Chowsun

I tried the BBQ chicken skewers and they were yummy! I will definitely return, hadn’t even heard of this place

This place its a JOKE AND A RIP OFF, I’ve been here twice coming from Colorado Springs both times they gave me baby portion meal. I ordered «lamb» caldereta which cost me almost $ 13 without a drink, I figure it would make me full. Boy!! iwas I wrong, it had 3 pices of meat which is almost all bones in the very small bowl and rice that was it. I was very very disapponted that I didn’t even wanted to take picture t show it, it was embarrassing to even show it. DONT let them rip you off with your hard working money!!!

Being originally from NJ, I was excited to hear about another Filipino place near the Denver area. I ordered the Mami Soup, Beef Caldereta, and Pancit Bihon combo to go. After my 50 minute drive back to Denver, I then pulled out my to go dishes and was really disappointed in what I paid for. How is it that I paid almost $ 10 for Beef Caldereta and the rice was in the larger compartment than the actual entrée?! If I knew I was going to pay for mostly rice, I would have passed on this place. Then onto the combo pancit… And no shrimp, barely any meat. $ 11 for noodles. Even more disappointing?! As for taste, the authentic taste was missing. Makes me wonder of this was made by Filipinos or Thai (since part of the menu had Thai dishes). I highly doubt I’ll be back again.
If you’re looking for authentic food, don’t bother. It’s worth a try, but this place may suit those who aren’t familiar with this cuisine.

Oh man! I can’t believe I found this spot! It was my last day (really, it was my last meal) in Denver and I wish I had found Chowsun much, much earlier! I was in the mile high city for work, and I wasn’t sure if my co-​worker would go for Filipino food, plus it was out of the way from our work site. So I waited until the weekend when my hubby came and I’m sure he’s glad I did.
After a week of not eating rice (c’mon, I am Filipino after all), I was craving something from the motherland. So on our way to the airport we stopped here. Chowsun is located in a strip mall, next to an Asian grocery store. You walk in and order your meal from a menu board at the counter. The menu features mostly Filipino food, but there are some Thai dishes as well.
I ordered the tapsilog/​longsilog combo and my hubby ordered the longsilog. The dishes each came with garlic rice and a fried egg (as it should). I don’t know what longanisa they used (whether they make it in-​house, or if it’s one that I’ve never tried, but it was really, really good)! The tapa had a perfect meat-​to-​fat ratio and it was seasoned well, without tasting overly salty, as I’ve had in other places. We shouldn’t have, but we ordered dessert. I had the ginitaan bilo bilo (tapioca balls and other fruits cooked in coconut cream) and my husband had the halo-​halo (crushed ice with ube ice cream, evaporated milk, and various other items).
We really wanted to try more food items, but (1) we were stuffed and (2) we had a plane to catch. For sure, if we ever make it back to the Denver area, we will be stopping by!

We tried this place because we both like Phillipine food. It was not much from the outside. Fast food look. It was very good. I had noodles with pork. Very tasty husband order hot, the spice was great.
.

OK food. We had Tapsilog, Bansilog, Longsilog, Pork Lumpia, Pork Siopao, and Fried Pork Buns. All of their breakfast plates come with an egg and cucumbers, missing tomatoes though. How can you serve Filipino without tomatoes?! The eggs were over cooked also. The Bansilog that we had ordered was missing an egg when the menu states it comes with an egg. Their Boba was actually good and their Thai Iced Tea. They serve Thai food as well. I actually had their Pad Thai here a month ago, pretty decent. The only one I found good enough to eat here in Denver area. Rated 2 stars because the food needs a little improvment. Can’t half ass your food. «Chow Sun?» sounds like a knock off of «Chow King» from Cali obviously with better food. Coming from San Francisco, CA, we have pretty high standards when it comes to food.

I have been eating here since they originally opened. I tried almost everything thing on the old menu. I have not been by in a long while and they have a new menu now, also I think they sold it .The only thing that I like on a regular, is there chicken buns they are scrumdiddlyumptious!!! 2 stars for poor customer service.

Love the food, love the ambiance, feels like I’m back in the Philippines. Definitely will go back here. The crew are friendly, kind and always have a smile on their faces.

Yesterday was my second time eating at Chow Sun. The first one was when they first opened. Back then, there was definitely a crowd. Yesterday, there was just one other table occupied (dinner time).
CLEANLINESS. Things are clean and nicely laid out. They got it right.
SERVICE. It’s counter service. I think they are efficient.
FOOD. This is where it’s really mixed. Let me make an important distinction here. My perspective is coming from a Filipino guy that can cook Filipino food well. My expectation is for Filipino food to at least meet or exceed food I grew up with in the Philippines. That said, the food that I tried did not satisfy the «authenticity» test:
* Tapsilog — a traditional Filipino breakfast combo I look forward to eating even for dinner especially last night. I was especially looking forward to dipping the meat in spiced vinegar.
Overall, the Tapsilog did not meet expectations and surprisingly so. I really did not expect them to fail on the tapa itself. It’s so easy. Beef, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar. That’s all there is to it. The tapa they served did not resemble any tapa I have ever seen/​tasted anywhere in the Philippines or in Filipino households here in America (I asked and they insisted that it was tapa). It was odd. The appearance was more like a cross between Tocino and Tapa. Kinda red kinda darkish but did not taste like either. I ate it anyway so as not to waste food. It was edible but just not tapa.
It also came with garlic rice, egg, and longganisa. The rice was okay. The egg was not the sunny side up I was expecting just fried to a crisp on the outside and kinda rubbery on the inside. The vinegar was store bought, which is okay I guess. Unexpectedly, it also came with sweet longganisa (Filipino sausage). Nothing special. Feels store bought and fried. It was close enough to a mediocre Filipino brand of sausage so I would say it’s authentic. Not spectacular but authentic enough.
* Curry — I actually honestly enjoyed their curries. It’s definitely NOT Filipino-​style curry but who cares… it tastes good. I like it spicy and they make it spicy.
* Lechon Kawali — They got this acceptably right although the portion size was a bit small. I still prefer the way they make it (and portion size) at PinoyPinay in Panorama City (LA Area). Chowsun’s rendition had nice texture on the meat and crunch on the skin. However, this crunch was not like the chicharon-​like crunch from PinoyPinay. But I guess it passes the authenticity test — I can see this served in the Philippines just not at a place I would consider that makes it ‘just right’. If they can achieve the «lechon» style meat taste and texture combined with the chicharon crunch — now that would be awesome!
* Pork BBQ in Skewers — We had this in our first visit and I still remember it being okay but not quite there yet. It was a little dry and the taste wasn’t particularly Filipino. Chowsun’s was more akin to Indonesian satay than Filipino BBQ. It doesn’t have that delicious interplay of sweet (from brown sugar and banana ketchup), sour (mainly from Calamansi lemons), salty (from soy sauce), and spice (from garlic, pepper, and maybe from using ‘hot’ banana ketchup) — I just made this last week. For reference, try the one at Sunburst Grill. I think they have a better rendition of this although theirs incorporate peanut sauce, which is not exactly part of the traditional recipe but does work.
* Halo Halo — This one is good. For most places, I do not expect homemade ingredients and just the pre-​bottled kind. The format is like Jollibee’s and that’s alright. Nothing stunning but it was tasty. For reference, what I consider the best Halo Halo I’ve ever had was in South Cotabato. It was served in a coconut husk with all ingredients artisan-​made. The coconut water also somehow made it into the halo halo I was just not sure how. You can taste the difference. This is not necessarily a comment against Chowsun’s version just a reference to what I consider great and so far unmatched by many commercialized versions of the halo halo.
Overall, I am disappointed with this place. I do not think I am going back. Other reviewers seem to like the adobo and pancit. That’s great I really hope they improve. For now, I think I’ll stick with Sunburst Grill and any other (crossing fingers) Filipino restaurants that come along. I think a major (though not insurmountable) obstacle to Chowsun being more authentic is just the mere fact that they are not owned nor operated (staffed in the back maybe?) by Filipinos and while eating there was never really anyway for me to chime in on how the food tasted or how I liked it. It’s a shame though since a good Filipino restaurant located right next to the only Filipino-​centric grocery store in the Denver Metro area makes a lot of business sense. It’s just not good enough… YET! I wish them all the luck and that they would strive to improve and achieve a «Go To» status

I am not sure why they don’t offer the pepper beef udon anymore, I only had once and they never carry it again;and I have tried many other dishes that they offer and it taste pretty bad. Especially their traditional items on the special menu. I have not went back since…

Paid a second visit just yesterday– Lechon kawali and Kare-​kare it was.
Lechon kawali was delicious and boyfriend enjoyed it, but I felt like the meat part was a little dry and minimal; however, lots of delicious fat, of course (yum)! I was pleased that it came with Tomas sauce, and the kare-​kare came with bagoong.
Unfortunately, I was slightly disappointed the kare-​kare was beef pieces rather than the traditional oxtail. The vegetables were very soggy and I hate to say this, but the beef was dry and the sauce was kind of bland. Luckily, the bagoong gives it that authentic, homey, taste to it. I understand a lot of people have different styles of cooking different dishes, but I love having crunch in my veggies for kare-​kare.
I’ll definitely come back to try more of their dishes.

The prices are reasonable and the people are really nice! The halo halo is one of the only places in the Aurora area and it’s good too! There’s a good variety of asian dishes here that can satisfy the average palate.

Filipino food in Colorado is about as rare as Fox News actually reports real news. This box lunch joint serves up all the popular Filipino favorites like chicken adobo and pancit. If you want to get more adventurous they also have sisig, dinuguan and other traditional dishes. We had several dishes which were all solid, but the halo halo which literally means «mix mix» was the highlight of the meal. I can’t describe it very well other than to say you must give it a try once in your life.
My family enjoyed the relaxing tunes that they played and the staff was very courteous. The menu is large and we will have to get here a few more times to get through it all and it is well worth the drive from downtown.

I’ve never been to a Filipino restaurant anywhere in the US that you could consider haute cuisine, in fact most are pretty much little mom and pop or Ate and Tito joints in an old strip mall.
Denver has a mainstay place in the Sunburst Grill, but service and food there can be hit or miss, but it’s never top shelf. Chow Sun avoids some of the issues with service because it’s counter service. They have 4 or 5 people in the back cooking to order, and depending on the day or time maybe 2 or 3 up front, so they are better staffed and they have a comparable number of tables.
Since the owner is Tum from Lotus Asian Market they seem also to have freshers and more ample stock for preparation. And just like Lotus Asian the place has been meticulously clean each of the 4 times we’ve gone there.
The menu has changed and bit, they added Lechon Kawali and it seems both larger and tighter. They’ve learned a lot about this business in the three or four months since they opened.
Sure at Sunburst you get real plates and at CS you get take away cartons, but I think the foods a touch better, the service is better and my hands have never stuck to the table when I say down.
The menu is broader than Sunburst’s as well, with Filipino classics like Pansit, Sisig, Bangus, Chicken BBQ, Siopo, Sisig, Turon, Lumpia, Dinuguon, etc and etc. But also PadThai, Masaman curry, Tom Yum, Drunken Noodles, Soba etc. They don’t server baluts but if you need to they have them at the store next door. There’s somethings us Kanos won’t always eat.
This is a great little restaurant in a strip mall off Buckley, the difference is that the values of this hard working family show in the quality of their food.
Oh and the Halo Halo is top notch…

It was ok.
2 ½ stars.
We ordered a few things to see how good it was.
–We didn’t like the shrimp pad thai. It had a weird taste.
–Lumpia was ok. No bold flavor. But still ok.
–Pork skewers were ok, thin. Only came with a scoop of white rice.
–pork adobo was very good.
–coconut smoothie was uh, okay.
I wanted thai boba tea. (I love thai boba tea). but they wouldn’t do it for me. I thought it was weird but doesn’t really factor into my overall score much.

This place is awesome. I’m not easy to please when it comes to Filipino food, adobo especially. Their chicken adobo is spot on. The lumpia rolls are thinner then my Gma makes them but their still good. Skewers are pretty damn good and $ 1.50 each! I’ve had the panang and green curries. Both are great but I prefer the panang, medium or spicy. The spicy level is totally enjoyable. The wife really likes the pad thai. It’s a very generous serving size. It’s very typical and very delicious. The chef has Filipino specials available which are nice for regulars. The menu is large and paralyzing for those not familiar but the staff are very helpful and pleasant.
It is modestly decorated and not a place to expect much other than delicious food.
For those who haven’t enjoyed Filipino food before, start with the adobo chicken. You won’t be sorry. Don’t doubt their thai chops either, it’s allllll good.

When the space next to Lotus Asian Market became vacant (after having been occupied for many years by the Mexican eatery known as El Parralito) it was quickly snapped up by members of Aurora’s Filipino community with the goal of offering local residents and visitors a taste of their home country. As the saying goes, patience is a virtue, and although the project took a little while to come to fruition, I can personally attest that the restaurant now in that spot, ChowSun, is worth the wait.
Start your meal with a couple of springy Siopao (steamed or fried buns filled with chicken or pork), or perhaps some Ukoy (shrimp fritters) while you ponder your next move. Why, they even have chopped and fried pig intestines (Chicharrón Bulaklak) if that doesn’t sound too offal to you. (OK, I admit that was corny). If you arrive early enough in the day, you can try a breakfast specialty, like marinated beef (Tapa), milkfish (Daing na Bangus), or a variation on corned-​beef hash (one of the United States’ historical gifts to the Philippines).
But if you woke up just a bit later than you planned, don’t worry — there are still a number of culinary possibilities waiting for you. Kare-​kare is a long-​simmered beef stew fragrant with peanuts and annatto seeds, and chock-​full of soft eggplant, green beans, and bok choy. (Don’t forget to ask for the little container of purple fermented shrimp paste [Bagoong] on the side to really make it sing!). But then again, the quintessentially Pinoy garlic/​soy/​vinegar chicken dish called Adobong Manok is equally likely to get those salivary glands working overtime. And I can’t forget those moist, plump, juicy BBQ pork skewers either. (Each main course also comes with a nice big scoop of steamed jasmine rice in case you thought they’d forgotten).
Oh, some members of your party were more in the mood for Chinese, or Japanese, or even Thai? Never fear — ChowSun has you covered in this scenario as well. In addition to three (count ‘em!) Thai-​style curries — red, green, and the Indian-​influenced one known as Mussaman — you can also avail yourselves of noodle offerings which have been the pride of Siam for centuries, such as Pad Thai and Pad See Ew. Dishes representing Japan include wheat noodles and assorted veggies fried in oyster sauce [Yakisoba] as well as a version of chicken teriyaki. And folks seeking a little Chinese-​food lovin’ won’t be disappointed by fried rice (available with several choices of protein) or the like-​chow-​mein-​but-​even-​tastier creation called Pancit Canton.
Complete your meal with a boba drink (I like the one with molasses-​based black sugar in particular) and a dessert such as Gulaman (sweetened grass-​jelly cubes) or even the fruit/​beans/​milk/​crushed ice extravaganza known as Halo-​Halo. [BURP]. Oh wow, excuse me — that was a bit rude. But after you’ve tasted all the delicious items at ChowSun, I think you’ll sympathize.

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 9^th 2014. TIME: 17:50hrs ish
We have been a regular to Lotus Asian Market next door, ever since our moved to Colorado. Then when we found out that the Owners of Lotus Asian Market, intends to open a restaurant, we are super excited. NOW, FINALLY CHOW SUN has opened their doors for patrons to enjoy what they offer aka FILIPINO and THAI cuisine…
When we arrived, THANKFULLY we arrived before the MAD DINNER RUSH…
Yes, you order at the Counter, pay your order, get your ticket/​receipt and they will call your order Number.
From what I could recall we ordered these following items :
* Chicken Eggroll ($ 2.95)
* Green Chicken Curry ($ 7.95)
* BBQ Chicken Skewer ($ 7.25)
* Aloha Canned Drink ($ 0.95)
* Canned Soda ($ 0.75)
YES, everything comes in those disposable containers what nots.
YES, the food comes out hot either from the Wok, or the FRYER…
But in terms of flavors, YES THEY can DO BETTER…
Hubs order of Thai Green Chicken Curry was NOT SPICY at all, aka NOT THAI HOT that we requested… Yes the flavor tones, of sweet, sour and spicy is there. but NOT to our taste bud THAI HOT… Oh Well.
As for the BBQ Chicken Skewer, its 3 skewers, comes with Rice and Shredded Cabbage and Carrots with some kind of dressing. In terms of BBQ Chicken Skewer, its marinated with some BBQ sauce, comes out tender, though I wish they could «elevate» either by grilling or marinated more with other Spices etc.
The Highlight of our Dinner, was perhaps the Chicken Eggroll. Hubs kept on raving on those. as outside it was Crunchy with Eggroll Wrapper, and it comes out hot from the Fryer!
After our Dinner, I also ordered the Honeydew Boba Smoothie ($ 3.95), which was just OK. It ONLY comes in 1 cup size. It more like «slushie» but the BOBA itself some overdone or overcooked.
All in all, Chow Sun has DEFINITELY ROOM For Improvement, and we don’t mind returning when needed coz there are many other items we want to try in our next mission to Chow Sun. Or perhaps to order TO GO ITEMS from here.
We were somewhat felt «rushed» at this recent visit coz a BIG GROUP of Patrons tend to take all the seats. right after we came and order our food. YES, everyone from the Owners and the Staffs, are inviting, helpful and friendly. The establishment is kept clean and the Décor Design is modern and simple.
Above anything else, we hope and pray for the success of CHOW SUN many more years to come. Thank you CHOW SUN, see you soon… 3.5 stars at best for Chow Sun for this visit. Left this establishment at about 18:30hrs ish.
CHOW SUN is open EVERYDAY from 10am to 8pm.
Chow Sun
830 S Buckley Rd
Aurora, CO 80 017‑3174
Tel: (720) 410 2135
Fax: (720) 410‑2137
@210/2014

Every time I visit a town, I try to checkout a Filipino restaurant. This place is next to Lotus Asian Market that have a lot of Filipino branded food so it’s a great 2 for 1.
The place is clean and got my food fast. I tried the pork bbq. A+ on the portion and taste. Reminds me of the times I would buy bbq at the corner street vendor. BBQ on a stick is classic Pinoy. I only gave this 4 stars because I think they can improve on their condiment that goes with the food. Shredded cabbage and carrots topped with ranch is not a good combo. Make it truly Pinoy and use atchara and/​or vinegar with garlic to balance out the flavor. The bbq has a sweet taste to it so it would have been really nice to have it with my meal rather than ranch dressing.

I tried Chow Sun just one day after opening, and considering, they are doing a great job.
There were two of us, and we had the chicken pad Thai, a chicken steam bun, and the bbq chicken skewers. Everything was delicious and fresh.
The cons were that they’re only serving food in disposable take away containers, and because of that their trash was overflowing.
There was also a really big lack of veggies with the bbq skewers. I had two pieces of cold steamed broccoli, and three pieces of cut raw carrots. It felt like an afterthought. Maybe in the future they could add more veggies that are warm. It would really be the icing on a already very good dish.