all's fare
F )an Biran
111
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Chen Chow brings the luscious flavors of the Far East to suburbia.
BY DAVID MOSS PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANGIE BAAN
Chen Chow Brasserie
260 N. Old Woodward
Birmingham
(248) 594-CHOW: chenchow.corn
Appetizers: Sl0+
Nigh.' and sushi rolls: S6-S14
Entrees: 520-S70
B10 •
MAY 2 0 0 8
•
JI\I platintun
A renovated space in downtown Birmingham is bringing
out the hungry and curious in droves. Chen Chow, which
opened late in 2007 where formerly stood Pampas Brazilian
on Old Woodward, has undergone an extreme makeover at
the hands of owner-designer John Janviriya (who also has
brought us Crave Lounge in Dearborn, Mosaic in Greektown
and Melange Bistro in Ann Arbor). The decor is stylish and
dramatic, chic and elegant. The long onyx bar, flanked by small
tables lining the walls, is where people come for cocktails, dim
sum, sushi and the innovative pan-Asian cuisine of executive
chef Robert Courser — and, of course, to see and be seen.
Walking into the two-level dining room, visitors are wel-
comed by retro Asian designs, earthy caramel and brown wood
tones, circular booths and soft lighting — so soft that I had
a hard time reading the menu. Arriving early on a Thursday
night, my party was greeted and whisked to our table. We were
immediately offered water, menus and prompted for drink
orders. Service throughout the night was fast and friendly;
our waiter was knowledgeable, offered suggestions and was
extremely attentive.
Beginning with wine by the glass, we were pleased to find a
couple dozen to choose from, ranging from $12-$18 per glass
(bottles begin at $40). For appetizers, we chose from the starter
and sushi menus: The Asian Beef Tips (left, top) were melt-in-
your-mouth delicious. Served medium rare, they feature the
slow burn of a chili-garlic paste while the drizzled hoisin glaze
created a sense of drama. Not so with our sushi choice: Simple
avocado and asparagus rolls balanced the beef tips but looked
plain on the stark white plate.
In all, there are two dozen nigiri (fish on top of sushi rice)
combinations, including seared salmon or tuna, yellowtail and
red snapper. Another 30 sushi-roll combinations range from
the simple and vegetarian to those a little more creative, like
thin-sliced Black Angus filet mignon with cucumber and avo-
cado, wrapped in seaweed, rice and steak sauce.
For our entrees, we chose an oven-roasted Chilean sea bass
(left, below) with a sweet tomato-caper sauce served atop an
Asian stir fry and a Moulard duck miso, consisting of two
generous pan-seared duck breasts, glazed with a sweet miso
caramel and accompanied by an Asian stir-fry that resembled
an Asian slaw. Other Asian-inspired entrees include sesame
yellowtail tuna, curried eggplant and tofu, a pan-seared filet
mignon and short ribs braised with Japanese beer. Entrees
looked stylish and inviting and are priced accordingly.
When it came time for dessert, we chose the flourless choc-
olate cake over the vanilla or ginger creme brulee. This rich
hunk of chocolate was like eating warm brownie batter. A huge
glass of milk would have been a good idea. We settled instead
for a cup of decal.
Chen Chow is a nice addition to the increasingly high-end
Birmingham restaurant scene. Come with a full wallet and a
taste for something different.