The Weekly Eater: XO undergoes redesign

The last time I visited XO, I grappled with its decor as it seemed to be a contemporary fusion restaurant trapped in the body of an old-fashioned chop suey house.

There can be charm in incongruity, but this wasn’t it. It had the feel of a temporary pop-up, which is unsettling to diners who might not want to get attached out of fear it could be gone tomorrow.

Happily, chefs Kenny Lee and Aleina Chun put in the labor to remake the interior with a new paint job and sleek installations that are a better reflection of their cuisine.

Coinciding with the new look is a menu including new items such as tomato risotto ($13); fried striped bass with finadene sauce ($25); lemon grass sausages ($11); burrata served with prosciutto, tomato jam and Breadshop rye ($14); and the Stacked Umami of brown-butter confit cauliflower layered with seasonal truffles, asiago cheese and bonito, with shiitake konbu sauce and dabs of sour coconut sauce (market price).

Favorites of loaded potato au gratin ($16), buttermilk fried oysters with curry aioli ($15), adobo fried chicken ($21) and dessert of brown butter chocolate cookie a la mode with nam pla caramel ($10) remain on the menu.