A low-profile place in Georgetown, and likely a must for local college students, Chu’s Café keeps elegant company: Café Milano, Morton’s, Peacock Café and Bangkok Bistro restaurants are just down the block. With such upscale neighbors, you’ve got to wonder how this mom-and-pop eatery keeps going, especially since most dishes are priced in the $4.95 to $7.95 range.
Perhaps one answer is that the owners declare they use only low-fat, low-cholesterol and fresh and natural ingredients. In today’s world where consumers care about such things, Chu’s might be on to something big, and become a real Georgetown hotspot. But it’s more likely that students and others drop in because: a) it’s cheap; b) it’s casual; and c) portions are pretty darn large.
You’ve got to hand it to the owners for drawing up a nonstop menu with loads of typical fare, plus about two dozen tofu-based dishes, a real draw for vegetarians. How about a tofu burger with french fries at $4.95?
I ordered a tofu-and-meat dish, the always-popular ma po tofu served over rice ($4.25). Traditionally, it’s made with hot chili paste and ground pork stirred with tofu and other seasonings, like loads of garlic and ginger. And it’s supposed to be hot. Presumably, the cook here figured his version was hot too, but I spooned on chili paste from the table’s condiment jar to add some bite. The portion was certainly substantial, but the flavors were not; it’s a bland imitation of the real firebrand dish, with the ground beef and the tofu chunks awash in a bland brown sauce.
Other samplings included their Mongolian wrap ($4.50), a fabricated dish since obviously no Mongolians ever ran around the plains of China with flour tortillas. For this the kitchen stir-fries pork bits, eggs and bean sprouts, and wraps them up with a large scoop of white rice for a sturdy take-away sandwich.
The grilled teriyaki chicken ($4.95) — obviously not meant to be Chinese — appeared neither grilled nor brushed with a gingery soy-based teriyaki marinade. Once again, a brown sauce moistened the skewered chicken. But served over rice, this makes a decent hungry-student meal.
No desserts, except rugelach, an unexpected find in a Chinese restaurant. Curiosity satisfied, I left, and can recommend Chu’s as a student’s best bet.
Chu’s Cafe
Address: 3261 Prospect St. NW, Washington
Phone: 202-342-3377
Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
Credit cards: Cash only
