A Feast for the Senses

By Jun Wang

Asian Chef
Location: 941 Bullsboro Dr. Suite B, Newnan, GA 30265
Phone: 770-251-8088
Offers: Dine-in, Sushi bar, Hibachi
Cuisine: Americanized Chinese cuisine, Japanese cuisine
Signature Dishes: General Tso’s Chicken, Mongolian Beef, Happy Family, Four Season, Baked Mussel, Jimmy’s Roll
Year of Establishment: 2008

Are there any boundaries between Chinese and Japanese cuisine? Of course, there are.
These cooking styles share similarities but are astonishingly different at the same time. Now, more and more restaurants are trying to bring these two distinct cuisines together under one roof. Asian Chef is one restaurant that has successfully harnessed these two cuisines, tapping them for their exciting blend of unique flavors and sights.

Stepping into Asian Chef, you may feel like you stepped into the future of dining, a future where Chinese and Japanese elements have blended into one. Your cultural adventure will kick off as you walk down a corridor marveling at the Chinese poetry and delicately glazed porcelain covering the wall. As you enter the dining area the ambience becomes more Japanese. You’ll be entranced by the decorative sumo and geisha pictures, a luster of flowers, banners hanging overhead, and a sushi bar with paper lanterns with the word “sushi” written on them. If you take a closer glimpse at the booths, you’ll notice the back of each booth and their divider are artistically decorated.

The owner, Winston Lin emphasizes the interior almost as much as he emphasizes his food—one eye catcher is his use of iron craft. Rarely do restaurants use iron craft when it comes to decoration, but Mr. Lin not only uses it he embraces it with his bold use of iron crafted tables and chairs, with the hope of maintaining solid sales and a thriving business. Iron crafted tables and chairs and the hanging lanterns together will make you feel like you’ve been transported to an eatery in Southern China.

The food is tastily matched with the décor. The expansive menu covers a wide range of food options, including Americanized Chinese food, which features the ubiquitous General Tso’s Chicken, Sweet and Sour Chicken and Mongolian Beef. Also present on the menu is a fine selection of Japanese food featuring sushi, teriyaki and hibachi which has its own loyal following.

Topping the list of Chinese food is the classic Happy Family, Ginger and Scallion Lobster, and the creative Four Seasons. Ginger and Scallion Lobster is an arresting combination of lobster meat, broccoli, zucchini, and carrots, matched with ginger and scallion and later scented with a touch of fragrant sauce that is guaranteed to satiate the cravings of anyone looking for a delicious lobster dish.

The Four Seasons, served on the plate with four different seafood varieties: shrimp, scallop, mussel and fish are sautéed together with mixed vegetables. What is unique about this dish is that it is served on a bird nest like bowl. The food is not only tasty but also beautifully presented. This dish even features food carvings.

When you enjoy the eruption of flavor brought about by the Chinese dishes you’ll want to keep the taste party going by trying the delicately prepared sushi and rolls. Sushi, as a menu staple in Asian Chef, is an edible art. The various shaped and beautifully presented sushi is an enticing blend of color, fragrance, flavor and presentation. However, it is not easy to master the skills of sushi making. It takes expertise and skills. Asian Chef showcases it mastery by offering some of the best sushi in town.

Rolls are offered at just about every Japanese restaurant, and Asian Chef is no exception. But what sets Asian Chef apart is the intricacy of the chef’s interpretations. It seems the chef’s inspiration has been fully exerted for creating its own rolls. The Spicy Kiss Roll, Volcano Roll, Black Angel Roll, Sunny Roll and Jimmy’s Roll are just some of Asian Chef’s outstanding creations. What is a Volcano Roll? Well it lives up to its name by being an eruption of spices, scorching your throat with flavor. You’ll taste three successive eruptions starting with crunchy spicy tuna then an avocado blast and finally a mushroom cloud of hot spicy sauce that is just hot enough to make you feel the dish without having to reach for your water. The Jimmy’s Roll is the chef’s original invention, and is made from spicy crab, tempura shrimp, smoke salmon, cream cheese and asparagus tinged with special sauce.

Aside from the natural sushi and sashimi, the teriyaki and hibachi are big hits with the customers. At Asian Chef, there are always wonderful cooking performances going on and you’ll probably see diners sitting around a table or two observing the chef unleash his creativity, channeling it through the food he is preparing. The steak, scallop and shrimp are sautéed on an iron plate to give it a special twist and a slight hint of sweetness, with the fragrant teriyaki sauce composed of mayonnaise and butter.

To many diners, the customized meals are a sign of respect for them and for the sushi that the chef has so laboriously prepared. Dishes can be steamed or boiled if requested so. Unique items not on the menu can also be prepared if the ingredients needed are available. A team of experienced staff provides attentive but nonintrusive service, leaving you more time to focus on the food. They smile, are polite, and do their best to provide you with the best dining experience possible.

Those who have dined at Asian Chef agree that the restaurant provides a fabulous dining experience. So when you visit Newnan, Georgia, stop by and have a try.