Category: Asian

ChineseNevadaRating: N/R (Not Rated)United States

Ping Pang Pong – Las Vegas, Nevada

Gil Garduno12:27 AM

The complaint I hear most often about the Duke City dining scene is that we have a lamentable lack of quality Chinese restaurants. This is a sentiment that’s been echoed ad-infinitum on Chowhound and other restaurant blogs. In my years of reviewing Duke City restaurants, I’ve deemed only nine Chinese restaurants worthy of taking up space on my Web site. Considering Chinese restaurants outnumber those of any ethnicity other than New Mexican, that’s not a good sign. I’ve tried dozens of Chinese restaurants in New Mexico (and continue to try them in hopes of finding a rare hidden gem), but only a few have the qualities I like in Chinese restaurants. Fewer still are those which execute consistently from visit…

AlbuquerqueJapaneseRating: N/R (Not Rated)Sushi

Sushi King – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno3:15 AM

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I– I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. – Robert Frost The path to becoming a sushi aficionado is, in some ways, an assertion of individualism. You might also consider it an expression in audacity. Sushi, as most of us know, is not for everyone. Even the decision to try it the first time can be daunting. Some otherwise intrepid diners will never even get that far, the notion of consuming “raw fish” being too extreme for them. Some will take the safe path and partake primarily or exclusively of “cooked” sushi, grilled fish enrobed in tempura batter and served warm. Others, like my friend Maui…

AlbuquerqueClosed in 2008Gone But Not ForgottenNew MexicoThai

Tawan Thai Cuisine – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil Garduno4:14 AM

Note: This review was written about a Tawan Thai Cuisine location in Rio Rancho that no longer exists. The original Tawan Thai at 200 Wyoming Blvd, S.E., also closed in late 2008. For Rio Rancho’s Thai cuisine aficionados the sky was bleak only briefly. The despair they felt after the closure of Hong Thai was replaced scant weeks later by elation at the August, 2007 launch of Tawan Thai Cuisine. With that launch, the sun began shining brightly as City of Vision residents could once again Thai one on. Tawan, the Thai word for sun, is quickly becoming a shining star (a sun) in the City of Vision’s restaurant scene. Ensconced in the nondescript Lujan Plaza, it is, for many…

AlbuquerqueClosed in 2019Gone But Not ForgottenRating: ExcellentVietnamese

Cafe Trang – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil Garduno4:05 AM

In years of dining in Vietnamese restaurants, we’ve always marveled at the close-knit extended family structure evident in the daily operation of Vietnamese restaurants. Getting to know the wonderful families that run those restaurants, we learned how the lives of individual family members are almost always intertwined with an extended family structure that might include grandparents, parents, brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts and second and third cousins. In most of Albuquerque’s Vietnamese restaurants, you’ll find family members working side-by-side to serve their customers. The welfare of the entire extended family unit is always more important than the interests of individual members (Mr. Spock would be proud). It was no surprise to discover that Trang and Phong Nguyen, proprietors of…

AlbuquerqueClosed in 2019Gone But Not ForgottenSushiThai

Jasmine Thai & Sushi – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil Garduno4:27 AM

Sometimes the most delicate and beautiful things in nature are spawned in conditions that are wholly antithetical to their survival. The delightfully fragrant jasmine flower, for example, is thought to have originated in the Himalayas, a mountainous region prone to extremely harsh weather.  The jasmine’s delicate star-shaped flowers yield a light and sweet fragrance tinged with a hint of the tropics and strongly evocative of the exotic locations in which the flower is most popular. The jasmine is as beloved among emperors, kings and sultans as it is among people of the common clay. Jasmine flowers are worn on the hair of women in Thailand where the flower symbolizes motherhood. Brewed and consumed daily in teas throughout Southeast Asia, jasmine…

AlbuquerqueClosed in 2010Gone But Not ForgottenJapaneseSushi

Japengo Sushi – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil Garduno4:19 AM

The Chinese philosophy of yin and yang posits a dualistic universe in which both sides of opposite forces are each part of a whole and work together. Examples include good and bad, male and female, light and dark and positive and negative. These opposing forces are equal and necessary for harmony. A dualistic nature is what we uncovered at Japengo Sushi–in this case the opposites being truly sensational, saucy salads and sushi sadly at the level of mediocrity. Launched in August, 2004, Japengo is one of the very best restaurants on what has become restaurant row just off I-25–despite the sushi. Its proximity to the Century Rio 24 movie theater has made it a popular dining destination among movie goers.…

ArizonaClosed in 2018Gone But Not ForgottenSushiUnited States

Sushi Eye – Tempe, Arizona (CLOSED)

Gil Garduno4:04 AM

To Western diners used to restaurant ambience defined by an effusive, sensory bombarding, over-the-top flamboyance, many Japanese restaurants feel stark and barren in comparison. That austerity is actually by design. The Buddhist teaching of “wabi” which means “quiet of tranquility” posits a non-attachment to material things. Wabi values the ability to make the most of starkness and poverty by cherishing the subtle beauty found only in a very simple environment. In some sushi restaurants, the minimalist decor is not much more than functional and and nearly as raw as sashimi. Lighting is subtle, perhaps even romantic. The ambience seems to inspire hushed tones and an almost reverent mood, in some cases almost as if you’re at a Buddhist temple. That’s…

AsianClosed in 2018Gone But Not ForgottenNew MexicoRio Rancho

Banana Leaf – Rio Rancho, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil Garduno4:54 AM

Banana leaves, although completely inedible, are used for slow, moist cooking of tough meats as well as for quicker steaming, baking or grilling of delicate ingredients such as chicken and fish. Used while still fresh and green, they lend a very moist quality to any food prepared in them and also imbue foods with a delicious herbal flavor. While Southeast Asian nations have used banana leaves in food preparation for generations, only recently have innovative American chefs begun to explore their infinite possibilities. It’s no wonder there are so many Asian restaurants named for this utilitarian, albeit inedible food ameliorant. Rio Rancho’s Banana Leaf restaurant opened in January, 2005 to some popular acclaim. Bringing you the culinary cuisine of Southeast…

BernalilloClosed in 2007Gone But Not ForgottenJapaneseSushi

Rice ‘N Roll – Bernalillo, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil Garduno3:24 PM

The 1970s have been characterized by writer Tom Wolfe as the “Me Decade” and derided by cynics as the “Disco Era.” It was an era of contrasts: the national crisis of confidence described by President Jimmy Carter as a “malaise” and the ubiquitous yellow smiley face; the melodic, velvety stylings of the Carpenters and the edgy, funky beat of disco; an explosion of copycat fast food chain restaurants and the introduction of innovative fusion cuisine in many contemporary restaurants. Fusion cuisine is the inventive combination of diverse, sometimes disparate culinary traditions, elements and ingredients to form an entirely new genre. In large metropolitan areas, particularly in California, the fusion of different cuisines became commonplace. Restaurants featuring the melding of French…

AlbuquerqueClosed in 2008Gone But Not ForgottenThai

Thai Basil – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil Garduno11:21 PM

Lemongrass, mint, ginger, lime, chile peppers and particularly Thai basil combine in congruent deliciousness to make Thai cuisine among the most popular ethnic cuisines in North America. As one of the most popular culinary herbs in the world, basil is a richly aromatic, slightly spicy ameliorant to many of the best dishes proffered at all Thai restaurants.  Also known as “hairy basil” and by its Thai name of “horapa”, it is used in salads, soups, curries and as a garnish. The aroma of Thai basil is stronger and sweeter than its Italian counterpart and it has a peppery flavor slightly reminiscent of star anise.  Vietnamese cooking also relies heavily on Thai basil.  It’s no wonder so many Thai restaurants across…

AlbuquerqueChineseClosed in 2021Gone But Not Forgotten

Great Fortune Chinese Restaurant – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)

Gil Garduno11:30 PM

According to the Chinese Restaurant News, a respected trade publication, there are now approximately 36,000 Chinese restaurants in America.  That’s nearly three times as many Chinese restaurants as there are McDonald’s franchises.  That’s more than the number of McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Burger King franchises combined. No longer considered exotic, Chinese restaurants are part of the fabric of American culture. There is virtually no American city in which Chinese restaurants aren’t plentiful. A survey by a food product development company revealed that 39 percent of children between the ages of 10 and 13 prefer Chinese food over any other ethnic cuisine (interestingly only nine percent chose American). The online Yellow Pages indicate there are more than 50 different Chinese restaurants in…