DoHó Restaurant

I remember the night of my first kiss.
The anticipation, the allure of her soft lips. Her beauty and the ecstasy of the moment, it was breathtaking.
Moments like those are things that we will cherish forever, and for many — those firsts are moments that we reflect back on every so often in a nostalgic bliss.
I was fortunate enough to experience one of those moments last night during my dining experience at DoHó. Truly, this restaurant is a one-​of-​a-​kind culinary and sensory adventure. From the very start, we were greeted by the warm smile of Chef Ho, who passionately and excitedly welcomed us to his humble abode. The interior was warmly lit and decorated with a very post-​modern college aesthetic that I thought was a story to tell in-​itself. We were promptly seated, and we had the opportunity to discuss Chef Ho’s culinary interests and culinary background while we were waiting for the rest of our party. We learned more about his passion, his insatiable appetite for not only learning the ins-​and-​outs of what we call «food», but also for pleasing his patrons.
We were first served an asparagus salad with garlic aioli topped with a poached egg and bacon bits. Exquisite, to say the least. I found that the egg was poached to the perfect consistency. Our party unanimously felt that the garlic aioli was the real highlight of the dish. It offered a creamy consistency that was echoed by the poached egg that really complimented the crunch and saltiness of the bacon bits and asparagus. Another member of my party and I couldn’t help but to savor every little bit of the sauce by physically licking the plate. This contrast of texture and flavor was a perfect start to our meal.
Our second course was spinach stuffed chicken with potato mash. Delicious, hearty, wholesome. It really can’t get much better than that.
Chef-​Ho excitedly returned with our final course, a chocolate chip with caramel glazed cake of sorts with a velvety cream sauce. The pancake had a delicious consistency, thick, but not heavy at all. The glazed caramel gave it a nice crunch that really complimented the textural complexity of the pancake, the chocolate, and the cream-​sauce. By the end of this course, we were stuffed, our pallet satisfied, and our hearts filled with content.
What was an otherwise ordinary Wednesday evening became a moment that I know I will reflect back on. It took all the courage I had to keep from mustering up tears as we exited DoHó.
Thank you Chef Ho.

Holy shit, this place blows your mind. Chef Ho creates a perfect ambience for all types of patrons. Come looking to get surprised.

Highest compliments to Chef Ho. Eating at DoHó was truly a privilege — his passion spoke through his dishes! The meal consisted of 3 courses:
First course — Spaghetti Carbonara. Perfect combination of a flavorful sauce and tender meats. Generous portions as well.
Second course — Roasted chicken thighs with an arugula salad. Very delicious and without the unhealthy feeling of many other chicken dishes. Very clean tasting with sharp, distinct flavors.
Dessert — Pumpkin spice cookies with vanilla ice cream and a blueberry reduction. By far my favorite dish of then night. Believe me when I say I’ve had these types of desserts before but this was a whole different level. Cookies were fresh out of the oven with that perfect «not too crunchy, not too soft» texture. The ice cream complimented the hot cookies with a nice cold foundation. Finally, the blueberry reduction added the finishing touches to this already amazing dessert — essentially the blueberry on top!
Overall, fantastic experience at this new up-​and-​coming restaurant! Would highly recommend to anyone in the Evanston area, especially you Northwestern kids!

Had the opportunity to eat at DoHó yesterday and it did not disappoint!
First course was a delicious and hearty serving of Spaghetti Carbonara bringing me back to the days of my mom’s home cooking.
The next dish was a simple but amazing — roasted chicken thighs with an arugula salad. Not only healthy but tasty as well.
Dessert took the whole experience to another level. We were served pumpkin spice cookies with vanilla ice cream and a blueberry reduction — the best dessert I have ever had, no exaggeration.
Great and affordable pricing as well, will strongly recommend to all, especially if you are from Northwestern or in the Evanston area!

Had the pleasure of dining out at Dohó few nights ago with a group of friends & I’d say with confidence that it is the best restaurant in Evanston where you’ll get the bang for your buck ($ 15 for a 3 course meal).
The Stuffed Mushrooms appetizer was rich and savory. I was skeptical at first since i generally don’t like mushrooms, but i ate 3 – 4 easily. While the presentation could improve a little, it was an overall delicious start to the meal.
The main dish was Sausage & Kale Pasta, a filling dish with crunchyness & slight-​bitterness of kale pleasantly complementing the sweetness & warmth of the pasta and sausage.
Our dessert, Eggnog Milkshake with Gingersnap Crumble, was an aromatic harmony of a cool, sweet eggnog milkshake and crispy, scrumptious ginger cookie.
Overall, the chef was very aware of and responsive to our needs, making our meal very smooth and comfortable. With a reasonable price and quality ingredients, I definitely loved eating here and will do again in the near future.

Went here yesterday and it blew my mind (or taste buds). The menu consisted of an appetizer (stuffed mushrooms), pasta, and dessert (en eggnog shake). The mushrooms were pretty much perfect for my taste, since I also happen to be a mushroom fanatic. The kale rotini, at first glance, didn’t look overly impressive, but we soon realized that the genius lay in the flavors, not the presentation. Chef Donald managed to infuse the noodles with rich savory flavors that gave the rotini their twist (get it?). And although I’m normally not a huge fan of eggnog, I really enjoyed the dessert, which gave the meal a sweet finish.
Our entire group was very happy with the quality meal we got for the competitive pricing. The chef was also very charming and took the time to get to know us and give us professional advice on how to break into the business world.
I can say for sure that we’ll all be back. Make your reservation now, you won’t regret it!

Every week DoHó offers an original three course menu created by Chef Donald Ho. This week the appetizer was a warm tomato, mozzarella, basil and balsamic bruschetta. It was followed by pan seared salmon in a butter sauce over spinach and pea risotto. Lastly, dessert consisted of homemade cinnamon rolls topped with a balsamic blueberry reduction. The perfectly cooked salmon was my favorite part of dinner, but all three courses were delicious. DoHó is not only a great deal, but also the best three course meal in Evanston.

Disclaimer: Doho is a small supper club that requires advanced reservations. Book your spot early because seats are extremely limited.
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Doho has crashed into the forefront of Evanston’s food scene. After hearing whispers and learning about the hype behind Chef Ho’s splendid eatery on the outskirts of Northwestern University’s campus, I finally got reservations for a double date.
When we entered the restaurant located on the third floor of a charming apartment building, Chef Ho greeted us with a warm smile. At 5’10″ and athletically built, he won’t remind you of anyone’s grandma, but he sure can cook like one: if your grandma can masterfully craft a fusion of fine french, rustic Italian, and modern American cuisine.
Our group of 4 were seated at the singular wooden dining table of the restaurant. Chef Ho immediately brought out plate after plate of delicious food with service that rivaled a Michelin Star restaurant. Seriously, the moment we finished our plate, the Chef instantly reappeared and gave us our next course.
Our three course meal consisted of:
1. Deviled eggs with pickled hot peppers: each egg was generously stuffed with perfectly creamy egg filling. The hot peppers were a twist that provided the right amount of acidity and spice. The portions left me satisfied.
2. Pesto pasta with sous-​vide chicken: I don’t know what sous-​vide means but it sounds like some advanced food network trickery. The chicken was made perfectly and the pasta was cooked to a textbook al dente. The highlight here was the pesto; it was rich but not greasy and delicately mixed with the right amount of spices. I want to put that stuff on everything.
3. Crème caramel with glazed bananas: talk about sticking the landing. Chef Ho says dessert is usually his least impressive course but this dish was the highlight of the meal. The warm bananas were delicately placed on the chilled custard portion. The playful contrasts textures, flavors, and temperatures between the two components of the dish made this dish so amazing. We were a chatty group, but we stopped talking when this plate came out, likely because of how captivated we were.
Chef Ho is one of Evanston’s most talented up and coming chefs. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him tomorrow winning cooking shows like Masterchef or Chopped.
I’m proud that this charming private eatery is my first review of 2016 because I highly recommend that everyone try to grab a seat at Doho’s dining table. Unfortunately, because of limited seating, not everyone reading this will get to try the food. Book ASAP!