Chachawan (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★★☆

Little nugget had another rehearsal in Sheung Wan this afternoon, giving us the perfect excuse to dive back into the neighborhood’s ever-evolving food scene. Instead of chasing something new, we found ourselves gravitating back to a tried-and-true favorite — Chachawan, the beloved Isaan Thai eatery that’s long been a staple in our good books.

As expected, the restaurant was buzzing with life on a Sunday, but luck was on our side. We scored a cozy table on the mezzanine floor, a little away from the action.

It's been a while since we last indulged a satisfying Thai meal together and today’s lunch should more than make up for lost time.

Iced Thai milk tea ($50) – Very rich in tea flavor and not overly sweet. Probably the second best Thai milk tea I've tried this year. A close second behind the one from Soi.29 Chef Key. 

Kai Jiaw ($168) – This Thai-style crab omelette, dotted with spring onions, instantly reminded me of the ones at Samsen. While I usually like mine spiked with a healthy dosage of Sriracha sauce (Thai chili sauce), I had to skip the heat this time as I'm having a presentation next week and it's a good idea that I'd spare my voice.

This wasn't bad. A little more crab meat would make me a even happier camper.

Phad Thai ($158) – A textbook example of wok hei in action as the noodles arrived hot and fragrant straight out of the kitchen.

The noodles were beautifully tossed with juicy prawns, tofu, chives, egg, and beansprout in a sweet and tangy tamarind sauce. There was a really nice balance of sweetness and acidity in the dish. Love this~

Look at the size of these river prawns! Fat, juicy, and perfectly curled from the heat of the wok.

Khor Moo Yung ($168) – Marinated in garlic, coriander root and pepper, the pork collar arrived glistening with just the right amount of char. Succulent, tender, and boasting that slightly chewy bite that pork collar lovers crave.

The meat were sliced and served with a flavorful Nam Jim Jaew sauce. This alone is worth a return trip.

I had just enough room for one dessert and their Kanom dtom, warm coconut rice dumplings served in salted coconut cream, had been on my radar screen forever. But just when I was about to place the order, we got a call from little one's teacher telling us that the rehearsal had finished early. That was all the time we had, time to settle the bill and walk our way back to pick the little guy up.

Food Rating: 7.1/10

Price: $$$

Address: G/F, 206 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Sheung Wan

Tel: +852 2549-0020

Website: http://www.chachawan.hk/

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 3:00pm, 6:00pm - 11:00pm daily