Testing the Winds for Asian cuisine

I recently had the pleasure of dining with two teachers from my sons’

school. During our fabulous dinner at East Winds Asian Cuisine, I

learned a valuable lesson -- you can’t judge a restaurant by its

neighbors.

East Winds is sandwiched between an establishment where my

softball team frequently drowned our postgame sorrows (their food was

only slightly better than our performance) and a low-budget

steakhouse chain whose claim to fame is its cheese bread.

From the strip-mall parking lot, East Winds’ frontage seems

nondescript, save for the grand-opening sign. But once you’re inside

the four-week-old restaurant, it comes to life. The newly remodeled

interior boasts a clean, crisp, contemporary look, while ably

maintaining a cozy feel.

East Winds’ offerings are a mixture of Chinese, Japanese and Thai

foods ranging from traditional (kung pao chicken) to eclectic (deep

fried tofu).

We started off with an assortment of appetizers. We savored

butterflied shrimp tempura, Thai chicken skewers served with a tangy

peanut sauce, and beef skewers coated in a nice honey teriyaki sauce.

We also tried the chicken lettuce wraps that have become

ubiquitous (I’m surprised Jack in the Box doesn’t offer them). East

Winds’ generously portioned version mixes sauteed chicken with

shiitake mushrooms, water chestnuts and garlic. A tasty plum sauce

serves as salsa for these Asian-style tacos.

Other tempting starters include curry corners, barbecue pork

slices, crab Rangoon and Kalbi spareribs.

Choosing entrees proved a difficult task because East Winds has a

multitude of enticing options. There are house specialties, such as

the sizzling beef platter and fish in a bird’s nest -- stir-fried

fish in a white wine sauce served in a nest of fried noodles -- as

well as entrees that allow for your choice of meat or seafood to be

prepared in an array of styles (sweet and sour, garlic Szechwan,

Japanese curry or kung pao).

Our decision-making process led us to a mildly spicy orange-peel

chicken, a pasta-like barbecue pork chow mein, and a peppy garlic

Szechwan eggplant.

All three were admirable, but our most exceptional dish was the

twin seasons shrimp. This dish (suggested by East Winds’ genial

owner) was half shrimp coated in a smooth honey-walnut-mayo sauce and

half sweet and pungent shrimp. A beautiful contrast. A wall of

broccoli florets divided the two.

For dessert, we had a soothing green tea ice cream drizzled with

chocolate sauce and topped with wonton chips.

Many of the items we enjoyed are available as lunch specials ($5

to $7) that come with egg roll, fried wonton and choice of rice.

East Winds also has an innovative beverage menu featuring an

assortment of sake martinis (can you say saketini?), specialty

lemonades (apple, cherry, mango) and Italian sodas (melon,

peppermint, peach).

If I was a teacher grading East Winds, they’d make the honor roll.

* JOHN VOLO is the Independent restaurant critic. He can be

reached at [email protected].

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