Chalawan was created based on the food culture of Thailand and southeast Asia with the goal of achieving the highest level of fine dining cuisine. In the house of Chalawan, we have developed unique recipes with the best quality of ingredients and warm hospitality for all customers. The design is inspired from the style of a Thai house in the early Rattanagosin period with the warm welcome feeling of a living room.
The wall art is the great creation of a Thai national artistic master Chakrabhand Posayakrit. Colorful movie posters and music play in the restroom and old Thai videos on the wall. The plates and cutlery present a playful mood and are chosen in addition to unique cuisine so that each guest can enjoy the overall vision that we have selected from the first step in the restaurant until they leave.
The wall art is the great creation of a Thai national artistic master Chakrabhand Posayakrit. Colorful movie posters and music play in the restroom and old Thai videos on the wall. The plates and cutlery present a playful mood and are chosen in addition to unique cuisine so that each guest can enjoy the overall vision that we have selected from the first step in the restaurant until they leave.
Reviews (26)
Morgan B.
Jan 29, 2022
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I didn't know food could taste this good.
The first time I ordered from Chalawan, I was so blown away that I had to order from them again the following day.
I've had the Tofu Betel Leaf, Black Pepper Tofu, Szechuan Eggplant, Chili Tofu, and Potato Kurma. Each of those dishes is good enough individually to fully justify a 5-star rating for the restaurant.
I don't know what else to say, except that I hope this place becomes popular enough for the chef to write a cookbook and maybe open some more locations. There needs to be more of this food in the world.
Some tips for your first
The first time I ordered from Chalawan, I was so blown away that I had to order from them again the following day.
I've had the Tofu Betel Leaf, Black Pepper Tofu, Szechuan Eggplant, Chili Tofu, and Potato Kurma. Each of those dishes is good enough individually to fully justify a 5-star rating for the restaurant.
I don't know what else to say, except that I hope this place becomes popular enough for the chef to write a cookbook and maybe open some more locations. There needs to be more of this food in the world.
Some tips for your first
Clare M.
Jan 17, 2022
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The scallops and dumplings for the starter were absolutely delicious. So we'll cooked and the flavors were on point. Savory, sweet, with a little kick. The duck curry as a main was awesome. The crispy skin salmon salad was a fascinating combo of watermelon and veggies and salmon. The whole meal could have used more salt or soy sauce, but the salmon was really well-cooked and the combo of salad inputs was unique. They didn't have the banana cake, which probably would have been better than the salted caramel custard (it should have been called Jell-o).
Megan L.
Jan 12, 2022
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WOW. I ate til I was STUFFED because I simply could not make myself stop eating. The lemonade was incredibly refreshing and perfectly sweet. The calamari was HOT and tender with a touch of crispiness. The pork belly was insane - sooo juicy with a crunchy outside. The scallops might have been my favorite. They come on a spoon and are best eaten as one giant bite because you get a BURST of flavor. And the stir fry snapper was incredible, with super aromatic, perfectly fluffy jasmine rice.
It's very hard to pick a favorite, but I would definitely get the scallops and calamari as starters, and
It's very hard to pick a favorite, but I would definitely get the scallops and calamari as starters, and
Edward W.
Jan 06, 2022
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Two months ago, my friend and I tried this Cambridge restaurant after hearing good reviews. We decided to sit outside. Even though it was a bit cold, the outdoor heated lamps actually kept us surprisingly warm.
We ordered the seared Alaskan scallops, crispy pork belly, Singapore chili beef, and red curry duck.
We waited over 30 minutes for our meal. Even people who came after us got their order much quicker than us.
The seared Alaskan scallops came with ginger, scallions and shallots. It was actually pretty good.
The crispy pork belly was cut thick. The flavor of the pork belly was not bad
We ordered the seared Alaskan scallops, crispy pork belly, Singapore chili beef, and red curry duck.
We waited over 30 minutes for our meal. Even people who came after us got their order much quicker than us.
The seared Alaskan scallops came with ginger, scallions and shallots. It was actually pretty good.
The crispy pork belly was cut thick. The flavor of the pork belly was not bad
Michelle D.
Dec 30, 2021
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Alice D.
Dec 07, 2021
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Came here with a large party on a Friday night for a birthday. We made a reservation beforehand and provided a cake as a surprise without any issue and we didn't need everyone to be seated which was nice - we were treated kindly and were serviced pretty quickly as well. Definitely a positive experience!
We split our table up into mini-tables to handle ordering. We had things family style and got ~4-5 dishes for 4 people. It was more than enough food and we were full by the end! We each had a scallop which tasted fantastic, then shared the rest. I can't recommend the fish and pork belly
We split our table up into mini-tables to handle ordering. We had things family style and got ~4-5 dishes for 4 people. It was more than enough food and we were full by the end! We each had a scallop which tasted fantastic, then shared the rest. I can't recommend the fish and pork belly
Sofia Tong
Nov 17, 2021
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Toni R.
Nov 05, 2021
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Great food! We came on a Friday night and this place was poppin'. It took a bit of a wait for staff to come by and attend to us but that's understandable given how busy they were. Food was delicious and great for sharing family style. The best one was definitely the pork hock! Looks like it was over cooked from the outside but so tender and juicy on the inside. Will be back for sure!
Prasanth Ganesan
Oct 26, 2021
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S. Pj
Oct 23, 2021
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Not my favorite restaurant
Water in cute glasses but drinking from them is uncomfortable
Rice scooped on your plate family style
The pork belly portion was big but super fatty (I’ve had more lean pork belly)
The rendang was also very fatty
The gado gasp for was so so
And both appetizers did not taste well
Note my dining partner did like most of the dishes
Water in cute glasses but drinking from them is uncomfortable
Rice scooped on your plate family style
The pork belly portion was big but super fatty (I’ve had more lean pork belly)
The rendang was also very fatty
The gado gasp for was so so
And both appetizers did not taste well
Note my dining partner did like most of the dishes
Chelsea G.
Oct 22, 2021
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Absolutely wonderful spot and cannot wait to go again. Took my parents here and it was definitely a great spot to impress.
Seared Alaska scallop: fantastic--so fresh and tender and the sauce/toppings paired perfectly. Definitely get one for each person in your party.
Crispy pork belly: everyone says to get this and for good reason. Crisp on the outside and melty on the inside, and the sauce that comes in the little container adds a lot of depth to an already complex flavor. Get some rice with this.
Crispy whole fish: again--the complex flavors!! Nice amount of heat and acidity. If you're
Seared Alaska scallop: fantastic--so fresh and tender and the sauce/toppings paired perfectly. Definitely get one for each person in your party.
Crispy pork belly: everyone says to get this and for good reason. Crisp on the outside and melty on the inside, and the sauce that comes in the little container adds a lot of depth to an already complex flavor. Get some rice with this.
Crispy whole fish: again--the complex flavors!! Nice amount of heat and acidity. If you're
Howie H.
Sep 24, 2021
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Strolled in here last friday for a late lunch around 2:30pm with two other tables indoors so we chose dine in. there is an outdoor seating option with plenty of tables. the walls of decorated with wood panels which makes the place look nice.
we ordered two seared scallop and the crisp pork belly as apps. entrees were from the lunch menu and included nasi lemak and chicken biryani.
the seared scallops were tasty, sitting in a concoction of sauce, and topped with scallions. the crispy pork belly were truly crispy, which i really like. the slices were sitting in a bed of brown tangy sweet sauce
we ordered two seared scallop and the crisp pork belly as apps. entrees were from the lunch menu and included nasi lemak and chicken biryani.
the seared scallops were tasty, sitting in a concoction of sauce, and topped with scallions. the crispy pork belly were truly crispy, which i really like. the slices were sitting in a bed of brown tangy sweet sauce
Atarah J.
Sep 12, 2021
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Had a cute little date night this weekend with my boyfriend out of the blue. We've actually ate the food from here via delivery but it was the first time we were able to go and eat in person. We got the oyster, pork belly, and scallops as starters and enjoyed every bit immensely. For our main meal with got the tamarind prawns and the chicken dish. We enjoyed every dish and found them all to be extremely flavorful. I would say the Borneo prawn was a little too sweet for my liking but I was taking a risk in trying it and still enjoyed the meal as a whole. The chicken dish on the other hand was
Tanu
Aug 30, 2021
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This is one-time visit place. Although i enjoyed it i wouldn’t go back. Go here if you want to try something different.
The roti canai and curries were tasty and flavorful.
The vegetarian options only contain Tofu. I wish they had better options for vegetarians. The curry was watery and i was difficult to eat in a plate.
The staff was very friendly and 5 stars to them.
The roti canai and curries were tasty and flavorful.
The vegetarian options only contain Tofu. I wish they had better options for vegetarians. The curry was watery and i was difficult to eat in a plate.
The staff was very friendly and 5 stars to them.
Vivian T.
Aug 27, 2021
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This place has decent Thai/Indonesian food (not the best place I've tried, but still a great place for lunch or dinner). Although each dish was yummy, there were a few things that made them less than perfect.
Red curry of duck 8.5/10 - I absolutely loved the lychee in this curry. I've never tried lychee with red curry, but the sweetness of the fruit worked well with the savory duck. The curry was a bit too watery and I would've preferred a slightly stronger flavor, but still delicious and great with rice
Crispy pork belly 8/10 - The stack of thick pork belly slices looked amazing
Red curry of duck 8.5/10 - I absolutely loved the lychee in this curry. I've never tried lychee with red curry, but the sweetness of the fruit worked well with the savory duck. The curry was a bit too watery and I would've preferred a slightly stronger flavor, but still delicious and great with rice
Crispy pork belly 8/10 - The stack of thick pork belly slices looked amazing
Marni M.
Aug 27, 2021
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Came on a Thursday afternoon for dinner with a friend. We had the option to sit either outside or inside with plenty of openings. It was a quaint and peaceful.
We ordered family style and shared the calamari, crispy pork belly, the apple salad, and the Szechuan stirfried eggplant as well with brown rice. Calamari had a thin crispy batter on the outside with a sweet brown glaze sauce on the side. The pork belly pieces were plump and fried to perfection. I liked the vinegar sauce on the side as it cut the fattiness of the pork belly. The apple salad was refreshing and had some spongy like vegetable
We ordered family style and shared the calamari, crispy pork belly, the apple salad, and the Szechuan stirfried eggplant as well with brown rice. Calamari had a thin crispy batter on the outside with a sweet brown glaze sauce on the side. The pork belly pieces were plump and fried to perfection. I liked the vinegar sauce on the side as it cut the fattiness of the pork belly. The apple salad was refreshing and had some spongy like vegetable
Gillian S.
Aug 07, 2021
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Amazing food, amazing vibes, 10/10! I absolutely loved their crispy pork belly appetizer and their crispy whole fish! The crispy pork belly was super crisp and well seasoned. Their fish sauce was just insane! Their red curry of duck was a little too sweet for my liking but it was also pretty good.
Would definitely go again! Highly recommended for dates and for family hangouts!
Would definitely go again! Highly recommended for dates and for family hangouts!
Caroline Howard
Jul 26, 2021
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Rima K.
Jun 08, 2021
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Jeffrey Dwoskin
Apr 17, 2021
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Mona Jalal
Mar 27, 2021
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Michael C.
Feb 04, 2021
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I was quite excited to see a SEA cuisine so close to the area but unfortunately my experience was more of a meh. Especially compared to my experiences at much more down to earth Malayasian/Singaporean restaurants when I was in Queens this place definitely is more about show than substance.
The presentation is definitely very nice and the staff was quite friendly. To be fair they are quite good with COVID protocols too each group was seated well apart given how popular the restaurant was it was quite a nice job they did to follow the rules.
Unfortunately when it comes to the food I really think
The presentation is definitely very nice and the staff was quite friendly. To be fair they are quite good with COVID protocols too each group was seated well apart given how popular the restaurant was it was quite a nice job they did to follow the rules.
Unfortunately when it comes to the food I really think
Le T.
Dec 20, 2020
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Xin Zhang
Sep 14, 2020
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Food
I decided to come here because of the great ratings in Yelp, but I was disappointed. The food was very mediocre. The highlight was the scallop appetiser, but still not perfect. The chicken betel leaf was interesting, but I didn’t realise it was a cold dish. The steam snapper dumplings were okay as well.
For main course, I had the crispy whole fish and it was so sweet that I couldn’t finish half of it. The red duck curry was not bad. Finally, the desserts. Both of us had black sticky rice. Not a fan.
Everything else
The decor was nice, but a bit too dark for my taste. I don’t think
I decided to come here because of the great ratings in Yelp, but I was disappointed. The food was very mediocre. The highlight was the scallop appetiser, but still not perfect. The chicken betel leaf was interesting, but I didn’t realise it was a cold dish. The steam snapper dumplings were okay as well.
For main course, I had the crispy whole fish and it was so sweet that I couldn’t finish half of it. The red duck curry was not bad. Finally, the desserts. Both of us had black sticky rice. Not a fan.
Everything else
The decor was nice, but a bit too dark for my taste. I don’t think
Samrudhi Sridharan
Jan 04, 2020
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The food was excellent. There are tonnes of vegetarian options as well (they have a separate vegetarian menu too). The pork belly starter is extremely well cooked and delicious. The Bornean Adam Tahu comes highly recommended: it is the right amount of sweet and spicy. The dessert selection is pretty good too: we had the banana cake with coconut ice cream and we could have had 20 of those. There are a few beer options (besides Singha) and a rather extensive wine collection. The decor is stunning: the mural is very eye catching of course, but there are a lot of quirky little details (like the tiffin
Sasan Jalili
Jul 30, 2019
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After hearing so many good thing about Chalawan restaurant, I finally decided to give it a try! I was surprised by the quality of the dishes! Excellent Indonesian food! We tried both chicken ($20) and beef ($30) and they were so yummy! You pay $2 for rice and they keep refilling your plate! The decorations, plates and even the water jars were so authentic and elegant! For desert I tried cream brûlée with almond ice cream ($8) and it was just as good as the food! I didn’t try the starters or sides, but they sounds delicious!
Nice place to dine with family and friends. Also super friendly staff
Nice place to dine with family and friends. Also super friendly staff
