The Healthier Side of Asian Dining

Editor's Note: Have you eaten at Green Leaf? What did you think? Tell us in the comments. 

Like any good foodie, I take it upon myself to scope out a restaurant’s menu online before I make my first visit. It’s almost like an appetizer…before the appetizer.

So when I checked out the menu for Green Leaf (11313 York Rd.) in Shawan Plaza, it conjured an image in my mind of a trendy, modern and minimalist space, serving up the spa cuisine it touts in addition to sushi, Thai and other Asian dishes.

I even promised myself that I’d forgo the sushi for once and opt for one of these “spa” options, which sounded so clean, refreshing and healthy. Perhaps I’d order the slimming soup ($10.95) with rice noodles, chicken, shrimp and vegetables in a miso broth. Or maybe I’d try the intriguing cold mint lime pasta ($12.95) with shrimp, mango, soybeans and bean sprouts over rice noodles mixed with a Thai chili mint lime sauce.

Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), I arrived famished and couldn’t get my mind off sushi. And Green Leaf was not what I expected. It looked like your typical Chinese or sushi hole-in-the-wall strip mall restaurant. Not a bad thing, in my opinion. In fact, I had been here before, a few years earlier on a rather unsuccessful date, the memory of which I had probably repressed.

Luckily, I had returned under better circumstances, accompanied by two similarly ravenous friends.

We began our feast with an order of edamame ($3.95), which were well steamed and not too heavily salted, as some restaurants prepare them.

I also ordered the Thai chili crabmeat soup ($4.95) because I felt like I couldn’t let the unique menu go to waste over my addiction to sushi. The bowl was larger than I had expected, and the soup was filling, but I had to finish every delicious bite. It was like classic Maryland crab soup, but with a tangy bite to it, finished off with the flavor of scallions.

One friend chose the crispy honey sesame chicken ($11.95) after considering the dubious-sounding crispy chicken in strawberry rum sauce ($11.95). The sesame chicken was standard, no better or worse than your go-to Chinese restaurant’s sesame chicken.

The sushi, however, exceeded my expectations. The lump crabmeat and avocado roll ($8.95) was a treat with the cool crabmeat complemented by the creamy avocado. Always a classic, the spicy tuna roll ($5.50) didn’t disappoint either; Green Leaf serves a spicy tuna that’s not too salty, not too inundated with mayonnaise, but definitely well seasoned.

But my favorites were the special rolls. Wrapped in paper-thin yellow seaweed, the crunchy roll ($12.95) could probably be considered a guilty pleasure with its lump crabmeat, avocado, shrimp, fish roe and tempura flakes. The tempura provided a crunch indeed and flavor that was neither overwhelming nor overshadowed.

Also featuring tempura flakes was the pretty in red roll ($12.95) filled with lump crabmeat, avocado and the flakes, wrapped in fresh red tuna with a wasabe sauce on top.

Maybe one day I’ll try one of Green Leaf’s low-fat, low-calorie spa cuisine options. But as long as rolls like the crunchy roll and pretty in red remain on the menu, the chances are as slim as the soup.