The number of Asian-food stuff restaurants I’ve by no means been to continues to dwindle, nonetheless some decent Google rankings led me to a person specific spot that has eluded me so considerably: Asian River, which sits at the intersection of Central Avenue Pike and Merchant Travel. The Grub Spouse and I headed up that way just lately for a sit-down dinner.
Even though The Wife or husband and I are both fully vaxxed up, I appreciated that Asian River’s personnel noticed masking protocol on the night of our take a look at and that the configuration of booths and seating allowed for a respectable amount of money of distancing. They even have bottles of sanitizer on the tables. We claimed one of the aforementioned booths, requested beverages and established about processing the in depth menu on the fly.
A agent lineup of soups, salads and appetizers kicks off the listings. Crab Rangoon and steamed dumplings are joined by merchandise like the scallion pancake and calamari to give diners assorted beginning options.
Similarly, an eclectic vary of the two Japanese and Chinese delicacies spans Asian River’s menu. For illustration, there are sections featuring lo mein (tender noodle), mei pleasurable (rice noodle), pai thai, yaki soba and yaki udon dishes. Rooster, steak and shrimp are among the the protein possibilities. Somewhere else, you are going to find much more confined picks of Thai and Malaysian creations like panang curry rooster, Thai basil hen, mee goreng and shrimp laksa meifoon.
I decided to order sushi as a starter. The menu divides raw-fish fare into nigiri, sashimi, classic rolls and distinctive rolls. Accessible varieties of fish contain salmon, smelt roe, tuna, yellowtail, octopus, eel, striped bass and squid, to mention numerous. I went with one particular of the distinctive rolls, the Volcano roll ($11.99), which functions salmon, avocado and product cheese wrapped in rice and topped with baked, shredded crab as properly as scallion and chili sauce.
For our entrées, The Husband or wife selected from the hibachi and teriyaki entrees. Decisions include hen, crab, steak, shrimp, scallop and lobster tail as properly as many mixtures of all those. The Husband or wife acquired the chicken and steak combo ($13.99) ready teriyaki-type. Those people foods are served with a vegetable medley of broccoli, onion, zucchini and mushrooms as well as a selection of white or fried rice. Spousey went with fried.
I concentrated my attention on the Chef Specialties section, which has dishes like Volcano Steak in a spicy brown sauce, Fire Wok (a multi-meat combo in a massaman curry sauce) and the Emperor Duck. My collection, Joyful Family ($13.99), is an previous-college most loved, but its blend of rooster, steak, shrimp, scallop and crab would give me a great deal of flavors to sample. (Sadly, I experienced to maintain off on the scallop due to the fact I may have formulated an allergy to it in the latest many years.)
For the file, Asian River is adjacent to a comprehensive-assistance bar, and they have a variety of lunch specials that includes sushi and Chinese cuisine. The hibachi and teriyaki meals are out there in lunch portions as well. They also have a tasty choice of bubble teas for people of you who are followers.
I got to munch on sushi 1st, and I was very delighted with the Volcano
roll. The fish, avocado and cream cheese innards had been excellent adequate, but the shredded crab on prime created for a flavorful little bit of included texture.
And each entrees held their individual with the fare I have sampled at similar Asian-foods eateries in town. The portions were undoubtedly generous, but beyond that, the assortment of grilled meats on our platters shipped, and the flavor and texture of the fried rice had been very good as effectively. I also believed the stir-fried greens in the two our meals were being cooked to just the right consistency.
Asian River will not acquire any awards for its interior aesthetics, but the foods is gratifying on all concentrations, and the provider we obtained was extensive and courteous. Those of you living and functioning in the Service provider Drive ZIP code should really look at incorporating it to your Asian-foods quick list.
Asian River
Foods: 4
Services: 3.75
Ambiance: 3.75
Over-all: 3.75
Handle: 6714 Central Avenue Pike, Suite B
Cellular phone: 865-444-5800
Entire bar provider
Kids’ menu
Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays via Thursdays 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays
This North Knox cafe ably serves up a broad array of delicious Asian cuisine.