Char siu, the Cantonese technique of roasting meats over fire, is the inspiration behind a new restaurant that just opened at 119 Essex St. The chef is Matt Rojas, who won praise at Rouge et Blanc in Soho and worked in the kitchens at Eleven Madison Park and Degustation.
According to a press release we received today, the menu is influenced by the flavors of Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Chinese and Thai cuisine. Rojas comes from a Mexican American family in Arizona, but his mom made Chinese dishes when he was a kid, and Rojas has had a passion for Asian cooking ever since.
Menu items include roast duck rubbed with Sichuan spices, five spice duck wings, curried lamb neck and mapo pork belly. Prices range from $7-$17. There’s a beer and wine menu. Craft beers include selections from Kent Falls Brewery, Equilibrium Brewery and Half Acre Beer Company. You can see the full menu here.
Char Sue is open for dinner Wednesday-Sunday.
