Bonnie’s is the debut venture of Chinese American chef Calvin Eng. Located in his native Brooklyn, the restaurant takes its name from the chef’s mother and presents itself explicitly as “Cantonese American”, with the emphasis on Cantonese flavors and philosophy, although this is complemented by influences from Eng’s personal experience. The cuisine is based on his memories of his mother’s home cooking, dining out with the family in Manhattan’s Chinatown, and browsing the stalls of its street vendors, from whom he now consciously sources many of his ingredients.

The heart of Bonnie's

The menu is rich not only in nostalgia but also in umami, savoriness, and saltiness, using a lot of fermented, salted, and dried products. Popular choices include Char Siu McRibs, fried salt and pepper squid with a sauce the chef describes as “Chinese ranch,” and Fuyu Cacio e Pepe Mein, an original take on the Italian classic in which the pasta is tossed with a garlicky compound butter made with fermented bean curd.

Located on a corner of Manhattan Avenue, Brooklyn, this 40-seat restaurant has a loud and lively vibe, boosted by a hip-hop soundtrack, a funky cocktail menu and, usually, a line of people waiting outside.

Much of the minimalist décor, which includes a checkered tile floor, was purchased in Chinatown and is to some extent inspired by cha chaan tengs, the old-school tea restaurants of Hong Kong, where Eng’s mother grew up. Old images of Chinatown hang on the walls. The bathroom, on the other hand, strikes a hipper note with its loud neon lighting. Another fun feature is the large wooden table near the front window with a giant Lazy Susan in the center. Seating up to 10 people, it’s the only table capable of holding the entire menu, apparently not an uncommon order.

As a teenager, Eng spent his time out of high school making sandwiches in a local deli and dreaming of having his own restaurant. He didn’t have to wait too long for that dream to come true, opening Bonnie’s when he was just 27 years old.

He spent the intervening years first studying culinary arts at Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island and then building his experience and reputation at a string of successful Asian eateries in NYC, from Dig Inn to Nom Wah Nolita and finally Taiwanese American restaurant Win Son, where he spent three years as Chef de Cuisine. While never formally training as a chef in a Chinese restaurant, he took advantage of every opportunity to learn the essentials of running his own operation, and by 2021 he was ready to open Bonnie’s.

A string of rave reviews followed in publications ranging from Brooklyn magazine, Grub Street, The New York Times and The New Yorker to The Wall Street Journal and the South China Morning Post. In 2022, Bonnie’s was featured in Esquire and Bon Appetit’s lists of best new restaurants, and Eater awarded it the honor of Best Restaurant for the End of the World.

Eng was a James Beard Emerging Chef nominee in 2022 and was named one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs the same year. He appeared in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list the following year and was a StarChefs Rising Star. The James Beard Foundation included him as a 2023 Best Chef: New York State semifinalist.

The Chef

Brooklyn-born, Chinese American Eng sees his work as a chef and restaurant owner as part of a greater goal: to nurture a new wave of Cantonese cooking in the US. In his own words, Eng “grew up trying to be as American as possible,” but later embraced his Cantonese heritage and now hopes to inspire the next generation of Chinese American chefs.

His culinary career began making sandwiches behind the counter at his friend’s family deli after high school. On graduating in culinary arts in 2015, he sought out experiences that would teach him not just about cooking but about the whole business of running a restaurant. A job at fast-casual chain Dig was followed by a stint at popular Dim Sum operation Nom Wah Nolita, and then a Chef de Cuisine position at Taiwanese American restaurant Win Son. In 2021, he was ready to open his own place, the trendy and highly acclaimed Bonnie’s.

Eng was a 2022 James Beard Emerging Chef nominee and was named one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs for 2022. He then made the 2023 Forbes 30 Under 30 list and was a 2023 James Beard Best Chef: New York State semifinalist and StarChefs Rising Star.

Restaurants

Eng opened Bonnie’s in 2021, at just 27 years of age, having dreamed of running his own restaurant since he was a teenager. The name is his mother’s nickname, and the whole place is a homage to her home cooking and his Cantonese American upbringing, complete with visits to his grandparents in Manhattan’s Chinatown where he would browse the street stalls and eat out in the restaurants.

A sign over the door says, “Cantonese American” and although Eng has never been professionally trained in a Chinese kitchen, he wants to make it clear that the flavors, ideas, and philosophy are all Cantonese, albeit complemented by influences from the US and elsewhere.

As soon as it opened, Bonnie’s was instantly the place to be for foodwise New Yorkers, and it has since received rave reviews in numerous publications, from Brooklyn Magazine and Grub Street to The New York Times and The New Yorker, not forgetting The Wall Street Journal and even the South China Morning Post. In 2022, it was included in best new restaurant lists in both Esquire and Bon Appetit, while Eater named Bonnie’s its Best Restaurant for the End of the World.

Recipes and dishes

Eng describes his take on Cantonese cuisine as “umami and savory-forward, low acid, low heat, and seafood-forward.” One of his most popular dishes is a delicious take on cacio e pepe, in which the nearly cooked noodles are stir-fired in a butter of garlic and fermented tofu. He is also known for playful dishes like his Char Siu McRib, and delicate mashups like his fish and shrimp wontons en brodo. The most complex and labor-intensive dish on the menu at Bonnie’s is Yeung Yu Sang Choi Bao, made by deboning a rainbow trout then stuffing it with a mousse made from the fish along with shrimps, water chestnuts, garlic, and ginger, then pan-frying and recomposing it to look like a whole fish. It's a dish Eng remembers well from his childhood in Brooklyn, as it would take his mom and aunt a full day to prepare it, but to his knowledge it is not served at any other restaurant in the US.

Shortly after Bonnie’s opened, Eng was interviewed on TV by CBS New York and New York Live. He has appeared in various videos on YouTube and Buzzfeed, and his recipes have featured in Bon Appetit, Star Chefs, Edible Brooklyn, and Munchies.

View profile