Asia Moon: Calling All Adventurous Palates

An enormous waterfall flows majestically from what seems to be an ordinary window at the front entrance of Asia Moon. The dark brown rattan, abundance of greenery and artwork has you Feng(ing) and Sui(ing) immediately.

Before you get your jacket off, a lovely plate of pickled vegetables, your menu and ice cold water appear. The Jimaca, carrots and onions can be used later to cool one's palate if you opt for the flavors of Thailand or Vietnam.

Tom Yum Goon (6) is a Thai soup that is sour and spicy served with a slice of lime. Use the entire wedge of lime to diffuse the intense heat of the soup. Studded with sweet pineapple chunks, medium shrimp of good quality and slivers of exotic mushroom, the cilantro perfumed broth had a nice red sheen from the abundant red pepper paste used. Intensely hot, it satiated this flaming red-head. Warning: it is not for unadventurous palates but a must for those who dig spice.

The Scallion Pancakes ($5) are incomparable to any you've eaten. They are so wafer thin, crispy and infused with air, they crumble when they meet your mouth.  I learned to make them in culinary school and it is only from the continual rolling and folding over that creates those airy layers. Rightfully so, this Chinese munchie stands on its own and is served quite simply with soy sauce.

The Vietnamese Summer Rolls ($7) at first glance were sushi sized morsels described in the menu to have mango, shrimp and vermicelli in rice paper. A cold appetizer, they were topped with finely found peanuts and were swimming in a bright orange sauced speckled with scallions and red pepper. The sauce rescued the dish.

The Duck Pot Stickers ($10) were an absolute must. Such a decadent flavor - only a fool would complicate duck, the meat was tender and juicy. Pan fried and brown on one side, they were drizzled with an amber colored plum sauce with a hint of sweetness.

 A Vietnamese Salad ($7) appeared in a small bowl. Shredded Jimaca, nappa cabbage, mango, cilantro and vermicelli were topped with finely chopped peanuts – it was flavorful and well dressed.

The Sesame Seared Tuna ($16) appeared under Chef's Selections. It was sushi grade and served with a bed of fresh bright green seaweed salad. Barely cooked and sliced into medallions, it was served with a wasabi dressing that lent the perfect blast of heat.

Specials of the day included Asian Baby Back Ribs ($12) and Crispy Orange Beef ($18). Before leaving, a local young couple who professed to be devout Asian Moon patrons insisted I come back for the ribs and anything curry.

The beauty of Asian Moon is you can take your Chinese or Japanese food loving friends and they can get standard fair. However, the Thai, Malaysian, Indonesian and Vietnamese dishes beckon adventurous palates. This is not the place to order an entrée each – this menu is designed to be a tasting menu so order many little dishes.