Asia

Owned by the Chew & Bedayn families, 239 Commercial St., Nevada City, 265-4466.

Open for Lunch: Tuesday-Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dinner: Wednesday-Thursday, 5 to 8:30 p.m., Friday-Saturday, 5 to 9 p.m. Reservations accepted for parties of six or more

We dine out often, and there are times when we get a craving for something different.

Fortunately, when the craving hits we don't have to drive any further than Nevada City.

Asia, located adjacent to Cafe Mekka on Commercial Street, offers a unique blend of Asian specialties with influences from Southeast Asia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Indonesia and China.

The restaurant is owned and operated by Kwong Chew and Rod Bedayn and their families. The restaurant is cozy and has an eye catching decor that carries over from the neighboring Cafe Mekka.

Asia is consistent with the "casual dining" wave, a concept that has gathered momentum in recent years that emphasizes speed, high quality and lower pricing. "We bill ourselves as a regional Asian lunch and dinner bar that serves tasty Asian comfort food with attentive service," says Chef Kwong Chew.

"These dishes are tasty-spicy as opposed to hot-spicy. In Asia, this class of food that I grew up with evolved from village or community activities like weddings, birthdays and funerals. The Asian dishes are cooked in huge cauldrons, a tradition still followed in some parts of Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and India, where festivities can last from three to 14 days."

The lunch and dinner bar typically serves up to eight different entrees and two rice dishes, such as organic basmati and coconut jasmine rice that are perfect complements. Dinner includes organic miso soup and kim chee (Korean pickled vegetables). Fran and I can't resist sampling everything from the bar.

The combination of curries, spices and flavors are so enticing we can't stop until our plates are clean.

Asia uses a variety of herbs and spices like Thai basil, Asia curry leaves, galangal, lime leaves, garam masala, cloves and cinnamon. Other ingredients like palm sugar, turmeric, curry paste, tamarind, coconut milk and rice vinegar add rich flavors to the family recipes, along with the mushroom sauces, oyster sauces and fish sauce.

Familiar ingredients like chicken, tomatoes, potatoes, yams, squash, carrots, mushrooms, cabbage and onions are also used.

Warm naan bread (traditional East Indian flat bread) is served with the entrees and goes incredibly well with the sauces. Only the freshest ingredients are used, with emphasis on locally grown organic produce and free-range chicken and eggs that are hormone free. The tofu, milk, miso soup and Basmati rice are all organic, and the beer and wine list also includes local and organic selections.

Seasonal fruit chutneys and yogurt are specially made in-house to pair with the curries and entrees.

For dessert, Asia offers a banana fritter with palm syrup, cinnamon and fresh shredded coconut that is delicious. For a change of pace, try the Asian doft custard with palm syrup, cinnamon and roasted peanuts or pappadum, a traditional East Indian cracker made with lentil flour and fresh coconut from Thailand.

After drinking the juice through a straw, the coconut is split in half, exposing the delicious tender white meat which can be scooped up and savored.

The food at Asia is especially suited for catering as it is affordable and very tasty. It's great for takeout, too. Asia sponsored a fund-raiser cooking class for "CATS" last year, and the event was so well received that the owners hosted the class again this past Sunday.

The next class is scheduled for June 8 and costs $50 per person for two hours of instruction and one hour of feasting.

Supporters constantly ask if Asia will open up in Auburn, Truckee or Chico. According to the owners, Asia may soon have a presence in Grass Valley, and they are currently looking for partners to expand into nearby cities.

For more information, contact

Steve and Fran Lantz of Grass Valley love to eat out. Contact them c/o The Union, 464 Sutton Way, Grass Valley 95945.