Quan Hapa brings an Asian street food to the streets of Cincinnati. Following the return of chef Mapi De Veyra, it's getting a Filipino refocus (read more here).
The Over-the-Rhine establishment just introduced five new items: Sichuan 5-Way, Chicken Katsu, Bo Luc Lac, Mushroom Ramen and Crispy Pata. The dishes feature chicken, beef, noodles and even pork feet to realign the restaurant with its street food roots. De Veyra’s style has returned to the menu.
With the arrival of new restaurants, or even new menu items, comes an inevitable visit from our interns.
Intern Grace
Ordered: Mushroom Ramen and Vietnamese Iced Coffee
Cost: $10 and $4
Asian street food and anime are my aesthetic. You can imagine my happiness upon seeing Quan Hapa, expressed in typical anime fashion with eyes lifted in cheerful arcs. (TV series) One Piece played on flatscreens, English subtitles flashing below, as customers enjoyed okonomiyaki, ramen and sesame fries on the sidewalk. My vegan noodle dish featured a savory mushroom broth with added mushrooms. I did a decent job of avoiding smoked shiitakes (sweat drop), but was surprised by how much I enjoyed the enokis (heart eyes). The wispy, white mushrooms were tall and thin with pinhead caps. Sun ramen, fried tofu and nori dominated the dish. Bok choy provided some variation, but I’m not sure even the greenest, freshest vegetable could cut through that salty broth. It’s hard to come by vegan dishes with that much substance. I couldn’t make it through the whole bowl, but that just means I have dinner to look forward to.
Intern Elisabeth
Ordered: Chicken Katsu
Cost: $12
Picky eaters, such as myself, can’t resist the basics when faced with an unfamiliar menu. My eyes were immediately drawn to Quan Hapa’s new dish, the Chicken Katsu. Chicken? Check. Rice? Check. Any other surprises I could handle. This classic but delicious dish consists of panko-crusted fried chicken, surprisingly flavorful rice and a smaller portion of (very) spicy cabbage, all with a light touch of the heavy-tasting tonkatsu sauce. Thankfully, the sauce cuts through the spice of the cabbage to keep it from overwhelming the dish. The bowl was surprisingly filling, but the flavor was impossible to resist. I really enjoyed the light, summer atmosphere of the restaurant. In keeping with their street-food theme, the restaurant opens up right into Over-the-Rhine’s bustling Vine Street. It feels as if the whole restaurant is a patio, but with the relief of shade.There is, however, a slight dissonance between the Vietnamese flavor of the restaurant and the early 2000s Alternative Rock music playing in the background. This dish is delicious, but consider taking advantage of the eclectic menu to broaden your palate instead of playing it safe like me.
Intern Mackenzie
Ordered: Cauliflower Okonomiyaki and Iced Green Tea
Cost: $10 and $3
The atmosphere of Quan Hapa immediately struck me as hip. The walls are steel gray and a patio merges into an indoor eating area. The open plan gave this restaurant, which serves up modern Asian cuisine, a laid-back vibe, solidified by a quirky bird cage lamp dangling from the ceiling. Anime, more specifically the pirate-themed series One Piece, played in loop on the walls, which were lined with Asian condiments like Sriracha. Scanning through the menu, I felt indecisive, but wanted to opt for something new. As The Killers' "Mr. Brightside" drifted through the space (somehow the early 2000s Pop Punk fit Quan Hapa’s aesthetic) I made my order: a Cauliflower Okonomiyaki, or a savory Japanese pancake. The dish is also known as Japanese pizza, and rightly so — the texture is more in the realm of pizza than the fluffy pancakes American taste buds are accustomed to; its base is grilled cabbage, which produces definite crunch. Alternating between a fork and chopsticks, I plopped bits of cauliflower in my mouth, which were smothered in honey Sriracha. Celery, green onions and fried onions mingled with Japanese mayo and were in harmony with one another. With each bite was a blast of spice. Surprisingly, it was also extremely filling. I ended up taking half of it home with me.
QUAN HAPA is located at 1331 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine. More info: quanhapa.com.
