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SUSHI, THAI CUISINE ARE THE STARS AT ASIA BISTRO
With its relaxing atmosphere, Asia Bistro offers a spa-like experience and a menu that includes Chinese, Thai and Japanese fare
Date published: 3/1/2007
By NANCY DEARING ROSSBACHER FOR THE FREE LANCE-STAR She: Asia Bistro proves the theory of continental drift. The neon sign atop the restaurant and the busy Central Park surroundings are America at its most mercantile, but drift inside and that world falls away. On one side is a dimly lit dining room with Asian-themed decor and light-catching golden walls. A dozen tables at center are flanked by padded booths, some of which are romance-inducing semicircles with a secluded feel. Tables are available in the room opposite as well, but it also offers two back-to-back bars of gleaming dark wood--one for sushi, one for sipping. He: The menu in this non-chain restaurant drifts as well, from Chinese to Thai to Japanese. Lobster and steak dishes are also available . Asia Bistro offers a full bar, but nonalcoholic choices include the sunset-colored Thai iced tea ($2.50) and a generous pot of green tea ($1.95). She: The similarly low-priced miso soup ($1.50) was warming and rich with tofu cubes. The comparatively high value placed on the seaweed salad ($5.25) was wholly understandable when the tangy, crisp, emerald mound turned out to be a two-person proposition. Bangkok spring rolls (two for $3), hot and crisp, were another well-priced appetizer. Prices are mentioned more in this review than most because the figures, also, seem to represent a continental drift. The Asian noodles dishes and many of the Thai and Chinese entrees come in at a reasonable $12, but the 10-ounce filet mignon and quarter-pound lobster combo slides up the scale to $39. A lone quarter-pound lobster scuttles up to $26. I did the math and wanted to ask if we could get a filet for $13 (it's $22), but the atmosphere was so courteous that I hesitated to tease the servers. He: A Thai entree, the artfully presented King and I ($16), was imperial enough to satisfy Yul Brynner, with tender scallops and large shrimp in a spicy sauce, and bite-sized chunks of green and red pepper. Fresh basil was atop and jasmine-laced rice accompanied. The Sukomwit Soi 9 Chicken ($12), another Thai selection, was a spicy-sweet plateful of gently breaded, crisp mouthfuls of chicken. Bits of pineapple and tomato added flavor. Asia Bistro also got full marks for its sushi. I recommend the dragon roll ($8.95), a seaweed-wrapped cone of eel, yellowtail and avocado. She: Maguro, sake, hamachi, all were above average, but the unagi (eel) was a standout. He: Last thoughts: flawless service and an exciting menu in a relaxing atmosphere. She: The continent of Central Park has just drifted in an excellent direction. Nancy Dearing Rossbacher and Stephen W. Sylvia publish a Civil War magazine. To reach Rossbacher and Sylvia, e-mail them at
Date published: 3/1/2007
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