Cheu Noodle Bar: Beyond the Broth

    We were lucky enough to score two seats to the latest Pop-Up installment of Cheu Noodle Bar.  While the noodles were perfectly chewy, the soundtrack eclectically diverse, and the handlebar mustaches waxed just right, the overall impression of Cheu Noodle Bar deserves attention beyond the broth as one of the most significant restaurant “openings” this year.

    Cheu Noodle Bar, formerly Roundeye, is the brainchild of Matyson chef Ben Puchowitz and Shawn Darragh. Not a ramen-ya proper, but a hip, energetic place with innovative interpretations on classic Asian noodle dishes by two white suburban dudes.  Cheu has only occurred in Pop-Up form thus far, but we are hearing that a permanent spot in the Gayborhood is imminent.

     While Cheu does live up to all of these descriptions, it’s the whole idea of Cheu that should have Philadelphia excited for noodles and what these strands mean for the dining scene as a whole. Philadelphia’s restaurant landscape has been described as many things : BYO central, a gastropub hub, and a city of true ethnic neighborhood joints. All of these monikers carry weight to them, but when it comes down to it, Philadelphia is a cook’s town. Real cooks. The guys (and girls) who embody a profession that is often romanticized into a heroic and martyr-like quest for perfection, but in the end is about heat, ingredients, and happy customers. David Katz, George Sabatino, John Taus, Jonny Mac, Chris Kearse. These are the guys who cook your food. These are the chefs of Philadelphia (Sorry Jose and Marc, you’re great too), and Ben Puchowitz is one of these cooks.  A hard working, smart, and creative individual who tirelessly strives to keep you fed in the most honest way possible. To me, that is a Philadelphia’s cooks are about.

   Roundeye Cheu is so exciting because it is a Philadelphia chef cooking what he wants to eat and what he wants to cook. Keep your poorly conceptualized pubs. Cooks want noodles.  Look no further than the app Chef’s Feed Philadelphia, where the sole purpose is to tell you where our chef’s eat, to see that an overwhelming majority of our town’s toques love noodles and Asian food.  Chalk it up to the balance, the spice, the funk, whatever; the guy who made that bordelaise on your plate is a proud noodle slurper.

  Hopefully, Cheu Noodle Bar is only one of many of a new breed of chef driven restaurants in Philly. Moroccan tacos from Chef David Katz? Please.  One of the killer charcuterie makers rolling out a sandwich shop? That is as exciting as the most grand of steakhouses. Cooking is about sharing and Puchowitz and Darragh are sharing something they are passionate about.

  But even beyond, in the porky depths of the broth at Cheu and the higher power that is present in the perfectly spicy mussels, Cheu Noodle Bar is about some seriously delicious noodles. Onto the food…

PEI Mussels – Rice Cakes, Chorizo, Pickled Chili Sauce

  This edition of Cheu featured an all new snacks section of appetizer like bites prepared in the same vein as the noodle dishes. Asian overall, but with creative and smart Western twists, the mussels were our clear winner of the night. Albeit a small portion of 5 hearty Prince Edward Island mollusks, the entire dish sang a familiar song, but with an exotic voice.  The pickled chili sauce, made luxuriously rich from chorizo, created a perfect volley against the sweet mussels. One moment, I wished the rice cakes were crispy, the next I thought they were perfect; but the entire time, I wanted more to give me a reason to eat the rest of that awesome sauce with some form of civility, as opposed to scooping up every last drop with my spoon.

Steamed buns – lamb belly, cucumber, harissa

  The lamb buns were obviously much earthier than their Momofuku inspiration of the porcine kind. They could have stepped out of their big brother’s shadow with accompaniments other than the obligatory smear (Harissa here in place of Hoisin at Momo) and quick pickled cucumbers. But the lamb belly was wonderful.

Peas – togarashi butter, mint, lime, sesame

Dan Dan Duck – foie gras, peanuts, mustard greens, Thai basil

  From the vegetable section, the peas with togarashi butter, mint, lime, and sesame also received the same Hunger Games arena etiquette as the mussels. The main attraction, the noodles, didn’t disappoint.  The pork belly ramen’s springy noodles were on point, and the kale and shiitakes added much contrast to the dish. The soy stained egg with its runny yolk, while perfectly cooked, wasn’t exactly stained. The pork could have used a bit more cure, but the fatty and crispy outer bark was my favorite thing to find in the bottom of the bowl(Green Meadow hogs?). The broth was exquisite. Best in Show level execution here.  The Dan Dan Duck was another highlight. The combination of foie gras and peanuts made the noodles themselves unctuous and deeply satisfying. Pair that with the duck, mustard, greens, and Thai basil and the completed dish is much greater than the sum of its parts.

  This was a fantastically cheap, fun, and delicious time. The room was loud and young, and the paper Asian party decorations that hung from the duct work added as much to the whimsy of the evening as the red Solo cups you were given if your BYO’d.  Whether the next incarnation of Cheu is a Pop-Up or in their final digs, we can’t wait.  We can philosophize about it all we want, but in White Heat, MPW declares “At the end of the day, it’s just food”. At Cheu Noodle Bar, the food is very, very good.