A conversation with Keita Abe – Chaco Bar, Chaco Ramen

Chaco Bar holds a special place in my head as it was the first restaurant I visited once restrictions had eased and people were allowed back to dine in. Chaco Bar wasn’t initially on my radar but my partner had caught wind of it through social media showcasing the tasting menu that they had designed. Everything looked good and we thought it was the perfect spot to visit to re-engage our palates with the professional chefs of Sydney. That being said, I thought it was only fitting that my first interview would be with Keita Abe who is the owner of Chaco Bar and Chaco Ramen.

Before the interview starts, Keita brings over a glass of his house-made yuzu-shu (Japanese citrus yuzu liqueur) on the rocks. In both my experiences here, it appears Keita treats all his diners with a glass of Umeshu or Yuzu-shu on the house. A fine way to start the evening and a mark of his generousity.

D: “How did you start Chaco Bar?”

K: “I was the head chef at Toko before I left and travelled to Europe to discover what I find tasty and what I like. The reason why I started with Chaco is that I wanted to offer something simple, the best and something that sticks to the Japanese concept; not touching the ingredients too much, great produce and simple cooking – that’s the concept I wanted to. If you’re inviting your friends to your balcony and you cook for your friends, that’s how I imagined the concept of Chaco to be. You have to think that way to make a proper and healthy business. That’s how I started my first tiny seating (25 seatings) which was very challenging, especially to make money. I was doing 120% every day and I was sweating working hard but I’m here now (in this bigger venue at Potts Points).”

D: “What did you do before Chaco Bar?”

K: “Before I was here, I was heading Mamasan at Bondi and Toko in Surry Hills. I also went on a backpacking trip to Europe with my wife for two seasons.”

D: “Tell me about the concept of your restaurant?”

K: “My home town is Fukuoka. A number of yakitori chefs are gathered in this prefecture in comparison to many places in Japan. The whole concept of serving yakitori on the cabbage was the Fukuoka style. It’s like Léon vs Paris. All the restaurants in Tokyo would visit Fukuoka to learn and steal ideas to take back. That’s what Fukuoka is – really cool stuff. I grew up in that area so I know what I want, my style is unsophisticated but it’s different. Having the counter here – it’s the Fukuoka style. Everything I grew up watching I tried putting it in here. I didn’t want this place to be like ‘Japan – Japan’.

I want this place to be ‘us’.“

D: “What’s your favourite thing on the Chaco Bar menu that you like to cook?”

Keita laughs as he thinks.

 K: “Well, I’m not cooking anymore these days but that cold ramen, I really like it. That’s the highlight. That’s it.” –  Keita points at the small cold ramen bowl that’s part of the ‘Chaco classics’.

I laugh too because I’ve written in my Chaco bar blog that if they served this ramen and that only, I would happily buy it every week.

K: “This actually comes from Chaco Ramen. It’s part of our identity and that’s why I’ve put it in the menu.”

D: “What was like it going through COVID-19 and where did you get the idea to sell the ramen packs?”

K: “It was quite tough. We didn’t know what was going to happen. I was so close to setting this restaurant up as another ramen shop. My staff actually came up with the idea (the ramen take home packs). One day they came up to me and said ‘hey why don’t we do this?’ and then when I looked at it I was like “ah! Let’s do it!”. Two days later we started packing and we started selling it to the public. That was great, it was a big lifesaver for us.”

K: “We’re lucky we’re in Winter because people want the warm comfort of Ramen.”

D: “What would you be selling in Summer then?”

K: “Well, I guess I’d be selling the cold ramen.” 

We both laugh. Fair enough! I’m certainly a huge fan. If you’re interested, they’re still selling their ramen packs which can be found here.

D: “What are some of your favourites restaurants in Sydney and why?”

Keita smiles and groans as he has a deep think. I get the feeling chefs often hate being asked this simple question. I don’t blame them, I hate answering them too.

K: “You’ll probably laugh at me but it’s nothing fancy. It’s Osteria Riva from Bondi Junction.”

I remark to my brother, who’s sitting beside me, that often chefs will list places that do very ‘comforting’ and ‘homey’ food as some of their favourite places.

D: “What’s your favourite dish from there?”

K: “The carbonara is really good there. It’s so good. Sometimes when the chefs get a little tired there it’s a little bit salty but I can’t blame them.”

We have a small discussion about how authentic carbonara is made (with no cream! Just egg or egg yolks).

D: “Have you made it at home before?”

K: “No. I would just go there to eat it.” He laughs in response.

D: “Now I haven’t been to Chaco ramen before. What’s do you recommend there?”

K: “The chilli coriander ramen. It’s actually one of Neil Perry’s favourite. It was the favourite meal of the month in his Qantas article. for the November issue.”

I guess that’s what I’m getting then the next time I go there.

D: “Last question, when are you going back to your normal menu?”

K: “Hmm, probably never. The set menu style is easier and better value. We do less mistakes when we do it. We don’t know what’s going to happen (with COVID-19) and I think we have to stick to new trends. We almost had to go back to doing a ramen shop here (at the Potts Points venue). We decided to build the set menu instead and do it here. We have a big room and to have a $85 menu, I think it’s good value.”

D: “Oh, I agree! $85 per person for what you guys are offering is such a great value. It’s almost a bargain.”

K: “At the times like now, we have to give, and we have to be generous to everyone.”

The interview finishes there as service starts to intensify. The set menu has evolved slightly since the last time I was there with some noticeable changes in the ‘Chaco Classics’ and an addition to the menu with the ‘A5-Uni on Rice’. It shows me that Keita, even if he’s set on providing only a set menu, is not hampered to a particular menu. He’s willing to change things up in order to give his diners new things. Most of the ‘classics’ found in my blog are still there, but I get the feeling they may not be a few months down the track. Either way, I’m excited to see where Chaco Bar goes next in these unprecedented times. As for the immediate, I need to try Chaco Ramen!