Soooo much going on!
We have been super-busy lately! I have had a rather full social calendar lately, tripping off to brunches (Broad Street - Yummmmm), visits with family, actual DATES with my husband (?!).
Oh, and I finally got the chance to eat dinner at Pan Asia's new location. It's definitely bigger than the old restaurant; the new building is very narrow and deep. The bar runs all the way down the left-hand side of the restaurant, and the open kitchen area flanks the back of the building. Oh, and the menu has changed some. I ordered a seared scallops dish that came with a nest of crispy sweet potatoes and a nice mound of steamed spinach. I normally get Pad Thai, so this entree was a stretch for me! It was very good, though, with a slightly spicy sauce and great seasoning on the scallops. And for dessert, where I usually order the guilt-free sorbet, I chose the fried banana spring rolls. Oh. My. Lord. They are sooooo good! At Pan-Asia, I've had the lime tart, the sorbet, the creme brulee for dessert before, but somehow I'd never ordered the fried banana spring rolls. I am struck with intense remorse over how many times I missed eating it over the years. You MUST try it.
Other incidentals - they ring a gong on the hour at the restaurant. It sounded like it was coming from the bar area, and I trotted over there to look. But the gong is either not visible, or I'd had too many cocktails (gotta love those "Pan Asia Up" martinis), because I didn't see the darn thing. Maybe it's a recording? Or I am just blind.
Oh - a few TINY criticisms - they have new dishware, and they serve coffee in a handleless, Asian-inspired cup. The problem? Coffee is HOT. So the cup is HOT. So, my suggestion is to either serve cooler coffee (which I don't relish) or get some new cups - ones with handles. Also, they do not offer salt, pepper, or sweeteners on the table. I know this is common in some fine dining establishments. (It's the chef's way of saying that the food will come out perfectly seasoned, so you don't NEED salt/pepper/etc.) However, it's not the norm in this market. And it's tiresome to have to ask for sugar for your tea and coffee and then wait for it to arrive.
Another quick restaurant review - I've been to Sal and Mookie's a few times, and I think I've failed to review it here. It's run by the same guys who operate both Broad Street and Bravo!, and it's fab! If you haven't been, you must check it out. When I've visited, I've mostly ordered pastas and paninis, and I've never been disappointed. Portions are more than generous, and prices are really reasonable. They have a separate bar (which sits to the left of the main entrance), and then a large dining area (to the right). The place is super-family-friendly; there were kids all over the place when we went last week. Oh, and their jumbo cocktails really ARE jumbo; they come served in a water glass. So don't order one if you can't hold your liquor! If you're not up for such drinking, though, you can order a glass of house wine. (We got a half-carafe for the table - which ended up being something like 4 glasses of wine - for about $10.)
Oh, and I finally got the chance to eat dinner at Pan Asia's new location. It's definitely bigger than the old restaurant; the new building is very narrow and deep. The bar runs all the way down the left-hand side of the restaurant, and the open kitchen area flanks the back of the building. Oh, and the menu has changed some. I ordered a seared scallops dish that came with a nest of crispy sweet potatoes and a nice mound of steamed spinach. I normally get Pad Thai, so this entree was a stretch for me! It was very good, though, with a slightly spicy sauce and great seasoning on the scallops. And for dessert, where I usually order the guilt-free sorbet, I chose the fried banana spring rolls. Oh. My. Lord. They are sooooo good! At Pan-Asia, I've had the lime tart, the sorbet, the creme brulee for dessert before, but somehow I'd never ordered the fried banana spring rolls. I am struck with intense remorse over how many times I missed eating it over the years. You MUST try it.
Other incidentals - they ring a gong on the hour at the restaurant. It sounded like it was coming from the bar area, and I trotted over there to look. But the gong is either not visible, or I'd had too many cocktails (gotta love those "Pan Asia Up" martinis), because I didn't see the darn thing. Maybe it's a recording? Or I am just blind.
Oh - a few TINY criticisms - they have new dishware, and they serve coffee in a handleless, Asian-inspired cup. The problem? Coffee is HOT. So the cup is HOT. So, my suggestion is to either serve cooler coffee (which I don't relish) or get some new cups - ones with handles. Also, they do not offer salt, pepper, or sweeteners on the table. I know this is common in some fine dining establishments. (It's the chef's way of saying that the food will come out perfectly seasoned, so you don't NEED salt/pepper/etc.) However, it's not the norm in this market. And it's tiresome to have to ask for sugar for your tea and coffee and then wait for it to arrive.
Another quick restaurant review - I've been to Sal and Mookie's a few times, and I think I've failed to review it here. It's run by the same guys who operate both Broad Street and Bravo!, and it's fab! If you haven't been, you must check it out. When I've visited, I've mostly ordered pastas and paninis, and I've never been disappointed. Portions are more than generous, and prices are really reasonable. They have a separate bar (which sits to the left of the main entrance), and then a large dining area (to the right). The place is super-family-friendly; there were kids all over the place when we went last week. Oh, and their jumbo cocktails really ARE jumbo; they come served in a water glass. So don't order one if you can't hold your liquor! If you're not up for such drinking, though, you can order a glass of house wine. (We got a half-carafe for the table - which ended up being something like 4 glasses of wine - for about $10.)
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