Sydney ramen institution Chaco Bar has opened a new venue on Victoria Street in Potts Point. The move means chef/owner Keita Abe will finally be able to showcase yakitori and regional Japanese cuisine from the surrounds of Fukuoka.
Yakitori (chicken skewers) are, unsurprisingly, a predominate fixture of the menu at Chaco Bar, but kushiyaki (other skewers) and yasai-kushi (veggie skewers) abound too. There’s also a handful of mains and rice-based dishes, as well as smaller plates such as spicy tuna belly salad, Hokkaidō Scallop with anchovy butter and ikura, and ebi mayo tempura.
Matt Darwon and GP2 Projects are behind the design. Intimate spaces and warm lighting set the tone, with touches of Abe’s personal style featuring throughout, including hand-sewn buntings by his mother.
What was once Chaco Bar is now Chaco Ramen — the original Darlinghurst location, which opened in 2014 and traded in skewers by night and ramen by day, is now dedicated to slinging bowl after bowl of the iconic Japanese noodle export.
The singular focus is the norm in Japan and it’ll allow Abe to kick things up a notch with his innovative takes on ramen. Think ‘fat soy’, an ode to the ever-popular tonkotsu broth with adjustable fat levels; ‘yuzu scallop’ with Hokkaidō scallop, John Dory and prawn wonton; ‘prawn coriander’, a cold ramen with poached prawn, shellfish oil, daikon, bamboo shoots, onsen egg and wadashi.
Chaco Bar is open Tuesday–Saturday from 5:30pm to 10pm, while the bar will be open until 11pm. Sunday hours are coming from mid-January.
Chaco Ramen is open Monday and Wednesday–Saturday for lunch from 11:30am to 2:30pm and for dinner from 5:00pm to 9:00pm, as well as Sundays 5pm to 8:30pm.
Image: Alana Dimou