ChoLon Modern Asian - Downtown

ChoLon, which translates to "big market”, is named after the largest Chinese-influenced market in Saigon, Vietnam. Chef Lon Symensma brings to life his extensive culinary travels throughout South East Asia, in his Denver restaurant, with a menu featuring inspired interpretations of traditional dishes found across the continenent. Presentations are ideal for sharing. From dim sum or "small bites" to large family style plates, authentic flavors get a unique twist to please modern tastes. The bar and lounge serves handcrafted, artisanal cocktails developed to enhance Symensma’s creations. The venue is also ideal for business meetings and presentations and features a large projection screen in the lounge area. In addition to lunch and dinner service, ChoLon offers an all day menu which may be enjoyed in the lounge.  ChoLon Bistro, and Flow Restaurant Group, was founded in 2010 by Culinary Institute of America classmates, Lon Symensma, Alicia Pokoik Deters, and Jim Deters. Lon and Alicia met in 2000 while they were both doing fellowships in Escoffier, the Classical French restaurant at The CIA in Hyde Park, New York. The next year, along with two other friends from school, they shared an apartment in New York City and began professionally working in New York’s world class restaurant scene. In 2002, Alicia departed the Big Apple for the mountains of Colorado to complete her MBA and MS in Real Estate and Construction Management at DU while Lon decided to continue his culinary training and left NYC to travel throughout Europe and Asia.Lon spent a year working at two Michelin two-star restaurants in the south of France and apprenticing at the acclaimed Arzak restaurant in San Sebastian, Spain. The following year Lon continued his travels throughout Southeast Asia and China under the guidance of mentors and renowned chefs Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Gray Kunz and was a part of the opening team at Jean Georges Shanghai. When Lon returned to New York City, he joined Jean-Georges at his iconic Southeast Asian inspired restaurant, Spice Market.Alicia completed her studies in Denver and married Jim Deters in 2004. They decided that Denver was the perfect place to settle down and start a family, and have since had three children. All the while, Alicia and Lon kept in close contact and talked of one day opening a restaurant of their own.With numerous culinary accolades and four years at Buddakan, which earned a coveted New York Times two star review and was named the fifth highest grossing restaurant in the United States, Lon moved to Denver to join Alicia and Jim to make their dream a reality. After only being open six months, ChoLon was a James Beard Finalist for Best New Restaurant in America. Details magazine named ChoLon among the top 10 New Asian Restaurants in the country. For the last two consecutive years, Chef Lon has been recognized as Denver's Best Chef by Denver Westword and has lead the establishment to be the 3rd Best Restaurant in Denver/Boulder by 5280 Magazine.