Arlington Magazine: Best of Arlington 2023

Editor Pick
Chinese-Korean Comfort Food

Chiko

Northern Virginia devotees of Chiko’s “orange-ish” chicken and cumin-lamb stir-fry let out a collective cheer when the counter-service eatery arrived in Shirlington (its fifth DMV location) in 2022. The restaurant’s easygoing, pan-Asian format defies classification: It’s not full-service, but not strictly fast-casual either. “We don’t really know what it is. We’ve been trying to figure that out for over five years,” jokes chef Scott Drewno, who owns Chiko and sister restaurant Anju (in D.C.) with fellow chef and NoVa native Danny Lee. “We’re just trying to use our many years of restaurant experience and cooking know-how to make some cool food.” The result is addictive dishes such as soy-glazed brisket with soft egg, smashed salmon with black bean butter, and pork belly-kimchi stew—plus creative offerings like a monthly cook-at-home supper club, dumpling happy hours, special dishes by guest chefs and theme weeks devoted to seasonal ingredients such as Maryland crabs. –Adele Chapin