XO Brasserie
Chinese restaurant · Charleston
1090 Morrison Dr, Charleston, SC 29403
Highlights
Cantonese & Sichuan fare with Asian-influenced cocktails
Cantonese & Sichuan fare with Asian-influenced cocktails
"Herman Ng grew up working in his family’s Chinese restaurant, and now he owns his own with the opening of XO Brasserie. The menu focuses on Cantonese and Sichuan cooking, including XO lobster, mapo tofu, and garlic pepper beef. Don’t miss the fun cocktails or the desserts." - Erin Perkins
"“I honestly fought against doing Chinese food in Charleston for a long time,” Herman Ng says. “I thought people viewed the cuisine as cheap, and I didn’t know how receptive Charleston would be to an elevated Chinese restaurant.” The XO Brasserie chef and founder might be projecting—he grew up in a Chinese American household, craving pizza and burgers while his parents prepared dishes from their native Hong Kong and Guangzhou—but either way he puts the lie to any notion of cheapness with his sleek, art deco–inspired space. While Ng may have once yearned “to fit in with American culture,” he eventually came full circle, and he now serves dishes such as steamed spare ribs in black bean sauce that are inspired by his mother’s cooking. He says he’s not seeking to “reinvent the wheel,” but he does incorporate certain high-end ingredients and techniques: The steak in the chow fun is Angus beef rib eye, for instance, while the Chilean sea bass, which is traditionally steamed, gets a touch of sear."
"While the main draw to XO Brasserie is the Sichuan and Cantonese fare, don’t skip the Asian-influenced cocktails. For example, there’s a refreshing On the Baijiu with tequila, baijiu, yuzu, and gochujang." - Erin Perkins
"Opened by Herman Ng, who grew up working in his family’s Chinese restaurant, this kitchen focuses on Cantonese and Sichuan flavors with dishes such as XO lobster, mapo tofu and garlic pepper beef that emphasize regional spice and technique." - Erin Perkins
"Opening March 12 at 5 p.m., this newcomer is the first restaurant from Herman Ng, a former manager at Oak Steakhouse and Royal Tern who grew up working in his family’s Chinese restaurant in Columbia and consulted his mother on the menu. It presents a modern take on Cantonese and Sichuan cuisine overseen by executive chef Michael Chanthavong, who previously worked with Indigo Road Hospitality at O-ku and Mizu in Charlotte. The menu mixes classics like wonton soup with inventive touches such as burrata with Chinese crullers, a dedicated dumpling section (from shu mai to crab rangoon), and chef specialties including XO lobster, Xinjiang lamb lollipops, mapo tofu, and garlic pepper beef. Dishes are intended for flexible dining—quick noodles or dumplings or larger-format, family-style sharing—reflecting the owner’s goal of recreating the communal meals he grew up eating." - Erin Perkins
