Restaurateur Q and A: Jim Chu of Jo's

Photo credit: Urbanite

Chef Ian Topper-Kapitan (left) and Jim Chu

By Lucy Cohen Blatter

Jo’s is a casual American bistro that opened in NoLiTa late last month. We spoke with co-owner Jim Chu, who also owns Lower East Side bar White Rabbit, about his new spot.

What was the vision behind Jo’s?

We wanted to have a casual place with quality food. This was an idea we came up with years ago and had been shopping around.

We’re the populist version of what a lot of people are creating. There’s an air of exclusivity in the city that runs counter to what we want. Cocktails are $9 here, whereas other people are charging $14. We don’t want to have mixologist, just bartenders.

Timing-wise it seems like we’re very of the moment.

How do you make the environment feel casual?

A bistro is always affordable. Here we list specials on a chalkboard. On the very top, there’s “meat in a cup.” It’s a take on a French bistro dish called Rillette, which is served in a ramekin. Ours is a beef brisket that’s cooked confit with an espresso barbecue sauce, served in a cup with handle on it.Also, it’s a little loud, and we expected it to be that way. You’re going to hear the Clash and Fugazi. Some people would never eat up in the front bar area, because it gets so loud.

I’d rather have someone who has their dog tied to the tree outside, rather than someone wearing a fur stole.

What are some of your favorite dishes and drinks?

I really enjoy the Hibiscus Collins (with homemade hibiscus syrup) and the Diablo Martinique, a kind of dark and stormy with ginger beer and blackberry liquor. It’s a nice, tall drink for the summer. The things I like to eat the most are the crispy pork ribs. They’re slow-cooked, off-the-bone tender and crispy on the outside.

How do you feel about opening a place in this economy?

I would say that opening a business at any time is challenging.

I feel good about it though. The truth is that it was other people’s hesitation that concerned me. We really got a lot of opportunities. If it weren’t for the weakness in the economy, we wouldn’t have gotten our spot on Elizabeth Street.

In general, our vendors were getting back to us faster. People were bending over backward to get things done. There also was just not as much competition.

264 Elizabeth St., 212-966-9640

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