After two weeks of preparation and a journey full of twists and turns, Chinese-Vietnamese fusion restaurant Chào’s Bistro has officially opened its doors in Adelaide’s Chinatown hub, marking the chain’s second venture in Adelaide since their Glenelg store opened nine months ago.
Known for an innovative blend of Chinese and Vietnamese flavours, the new location has already drawn a bustling crowd in their first week of trading. In fact, so many patrons have been embracing the fusion flavours that the restaurant has had to take a couple days off to restock their produce.
The menu at Chào’s reflects owner Ken’s fascinating background as a Vietnamese-born Chinese man. Arriving in Australia at 14 as an international student, he experienced an identity crisis while navigating this dual heritage. Now, with more than twenty years in Australia under his belt, Ken has infused this blend of cultures into his hallmark dishes.
“It’s not 100% Chinese food or 100% Vietnamese food. It’s something in-between.”
Diners can anticipate crowd-favourite meals like the Hot Plate Skillet, featuring sizzling meat, vegetables, and a banh mi bread roll, the Bistro Beef Rib Noodle Soup (Ken’s personal favourite), dried noodles with roast pork, and a contemporary take on traditional Vietnamese Phở: the Phở Burrito.
What sets Chào’s Bistro apart is Ken’s commitment to authenticity. After living in Australia for two decades, he’s set out to bring the authentic flavours of his cultural background to Adelaide’s dining scene. He always wanted a restaurant in Chinatown, but had his original plans thwarted last year when he faced delays in securing a location.
As a result, the first restaurant was established in Glenelg. At first, Ken wanted to attract the local customer base, comprised predominantly of western people. They specialised in familiar dishes like Banh Mi and vermicelli salad bowls to appeal to the locals, in the hopes that these customers would return and explore the rest of the menu. This strategy paid off, with customers quickly embracing the fusion concept, leading to, in Ken’s words, a “100% return rate”.
Despite the success of his Glenelg location, Ken’s dream was always rooted in Adelaide’s iconic Chinatown district. With the area’s high foot traffic and vibrant culinary community in his sights, Ken took a bold leap of faith and opened his second location less than a year after the first.
“It was all or nothing,” he said.
But the opening week proved more successful than he could have possibly anticipated, with items selling out by 7:30pm during the first three days. Due to the overwhelming demand, both locations had to close for a day to do some much needed restocking, keeping Ken and his team working tirelessly until the early hours of the morning.
The Chinatown location is only the beginning. Ken has ambitious plans to update the menu every three months, adding in delicious street food recipes to keep customers on their toes. He also hopes to extend opening hours to cater to night owls, potentially staying open until midnight on weekends.
For now, Ken is focused on settling into Chinatown and mastering the dining experience. With its authentic fusion dishes, strong community ties, and forward-thinking approach, Chào’s Bistro is poised to become a staple in Adelaide’s bustling Chinatown.
WHAT: Chào’s Bistro, now open in Chinatown.
WHEN: Open 11am-10pm Sunday – Wednesday and 11am – midnight Thursday – Saturday
WHERE: 19 Field Street, Adelaide SA 5000
For more information, click here.
More News
