Asian Fusion Dining

Chase your perfect bowl at this new Plano Asian restaurant

Chasu is the latest restaurant to emulate Chipotle's assembly line style.

Photo courtesy of Chasu

A new Asian restaurant in Plano names itself for one of its signature dishes. The restaurant, which opened in January at the northeast corner of Dallas North Tollway and Park Boulevard, is called Chasu, for the Cantonese method of flavoring barbecued pork.

Chasu loosely follows the Chipotle model, with an assembly line of ingredients from which customers can create their own dish. You have five options with which to start: rice noodles, white or brown rice, a veggie blend, or a sushi-like nori wrap. Then choose whatever other items you want. If you want protein, there are five choices: shrimp, fried tofu, satay chicken, "Chasu" barbecue pork, or the Korean-flavored beef bulgogi.

Veggies are not your run-of-the-mill zucchini. There's kale, street corn, purple cabbage, kimchi, Romaine lettuce, and more.

There are also "buns," which are like soft but chewy dumplings; and a phenomenal version of tofu fries, with neatly trimmed rectangles of tofu in a light, crunchy crust.

The ingredients are a pan-Asian mix that draw from the cuisines of China, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan; many of the recipes and preparations come from manager Doreen Tong.

"We're getting a lot of interest from vegan diners because so many of our dishes can be ordered without meat," Tong says. "The food is always hot and fresh, we use nothing canned or frozen.

"We want to allow you to experience East Asia cuisine in your own way," she says. "With the assembly-line style, you get full control of your meal."

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Where to Drink

Where to drink in Dallas right now: 6 small bar gems for February

Rayo

Cheers at Rayo in Expo Park.

Cut through the noise of loud bars with something a little more lowkey. This is nothing against the big fun flashy hangout. But sometimes you need a place that's laid-back. These small gems fit the bill, from a new hotel bar to one of the oldest bars in Dallas — most with happy hour offerings, and those are always welcome.

Here's where to drink in Dallas right now:

Cannon's Corner Irish Pub
Oak Cliff Irish pub located in Cannon's Village, the cool Tudor-style building at 1314 W. Davis St., is a neighborhood bar for Oak Cliff with a weekday happy hour from 2-7 pm featuring $4.75 wells, $8 Irish mules, $5 red ale, and $4.50 domestic beers. There are also food specials including $7 mussels, corned beef & cabbage rolls, and Irish nachos. On Wednesdays, they have discounts on select whiskey over $12 at half price all day.

Kleo
Hotel restaurant and bar is tucked inside the Hotel Indigo in Las Colinas, which opened in December. Like the restaurant, the bar has a Mediterranean theme, in drinks such as the Mediterranean old fashioned with a Mediterranean spice cordial and cocoa bitters; the Turkish fire drill; and a Tzatziki martini with dill infused Bombay and blanc vermouth. Check them out during the bar's weekday happy hour Monday-Thursday from 2-6 pm when cocktails are half price.

Rayo
Cool little bar in Exposition Park opened across from Fair Park in mid-2024. It's from two former Portland bartenders who envisioned an offbeat yet refined bar and eatery with an extensive cocktail program. Happy hour is Tuesday-Friday from 4-6 pm and features $7 margarita, $8 slushy, $6 daily punch, $5 Modelo. They also do some respectable food; one recent menu addition is the Spit Fire slider with spicy chorizo & Wagyu, Swiss, guacamole, caramelized onions, grilled jalapeños, chili polvo, and a quail egg on brioche.

Rodeo Cold
Throwback 1970s dive and backyard bar that opened in East Dallas in late 2024 has happy hour specials Tuesday-Friday from 3-7 pm including $5 bottled and draft beer, $5 ranch water, paloma, and The Man from Waco. If you're into drinks for the table, they carry sharable drinks like The Dolly, a glittery cocktail of pink whitney vodka, peach schnapps, and pink lemonade for $45. They have specials on bites, too, including a smash burger, patty melt, and chili dogs for $6 each; stacked fries are $8.

Saint Valentine
East Dallas bar co-owned by legendary cocktail guy Gabe Sanchez (Black Swan Saloon) features a happy hour Wednesday-Sunday from 5-8 pm. Drop in on Wednesdays for $1 wings. Classic drinks including daiquiris and margaritas are $8, a dirty gin or vodka martini is $10, and the Yo Kolby! featuring High Life Pony and Fernet Blanc is $8. In terms of food, the so-called happy meal includes a black garlic burger and fries for $12.

Stan's Blue Note
Neighborhood sports bar on Greenville Avenue is one of the oldest in Dallas, first opened in 1952. It's since grown into a spot to catch a game or beer with friends, but they also have some of the cheapest drink specials in town, Monday-Friday from 4-7 pm. Mondays feature 99-cent Busch Light drafts and $2 wells, and for those with an appetite, $1 hot dogs and tacos. They also have a new late night girl's night featuring $5 wine, White Claws, and frozen espresso martinis on Saturdays starting at 10 pm.

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