Our restaurant critics’ picks of the latest and best eats around the country right now: Chaco Bar, Sydney.
“No fat, less fat, normal, or extra fat.” Consolidating its supremacy over casual Japanese dining in the inner east, Chaco Bar now complements its excellent nightly yakitori offer with a concise ramen menu at lunch Wednesday to Saturday. It’s a bold move for a chef from Hakata, the home of tonkotsu-style ramen but, fittingly for a noodle bar run out of a yakitori shop, the two choices chef Keita Abe is dishing up, “fat soy” and “fish salt”, are both made on a chicken stock base. But never fear: the fat soy is enhanced with the various pork back-fat options mentioned above, while the fish salt comes generously garnished with John Dory wontons. The noodles are springy, the broth is clean and clear, and the vibe is cosy. You can customise your order further with extra pork, eggs, wontons, bamboo shoots, leek, spicy sprouts, nori, umeboshi or black fungus, or upsize with gyoza, onigiri and a couple of other sides. Just the thing for the cold weather.
Chaco Bar, 238 Crown St, Darlinghurst, NSW, (02) 9007 8352
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