For some restaurant owners, COVID-19 wasn’t all gloom and doom. For Chow Main‘s Austin Wong, the statewide shutdown gave him the time to step back and assess how he was operating his business. After closing the downtown Asian fusion restaurant for a month, he reopened this past July with a new vision for the lunch spot.
The 27-year-old went back to the drawing board and changed the menu, hours and restaurant branding. Now, Chow Main has a younger, more modern feel. The branding is inspired by anime characters, Chinese culture and the ‘90s film Wayne’s World.
225 Dine sat down with Wong at one of his favorite downtown eateries, The Vintage, to catch up over beignets and talk about Chow Main’s new menu.
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What have you been up to since we last spoke in 2018?
“When I first met you, [Chow Main] was like an Asian Chipotle. It was bowl-based. I was trying to do way too much. Up until the quarantine, I was learning from my mistakes. I closed Chow for a month, reopened and rebranded. And people are loving it. I have regulars who come in once or twice a week to literally get the same thing. So I’m very content with everything right now.”
How has your menu changed since you opened?
“I have a simpler menu now. It’s more efficient. Before I had two woks and was cooking for 70-80 people on any given day between the hours of 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. I was in way over my head initially.”
What encouraged you to tweak the menu and restaurant branding?
“Since COVID-19, downtown is kind of like a ghost town. All of the state employees haven’t fully returned to work, so it’s been a good time for self-reflection. I stopped caring what everybody thinks and started operating to my own beat. I thought to myself, ‘What’s travel-friendly? What’s quarantine-friendly?’ And for me, that was sandwiches, soup and chicken wings.”
Tell me about the new menu…
“For the sandwiches, I’m getting Dong Phuong Oriental Bakery in New Orleans for their delicious French baguettes. I took the traditional banh mi, which is like a Vietnamese po-boy, and then made six different ones that hit every flavor profile. There’s a vegetarian one, fried chicken and Korean BBQ one. The wings are super crispy but light. And the soup—I love it. It’s Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup. It’s something I grew up on. My mom is from Taiwan, and my dad is from Hong Kong. So I just want to show love to Taiwan.”
Why did you choose to have dessert with us today at The Vintage?
“It’s close to my restaurant, and I really enjoy their beignets.”
What did you order today?
“The fancy beignet flight, which came with one s’ mores, one matcha and one blueberry cheesecake beignet.”
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What are some of your other favorite dessert spots in Baton Rouge?
“Sweet Society and District Donuts.”
Chow Main is at 501 Main St. Its temporary hours are Monday-Friday, 10:30 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Just Desserts is a 225 Dine feature where we interview Baton Rouge culinary pros about their craft and love of food while, of course, eating dessert. If you’ve got a suggestion for a great local dessert to try for this feature—or a culinary pro to interview—drop us a tip in the comments!