Asian cuisine extravaganza

Get ready. You’re going to walk under a roaring waterfall at the

entrance and gaze into a bubbling moat.

Once you’re inside the restaurant, you’ll spot a 16-foot Buddha --

forever changing colors -- over the 30-seat sushi bar. There will be

sexy European house music playing.

You might wonder if you’re in the latest and hottest Las Vegas or

Manhattan nightclub.

Not quite. You are in a quiet business district on MacArthur

Boulevard, where a Coco’s and dinner theater restaurant once stood.

Moe Ghazi knows hot recipes and how to create trendy restaurants.

He’s the former owner of two Orange County hot spots -- Mosun Sushi

and Sake Bar and Club M, together a hip, multilevel sushi bar and

nightclub with live music and dancing in Laguna Beach; and Caffe

Panini, an upscale European coffee shop in Corona del Mar.

He sold both locations and incorporated their souls in one giant

compound in Newport Beach. His culinary vision of a trio of connected

concepts opened in January. Each entity has its own persona for his

guests’ ever-changing moods.

Ten Asian Bistro, Tentation Ultra Lounge, and Panini Restaurant

and Bar make up Newport’s newest dining extravaganza, where people

dine on sushi and Asian fusion fare, dance to hip-hop and then relax

into the wee hours at an upscale Mediterranean and Italian cafe.

At first glance, Ten Asian Bistro looks as if its focus is all

about glitz and glamour -- and nothing about food. There are Buddha

statues, flat-screen TVs, robotic lights highlighting the dance

floor, color kinetic lighting shifting every few minutes on perfectly

faux-finished walls, a framed waterfall behind the sushi bar, and

bottles of spirits glowing from fireplaces above the bar.

Yet the big surprise is not the Asia-meets-Las Vegas lounge

atmosphere. It’s that the Asian cuisine is quite good.

The Chinese, Thai and Japanese fusion dishes are above par,

including crispy filet mignon wontons with hoisin sauce ($8),

delicate lobster spring rolls with chili vinaigrette ($9), Chilean

sea bass with a mirin reduction sauce that’s not buttery or too rich

($19), and a whole catfish with sweet and sour sauce that’s plenty

for two and could rival Five Feet’s famous dish in Laguna Beach

($27).

On the sushi menu, chefs Akira Furuya and David Fernandez create

visually stunning signature rolls and traditional fresh sushi. The

quality of fish is top notch.

The chefs already have loyal followings, as regulars request sushi

prepared by Furuya or Fernandez depending on their preference of

styles. Fernandez, a former chef at White Lotus in Hollywood,

combines culinary influences from Asian and Mexican cuisines. Furuya

is a 15-year veteran from Mosun whose innovative creations comprise

the sushi menu.

Their exceptional rolls include yellowtail and jalapeno roll with

lime soy vinaigrette ($14), a soft shell crab roll with ginger ponzu

($12), and a signature volcano roll with baked halibut and scallops

($12).

The delicious sushi rolls and appetizers are a great value during

happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Patrons can choose

from edamame, miso soup, hot and sour soup, Ten Buddha salad, fried

oysters, shrimp tempura, vegetable tempura, fried calamari vegetable

spring rolls, California rolls and spicy baja rolls. Sushi rolls are

just $3. Signature martinis are $8.

Tentation Ultra Lounge is open for dancing Thursdays through

Saturdays and can be reserved anytime for special events. There’s a

cover charge of $20. A DJ plays hip-hop and Top 40 music. A waterfall

runs the entire length of the 48-foot bar.

Cabanas (seat eight to 12 guests) and sofas (seat up to five

guests) can be reserved with bottle service. There’s a three-bottle

minimum for cabanas (starting at $275 per bottle) and a two-bottle

minimum for sofas.

It offers state-of-the-art lighting and plasma screens throughout.

The Buddha Patio has Moroccan-style gazebos, fire pits and a

waterfall.

The nightspot has lines to get in already, so you might want to

consider going there early.

Panini Restaurant & Bakery serves breakfast and lunch daily. For

breakfast, you can choose from grilled sandwiches, omelets, French

toast and bagels. At lunch, customers may select from grilled panini

sandwiches, broiled kabobs, pastas, pizza and salads.

The restaurant can be reserved for events after 4 p.m., and it

stays open for dessert, cappuccinos and drinks until 4 a.m. Thursdays

through Saturdays.

* BEST BITES runs Fridays. Greer Wylder can be reached at

[email protected] f7or fax (714) 966-4679.