Capturing the Tastes and Minds of Food
Date of Visit: July 3rd, 2020
It’s a cold winter night and the COVID-19 restrictions have eased allowing restaurants to have guests to dine in – Thank God! Having spent most of the lockdown indoors and cooking various dishes myself, it was time to turn it back over to the professionals and indulge in the best meals Sydney had to provide. This particular entry will be about Chaco Bar. A Japanese yakitori bar tucked away on the ground floor of an apartment complex in Potts Point. Currently, they’re only offering a tasting menu of various classics and yakitori favourites.
We wait at the entrance and are joined by small clusters of other parties waiting for their turn to be seated. Bookings are available in two general sessions; one which starts at around 6 and the next beginning around 8 pm. We’re booked in for 8:15 and the previous session is currently running overtime. One of the wait staff walks out and apologises to the mini crowd outside stating we will be let in soon. No later than 5 minutes after, we’re notified to come in and we’re seated. Service starts with a complimentary house-made umeshu (Japanese Plum Liqueur) accompanied with a preserved plum. The sweet alcoholic beverage is refreshing and warms you up for what you’re about to eat.
A dive into the tasting menu
The first course of the set menu is laid on our table and it’s none other than the chaco classics. It comes in the form of a petite four; each individually giving their own expression of flavours and contrasting each other through both texture and temperature. My immediate favourite from the chaco classics is the Uni-Wagyu. The wagyu’s luscious texture is butter-like even in its raw form and is joined by rich addition of the uni. It’s a bite that transports you to the rich-texture-heavens before that dollop of wasabi brings you back to reality. The Ama Ebi Ramen is a cold ramen with a flavourful stock and deserves special praise – I would gladly eat this in a large version any day. The favourite for some members of my party was the chicken liver pate whilst we all found the Anago Maki to be delicious also. Overall, the ‘Chaco Classics’ is delightful, and you could tell the restaurant was eager to leave a stamp of authority about their set menu by serving such powerful appetisers.
The second course is a bowl of Chawanmushi accompanied with Blue Swimmer crab. Having eaten this dish in many other locations, it appears to be a favourite amongst many restaurants and why wouldn’t it be? The marriage of the silky savoury custard and pungent crab meat is a match made in heaven. What Chaco Bar offers is initially no different, however, the custard element of their version can be quite overpowering. Members of my dining party believed the bowl to be quite big for such strong flavours – their critique had merit. I didn’t mind the powerful taste but I do believe this dish was disadvantaged by its large size.
Third comes the sashimi collection; a bite of kingfish, salmon and abalone. Each of these raw fish bites are covered in their own unique dressing (the specific flavours escape my memory) and were quite good. In terms of the construct of the menu, I think diners will appreciate having the sashimi after eating a very strong bowl of chawanmushi from the previous course.
Up next is the chicken wing gyoza and there are literally no words to describe this. Okay, I lied, and there are – It’s amazing. If this restaurant was to sell nothing but chicken wing gyozas, drinks and rice then I’d go out of my way to visit Potts Point every week. The chicken wing is deboned and stuffed with a mix of fish and prawn. It’s crispy, tasty and elevates our appreciation of crispy chicken and great-tasting gyoza in one bite. If you’re drinking, I’d advise downing this particular dish with a classic Kirin beer or whiskey Highball (you will not regret the satisfaction that comes after).
Moving on to the lovely skewers seared over the famous robata grills. First, they introduce the three main meats which come out altogether; the wagyu chuck with grated daikon and umami soy; grilled pork belly with red onion and; chicken thigh with onion. I begin with the wagyu because clearly I cannot resist my wagyu impulses and take a marvellous bite into the cube of fatty meat – it’s beautiful. Right, up next comes the pork belly and the chicken thigh. These two pieces are awesome in their own right particularly because they aren’t coated with any additional flavouring. What you’re left with is just the strong base flavour of the pork or chicken piece. The pork has a lovely fatty flavour combined with the sharpness of the red onion. The chicken thigh is robust and yet very tender. The chicken thigh has only been granted a touch of salt allowing us to experience that deep chicken flavour that Japanese Yakitori is so good at giving us. Overall, three very good skewers.
However, one thing does appear to be missing and it doesn’t really occur to me until the next yakitori entry comes in the form of the Tsukene accompanied with the onsen tomago and tare sauce. This little bowl of meat and egg hits all the right notes – smoky flavour, the richness from the egg and great textures. The chicken patty is a mash of meat and cartilage which brings the amazing crunchy bites that come along with its presence. Then the moment hits me! – the previous skewers didn’t have the same char flavour that was so prominent in the Tsukene. This doesn’t take away anything from the skewers as they still tasted amazing but I feel they could’ve been elevated had that char flavour been developed more. I’ve set a mental note to myself that I will return to Chaco bar when the full menu comes back and so I can try out the rest of their skewers.
The penultimate course dish is the ‘money’ dish, the milkshake that brings all the diners to the yard and the type of dish to give any truffle-lover an extra throb in their heats. The claypot rice with chicken dashi and freshly shaven truffle grace us with its presence. The waiter shaves the truffle into the pot with much swagger and appears impervious to the flash from our cameras – besides, he must be a pro by now! The pot is evenly distributed to 4 bowls and delivered right in front of us where the odour of the pungent truffle wriggles its way into our nostrils. Does it taste as good as it smells? Absolutely. This warm bowl is more wet than dry in its texture and isn’t too overly flavourful on its own. I believe this is to allow the truffle to play its prominent role in both taste and aroma. It’s the perfect savoury ending to what’s been a great display of simplicity and variety in Japanese flavours. Onward to the desserts!
The desserts on offer from this menu are the Oolong Tea Panna Cotta and the Umeshu Basque Cheesecake. The cheesecake is well-baked to provide that subtle and luscious texture. It’s sweet although I couldn’t say I could taste much of an umeshu profile in that cheesecake – it was still great to eat though! The oolong tea panna cotta is accompanied with a sweet fruity syrup whose sweetness almost spoiled the panna cotta experience for me as I must’ve scooped most of it on my first spoonful. Luckily, as I started to churn more even amounts on my spoon I could begin to taste more of the panna cotta and it doesn’t disappoint; it’s delicate, sweet and has touches of bitterness that helps to create a nice balance. The tasting menu has since modified it to a Kokuto Panna Cotta. For lovers of dessert, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with what’s on offer here.
Atmosphere
The restaurant has a lively and fun atmosphere. I dined here on a Friday evening so I was surrounded by groups of tipsy and well-fed patrons. This was also during the first week where restrictions eased significantly so I think everyone was happy to be surrounded by friends and family again – myself included. The restaurant is generally quite dim and lit enough to see your significant others and your food. The drinks here are excellent from the cocktails (if you’re feeling adventurous) to the highballs (if you’re after a traditional Japanese drink) – this place has it all. Come here with your significant other, best friend or as a group. The setting is lively enough to cater for all occasions so come hungry and ready for a great time with loved ones.
Final thoughts
What a dining experience this was. The only weak parts of their tasting menu are the Chawanmushi and the Sashimi selection – and they weren’t necessarily bad dishes. Everything else I would’ve eaten twice or thrice over if I had the chance and the funds to do so. The personal favourite award goes to the chicken wing gyoza and the petite four chaco classics! What absolute flavour powerhouses they are. For $85, I also believe that this tasting menu is great value for money. It’s one of the cheaper tasting menus I’ve seen and there was so much on offer. If you haven’t already made a reservation switch tabs now and reserve yourself a seat at this restaurant. I’ll definitely be paying another visit!