A well-executed blend of traditional Korean and interpretative Chinese cuisines, CHIKO is a fun fast casual restaurant (order/pay first; servers deliver the food and guide you through ordering) by the Fried Rice Collective's Andrew Kim, Chef Danny Lee, and Chef Scott Drewno. Add to it outstanding service by our welcoming and helpful server Shay as well a cheerful vibe, CHIKO is go-to spot for flavorful and casual East Asian cuisine at an affordable price point.
I had been eager to try CHIKO for a while, especially after its second location arrived in Dupont (far closer than the original Capitol Hill location). Having thoroughly enjoyed the Ddeok Mandu Guk at Chef Lee's Mandu, we perused CHIKO's online menu (complete with a photo to accompany each dish!). However, upon arriving for our brunch, we were told that the menu would be limited to lunch and brunch selections. It turns out that the online menu was for dinner-only; additionally, quite a few items we were considering had been swapped out. Nonetheless, we still had plenty of items to order.
To drink, we requested hot water with lemon, to which Shay promptly noted that they could do lime since they did not have lemon. (Bonus points for having both cold and hot water options by default!)
We decided to start with the Bulgogi Bowl (lunch) and the Orange-ish Chicken and Waffles (brunch). The bowl was somewhere between a traditional Bibimbap and Deopbap/Donburi: bowlful of rice topped with delectable chopped ribeye and sautéed onions accompanied with a refreshing mix of superb Napa Cabbage Kimchi, soft boiled egg half, cucumbers, spring onions, and mung bean sprouts.
Showing their attention to detail, the Ssamjang (spicy fermented soy bean paste plus vinegar) was swiped onto the upper wall of the stainless steel bowl so that we could enjoy it to our liking rather than having it plopped onto the middle of the rice by default. The beef itself was moist, tender, and delicious, but the rice was the star--full of oopmp, plump in shape, and rather firm in texture yet having enough moist. Plus, the ample amount of rice makes it conducive for adding a Ban-chan (here called "Snacks"), or in our case, enjoying with the Chicken. Speaking of which, it was crunchy-battered (golden brown and airy yet more contiguous than Panko/Tempura) boneless chicken topped with an abundance of candied Mandarin Orange peel, chilies, and spring onion accompanied by a slightly thickened light brown-orange sauce that added a hydrating layer of bitter-sweet aroma.
A key to both the Bulgogi and the chicken was that they were delicately sweet rather than the usual excess common at many Korean and Chinese restaurants. The chicken paired well with the rice so we finished our meal with the waffles and Furikake Butter as our dessert. The waffles were a bit sweet so next time, we will request the syrup (which we were not aware of as it was not listed on the menu) on the side.
After expressing how much we enjoyed the food, particularly the outstanding classic Kimchi with just the right harmony of fermentation, gentle sweetness, and unobtrusive flavors (we prefer this Seoul-style rather than the saltier southwestern Jeolla-style--stronger additional flavors from small salted mollusk/crustaceans), Shay generously offered us to enjoy some more Kimchi as well as gently coaxing us to try the Turmeric-Pickled Daikon Radish (Dan-mu-ji). Indeed, the Kimchi was as good on its own as it was in the Bowl. The radish was very pleasingly refreshing and less piercingly sweet versus the store-bought versions; we also liked how they were sliced thinner.
For its quality, attention to detail, portion sizes, and location, CHIKO's prices are reasonable ($13 for Bulgogi Bowl and $18 for Orange-ish Chicken & Waffles). As aforementioned, we were considering to order another savory dish or dessert, but after our two entrées, our appetites were happily satisfied. All in all, one visit was enough to win over my tough-to-impress dining companion, whose peerless culinary opinion I trust the most because of how it is unfiltered and unclouded by press or hype. Needless to say, we will be back--my DC for the Bulgogi Bowl and me for something new! read more