Cho Cho San, Potts Point

Is there a hotter restaurant than Cho Cho San right now? Within a week of opening, Cho Cho San was everywhere: in newspapers, magazines and all over your interwebs. When we visit in only its third week of trade, Cho Cho San is heaving. Even though it's a Tuesday night, they're fully booked.

Cho Cho San is the latest collaboration from Jonathan Barthelmess and Sam Christie, the same duo behind The Apollo. The brief here is Japanese izakaya or bar-style food, although the emphasis is on reinvention. Heading up the kitchen is Chef Nicholas Wong, most recently at Ester and ex-Billy Kwong and Rockpool.


Corn, mustard fritters $7

The white-washed dining room is understated and contemporary Nordic chic, dominated by a polished concrete counter that houses both the bar and stools for about two-dozen diners. Along the side are alcoves with dining tables for small groups. There's been diligent attention paid to design, from the clean fonts of the logo to the beautifully organic-curved ceramic tableware to the heavy gold rods that act as chopstick rests.

The menu is divided into small dishes, raw bar, sides, seafood and meat. There's plenty to keep you occupied in the small dishes section, although the price of the buns seem a little on the steep side. The steamed mantou bun with duck will cost you $9 each and the mini toasted bun with spanner crab will set you back $12.


Silken tofu in tomato dashi $4

We're happy to dabble in almost everything else though. The corn fritters arrive as a trio, bright fresh corn kernels bound together in a light and crispy batter. Discs of silken tofu in tomato dashi are an exercise in simplicity, the slippery soy bean curd lifted by the gentle umami notes of the soup.


Eggplant miso dip $10

The eggplant miso dip is all the tastiness of Japanese nasu dengaku without the hassle of eggplant skin. It's the love child of Japanese miso-grilled eggplant and Lebanese baba ghanoush, the smoky puree amplified with miso. Dollop generous spoonfuls on the giant crackers provided and watch the table fall silent for at least a minute or two.


Salt and pepper chicken wings $14

The salt and pepper chicken wings have plenty of crunch but the flesh itself is a little on the bland side and although we can see the salt and pepper, it still tastes under-seasoned.


Petuna ocean trout, black pepper, wasabi $20

The raw bar section is littered with oceanic treats. We dive into plump fillets of silky Petuna ocean trout and discs of raw Hokkaido scallop on a bed of sweet corn puree.


Hokkaido scallops, corn, house-cured smoked bonito $18


Raw beef tataki, wild rice, ginger dressing $18

The raw beef tataki is probably my favourite dish of the night, lusciously fatty thin shavings of beef short rib that contrast cleverly against the crunchy wild rice grains beneath.


Chicken yakitori, pickled lime $18

It's not until we reach our mains that we feel there's a pattern of restraint applied across the menu. Don't expect wild and boisterous flavours or wacky pairings of incongruous ingredients. There's a muted approach to ingredients here, like the chicken yakitori, just cooked until tender and seasoned with pickled limes and togarashi chilli pepper.


Braised pork belly, mustard greens $28

Braised pork belly, too, is understated in seasoning, although we find the lake of soy sauce a little on the salty side and missing a balance of sweetness.


Green beans, red miso $12

Vegetables are simply adorned too. Green beans are stir-fried with a red miso then covered with a snowstorm of sea seeds that provide an element of crunch.


Snow pea sprouts, garlic oil $12

Snow pea sprouts are gently wilted in garlic oil so the strands are soft and tender. There might not be any flavour fireworks here but there are bucket-loads of veggie-eating piousness.


Tempura okra $12

But ahhh... tempura okra makes everything better. The okra has been sliced so there's less risk of sliminess. The batter is light and airy but we find the soy sauce a little on the salty side again.


Hibachi grilled prawns, kombu butter $24

And then there's the bright and briny freshness of hibachi grilled prawns. Sure each prawn ends up costing $8 but the flesh is impressively sweet, imparted with a smoky char from the grill.


Green tea soft serve waffle cone $6

We can't leave without having what is now Cho Cho San's signature dessert. The green tea soft serves have been featured all over Instagram and are instantly recognisable. The waffle cones are wedged into bowls filled with brown rice, possibly the new rocksalt of the dessert world.

The soft serves are more milky than creamy but there's a decent hit of matcha and they cleanse our palates at the end of the meal.



And in good news for locals and weekend blow-ins, Cho Cho San have extended their trading hours. They're now open for lunch from Friday to Sunday.




Cho Cho San
73 Macleay Street, Potts Point, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 9331 6601

Opening hours:
Lunch Friday to Sunday from 12pm
Dinner Monday to Sunday 6pm - 11pm


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