Fusion cuisine has become a much too often used catch phrase in the restaurant world representing anything slightly different and is so casually thrown around that almost anything can qualify for membership. It not only attempts to describe the food but it has sadly and inappropriately become a ubiquitous marketing tool for many restaurants.
Authentic fusion cuisine, by its very nature, demands highly skilled chefs who have intricate knowledge of different ingredients from many global cuisines coupled with the traditional techniques needed to prepare them. The flavors and texture must be harmonious. Combining all these diverse and sometimes exotic ingredients and different cooking techniques requires a talented chef with a sound creative approach to his cuisine.
Cho, on Notre Dame St West in that now famous restaurant row, is most assuredly one of these restaurants whose chef has taken fusion cuisine to its ultimate and most creative end. The fusion at Cho is Asian inspired . The passionate chef in charge of the kitchen is Nicholas D’Onfrio who has honed his skills at many notable restaurants in Montreal along with travelling and having worked in the kitchens of Gordon Ramsey at Claridge’s in London and the renowned Nobu.
The food at Cho, along with its excellent service, relaxed and casual atmosphere is not high end dining, but boy does it send your taste buds into overdrive. The myriad of flavors and textures in the dishes are completely harmonious and absolutely delicious. The majority of dishes on the menu are served as ‘small plates’ meant to be shared (I’m still not completely sold on this small plate trend as it can surreptitiously increase the amount of your final bill if you’re not careful!).
The menu selection is diverse and definitely requires a return visit to sample more than could be eatenon one night ( something I fully intend to do on another evening).
We ordered a mix of dishes: Grilled Mushroom Salad ($17), Grilled Chicken Satay ($15), Pork Belly Bao ($9), Salmon Tartare ($20) and Grilled Red Snapper ($32).
The grilled mushrooms, a mix of perfectly grilled shiitake, king and portobello mushrooms was tossed with a mix of fresh organic greens and dressed in a light fruity vinaigrette and mixed in with some sinful, not too sweet bacon jam that contrasted perfectly with slightly smoky flavor of the mushrooms…The saying that “Everything goes better with bacon” applied here, in spades!
The grilled chicken satay consisted of three skewers of perfectly grilled chicken marinated in a mix of sambal, garlic and lemon. It was served with what I’m sure was a sweet soy based sauce. The flavors literally danced in your mouth. It reminded me of the satays I ate at food stalls on my various trips to Thailand.
The pork belly, wonderfully braised and tender with a sweet crust, was served ‘taco’ style in a steamed bao bun (two of them). The sweetness and rich tender texture of the pork belly was artfully contrasted with a crunchy relish of sliced green onion, diced cucumber and sprigs of citrusy fresh coriander, all garnished with shards of crisp fried onion…Yum!
My Salmon tartare, a hearty portion served in a bowl, was up there with one of the best I’ve tasted. The finely diced salmon was mixed with an absolutely fresh and divine mix of Asian flavors and textures, starting with an addictive lemongrass and sambal dressing with contrasting textures from tempura flakes, diced Asian pear, cucumber and radishes. Accompanying the tartare was a bowl of crisp rice cakes. This could have been a meal in itself.
Our final dish of the night was a filet of grilled red snapper perfectly grilled with its crisp skin exposed and intact and its flesh rich and moist. It was served atop a silky smooth puree of celeriac and garnished with sweet caramelized peppers and onions. Simplicity at its best. It was one of the stars of the meal. It was the market fish choice so I assume the fish and preparation will change nightly as the selection of fish changes.
We accompanied our meal with a dry white wine from New Zealand, Whitehaven ($45), a perfect choice to complement the food.
One positive aspect of choosing shared plates is that usually and thankfully you have ample room for dessert, without feeling too stuffed.
So carry on we did choosing the Home Baked Cookie with Ice Cream ($12). It consisted of an extremely large chocolate chip cookie cooked to order on a fajita style cast iron skillet served right out of the oven with a large scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream on top. Simple, comforting, sinfully rich, but oh so good. A perfect ending to a fabulous meal
It’s very apparent by the size of the crowd on the night we were there that the owners and chef have a real passion for what they are doing, it shows on every plate emanating from the kitchen. Long may they prosper!
Cho, I found out, is a Korean word meaning ‘beautiful’ and a Japanese word meaning ‘butterfly’. both somewhat synonymous. These definitions only begin to describe Cho in my humble opinion. I will be back to take in more of its ‘beauty’ and amazing food that takes fusion and creative cooking to a whole new and exciting level.
Our meal, including two cocktails, wine and taxes, came to $194.00
Cho
4450 rue Notre Dame ouest
Tel: 514 507-3565
Tuesday – Sunday 17h30 – 23h00
www.restaurantcho.com
