jasmine tea, lemon, and grapefruit.
Don’t miss: Dat chili garlic sauce. Bring an empty bottle, ask for a couple of extra sides, pour them in said bottle, then put it on everything you eat at home, up to and including your morning bowl of Froot Loops. Don’t tell Mo I told you to do this.
Expect to pay: $75-100 per person.
How’s the parking: It’s South Beach, so not great. Though you can find street parking around if you really try. Otherwise, the 17th Street Garage is about half a mile away and makes for a nice after-dinner stroll.
@choasianbistro // 1209 17th St., South Beach