DINING OUT: The flavors of Asia

Another Lunar New Year is upon us. Why not celebrate it with a meal at one of the borough’s many Asian-inspired eateries? From Asian-fusion to classic Chinese fare, Southern Brooklyn has its fair share of popular restaurants swimming in culture and serving up delicacies.

In Bay Ridge, there’s a bevy of traditional and modern Asian restaurants. At Arirang (8814 Fourth Avenue) – a unique place in the culinary landscape of Bay Ridge – food is prepared hibachi-style, in a fun and entertaining eyes-view environment.

It’s also a family favorite, because of the easy-going atmosphere, the theatrics of the tableside chefs, and the fact that even picky eaters are likely to enjoy the dramatically presented offerings, with chefs displaying pyrotechnics as well as stellar knife skills. And the food is just as good as it is fun. From the hibachi dinners (which begin with a bowl of elegant broth studded with caramelized onion and scallion rings, and also include a crispy house salad with an Asian-inflected ginger dressing, and your choice of meat, fish or neither) to the fried ice cream, there is something for everyone.

On the more modern side, there’s Bay Ridge’s own Xin (8320 Third Avenue). Pronounced “Sin,” this local eatery is based on one that came before – former Bay Ridge institution Lai Yuen – and offers up foodie favorites like the Bo Bo Platter. Priced at $18.95, the Bo Bo Platter features two different kinds of ribs (boned and boneless), dumplings, huge battered shrimp, beef sate skewers and shrimp toast, the variety providing a balance of sweet and savory, as well as a variety of textures that distinguish themselves while complementing each other – and is the perfect meal for two.

If you’re looking for a quick bite, you might want to turn to Kathy’s Dumplings (7924 Third Avenue), a Bay Ridge cornerstone that draws crowds of locals—and their not-so-local friends—at all hours of the day to enjoy a plethora of dumplings, salads and “pancakes,” though not the light and fluffy breakfast food. Kathy’s Special Pancakes ($4.95), not the pancake you would expect, came in a crispy, thin dough shell and encompassed a spectacular symphony of savory flavors with its Chinese chives, shrimp, bean, vermicelli and egg – making for a delicious and affordable bite.

Over in Bensonhurst, those looking to cure their Chinese food cravings might want to look to New Ruan’s Chinese Restaurant (1955 86th Street), a neighborhood staple since 1991 that proves year after year to be just as family-friendly as it is family-owned and oriented. Those looking for an authentic Asian dinner might want to try the Singapore Style Mei Fun ($12.50), delicate noodles studded with chunks of meat and vegetables, in a spicy, curry-inflected sauce, whose warm and inviting fragrance rose up to greet us when the plate was set down at our table.

Those closer to Dyker Heights might want to spend a night out (or in) with food from Fortune Cookie (7604-6 13th Avenue), a neighborhood staple serving both top-notch Chinese food and sushi. Our favorites at the 13th Avenue eatery included the Boneless Spare Ribs, Barbecue Roast Pork and, of course, their house-made egg-rolls.

Pho Hoai (8614 Fourth Avenue and 1906 Avenue U) dishes up authentic Vietnamese food at reasonable prices. Besides the pho, traditional Vietnamese soup that is a meal in a bowl, the eatery’s specialties include our favorite Spring Rolls and Grilled Pork with Lettuce on Rice Vermicelli, which masterfully combines fresh and cooked ingredients, and tender and crunchy ones (one of the things that makes Vietnamese food so alluring). Don’t spare the fish sauce-based dipping sauce that is served on the side. It adds an indefinable oomph to the finished dish.

What better way to ring in the Year of the Monkey.