all's fare F )an Biran 111 ham 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.