At first glance, the simplified, bright blue façade of the restaurant lends its appeal to something other than traditional Chinese, Vietnamese or Southeast Asian eatery. Chow, San Luis Obispo’s newest addition in Asian dining, is a combination of cuisines, blending traditional regional ingredients, served in an upscale presentation with a twist of imagination.
Chow, which opened in November, was created by Robin and Shanny Covey. In 1985, Robin and his business partner Shanny opened Robin’s in Cambria, and later introduced Novo, with an international blend concept.
In 2006, Novo closed its doors while being retrofitted, and “Little Chow,” as Robin calls it, opened next to the Palm Theatre in what remains of San Luis Obispo’s Chinatown. Popular and celebrated, Little Chow was the first phase of the restaurant that has now been expanded on Monterey Street. Once Novo reopened, Little Chow closed and efforts were redirected again to the San Luis Obispo lounge and restaurant.
“I thought Chow was going to be another run-of-the-mill, average take on Chinese or Vietnamese food,” journalism sophomore Evan Stoecker said. “After I had the crab and the duck, I noticed the flavors had a quality that you knew required substantial time and effort.”
What sets this restaurant apart from others is the unique attention to detail and noticeable artistry on and off the plate.
As you enter Chow, an open interior with a bamboo rock garden lit by skylights separates the restaurant and bar space.
Slightly out of the ordinary is the restaurant’s Tatami room, a traditionally Japanese enclosed setting, in which guests are welcome to sit on the floor while they eat.
Novo chef Justin Gabbert heads the kitchen at Chow. Covey described his experiments with menus as a “shoot-from-the-hip” tactic.
“I never quite know what I want to do until I’ve tried it,” he said. “Chow is really proud to source many ingredients from local farms and producers. I often walk the farmers’ markets and pick a variety of produce to use in our kitchens. The great part is that we special order much of our spices and harder to locate items through local distributors and we are able to trade between restaurants.”
Covey said he is proud to prepare house-made noodles for his dishes, despite the grueling, laborious task of doing so each day. To him, the difference is the definition of his restaurants: preparing quality ethnic foods while reinventing the experience.
Chow’s stir-fried marinated beef (more of a chow mein) is among the most frequently ordered dishes. Even more decadent are the Kalbi short ribs with kimchi, Jasmine white rice, and julienned carrots and onions with stir-fried sugar snap peas.
To start, savor the spring rolls filled with rice noodles, lettuce, fresh herbs, daikon, cucumber, carrots and sweet chili sauces, served with peanuts and a ginger-soy syrup. The amount of flavor that is packed into these rice paper-wrapped rolls is surprising.
Next, order the spicy Chinese chili crab. This dish is spicy, but not overpowering, and will be the subject of the night’s conversation. Don’t forget to order a foreign beer or glass of wine to accompany the flavors; the list of beverages is extensive.
“I never had crab before. I wasn’t sure if this would be too fishy, meaty, lean. I was pleasantly surprised and would definitely consider ordering crab in the future,” Stoecker said.
A hearty dish to share (most of the entrees are family style so sharing is ideal) is the duck. Sweet and tender, this dish is served with delicate crepes to go along with the hoisin sauce instead of the ordinary plum sauce. Wrap the crepe around pieces of the meat, and it’s like eating Asian tapas.
Chow’s price points are lower than Novo (about $13 per entrée, the highest being $22). For an even better deal, grab lunch specials Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Chow is located at 1009 Monterey St. in downtown San Luis Obispo. For reservations, call 805-540-5243 or visit www.chowslo.com.