The dining scene along Washington Boulevard continues to come alive, and an established Chinese restaurant will soon be opening their doors in one of Downtown’s largest office buildings. 

For months, mysterious construction work has hummed along at 558 Washington Boulevard, the southernmost storefront in the 570 Washington office building.  The spot was the former home of Confucius Asian Bistro before they closed late last year, and rumors had swirled that the restaurant would be making a comeback. 

While that gossip has turned out to be false, the new tenant at the space will be another Asian-influenced eatery.  Chef Tan, a restaurant with an existing location in Highland Park, is set to open at the storefront along Newport’s main stretch and features quite a different type of Chinese food than its predecessor in the space. 

The menu at their existing restaurant is pretty extensive and focuses on Sichuan and Hunan style dishes, including options that strive for a more authentic Chinese food experience than what some may be used to.  Entrée options include a beer ribeye pot or a fried fillet fish with lychee sauce, while more unique choices like sautéed pig intestines with hot chilis and duck blood and tripes in spicy sauce are sure to catch the attention of diners looking for something different. 

Chinese authenticity appears to be the name of the game at Chef Tan, but they do have a section of their menu dubbed “Americanized Chinese.”  Options here include several Kung Pao dishes, while Lo Mein varieties and fried rice choices will likely please those with less adventurous palates. 

Chef Tan is the latest entry into Newport’s revitalized restaurant scene, which had struggled with vacant storefronts in recent years.  While the former homes of the Skylark Diner and Bertucci’s are still empty and seeking tenants, Menya Sadaime and Ruth’s Chris Steak House have recently opened, and Los Cuernos is set to join the neighborhood soon. 

LeFrak, the landlord of 570 Washington Boulevard, has declined any comment on Chef Tan’s status, but construction paper at the site has just been taken down.  The restaurant appears to have a bar area and looks like it could be ready to open very soon.