Asian at Eastern Dragon

Eastern Dragon
7001 Route 309 (Fairmount Village Shopping Center)
Coopersburg, PA
(610) 282-8988

I've purposely avoided reviewing Chinese restaurants. As noted in an early post, there are more U.S. Chinese restaurants than McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Burger Kings combined. (Both categories have health issues. Two cups of General Tso's chicken packs 830 calories and 37 fat grams, which rivals Wendy's new "Baconator" sandwich.)

Nonetheless, when my friend John invited me to Eastern Dragon with his hearty recommendation, I couldn't pass it up. Like most Chinese restaurants in the Lehigh Valley, it's in a strip mall. But the similarities end there. The interior is tastefully decorated; the garish, cliche Chinese wall hangings aren't prominent. (However, "Chinese zodiac calendar" placemats mark each seat.) Cove lighting in the ceiling provides a pleasant indirect glow. A sushi bar is at the rear.

The menu has all the typical American Chinese dishes: ____ in garlic sauce, ____ with broccoli, kung pao ______, szechwan ______. (Fill in the blank, of course, with your protein of choice.) However, several gourmet specialties caught my eye. I ordered the Shrimp Amazing, which had tender large shrimp stir fried with peppers in a thick, spicy red sauce. John ordered shredded beef, which featured thinly sliced beef with julienned veggies, seasoned with a kick supplied by peppers and chilies. We split a house lo mein, which had chicken, shrimp and pork. All three dishes were big on flavor, freshly prepared, and low on grease. Brown rice was available instead of the typical white. Each grain was cooked to perfection: toothsome and a tad chewy, not at all sticky. (Few Chinese restaurants have brown rice, which is more flavorful and healthier than white rice and exponentially better than fried rice.)

Other enticing items included Ma-La Seafood with Basil (shrimp/scallops with a hot basil sauce), Walnut Honey Shrimp, New Zealand Mussels (with ma-la sauce or black bean sauce), and two roast duck dishes. The sushi bar options are fairly typical -- rolls and hand rolls, sushi and sashimi. Considering the care put into the Chinese food, I'd wager the sushi is good or better.

Eastern Dragon is BYOB. There's a state store in the strip mall if you care for wine. However, I don't recall there being a beer store, so you'll have to bring your own Kirin or other favorite Asian beer.

Go Fish?

The Other Fish
59 E Broad St., Bethlehem
(484) 821-1370

When The Dancing Fish opened in a narrow space on E. 3rd Street on the South Side of Bethlehem, it was one of only a handful of places to get sushi in the Lehigh Valley. Diners more knowledgeable than I rated it average to good.

Evidently, the operation moved north to E. Broad Street and reincarnated as The Other Fish. Situated in the end-of-row space formerly occupied by Mr. V's Blues Cafe and the venerable Hack's, The Other Fish has limited room inside: only four two-seat tables and one five top in the front. The sushi bar seats about nine. The interior is fairly non-descript, featuring dark green paint throughout and decorative window treatments at the front. The open-air kitchen and sushi prep area are visible from anywhere in the cozy interior. There are several picnic tables outside for al fresco dining when the weather accommodates.

As for the food, I wasn't impressed. I ordered a relatively simple sushi lunch and steamed dumpling appetizer. The dumplings must have been pre-steamed; I watched them get reheated in a microwave. Perhaps it was my perception, but they didn't seem as fresh or flavorful as other dumplings I've had.

The sushi lunch had tuna, salmon, eel, mackerel and one other white fish, accompanied by either a tuna roll or California roll. (I opted for the latter.) Although the sushi tasted fresh, the fish was sliced thinly and unevenly. Similarly, the vinegar rice was shaped irregularly and small. (So much for the Japanese focus on presentation.) The California roll seemed meager and haphazardly constructed. Again, taste was not an issue -- just preparation and presentation. For $18 total, I expected more.

However, I owe The Other Fish another chance. Other dishes (especially the teriyaki steak) looked appetizing. And the sushi menu has combinations I've not seen elsewhere: The Kill Bill (shrimp tempura, eel and crab topped with tobiko), Mr. Haas (shrimp and shiitake and avocado, deep fried) and Wayno (shrimp and avocado with seared tuna, wasabi roe, jalapeno and crunch), among more than two dozen others including some "Dancing Fish Favorite" carryovers. Next time I'll err on the side of adventure and sample some rolls.

La Placita update -- Morning Call article

La Placita (12th/Turner in Allentown) has been fully restored after a fire. Jeanne Bonner's article in today's Morning Call features an interview the owners about their recent ordeal, plus delves into the history of this downtown, family-owned eatery. La Placita is one of the most authentic Mexican restaurants in the entire Lehigh Valley. I'm glad it's back -- and I know I'm not the only one. (Thanks, Jeanne, for bringing us this story.)

Three new establishments

Before talking about three new places I've seen during the past couple of weeks, I owe my loyal readers an apology for being away so long. (Too long.) Between a length family vacation and the harried pace at Spark before and after the time off, I'm finally getting the time to tend to important matters again. (By the way, if you're ever fortunate enough to be in charming city of Charleston, S.C., you simply must find time to eat at Jestine's Kitchen for incredible soul food. The pecan whiting, collard greens and butter beans are out of this world. The atmosphere is friendly and authentic.)

OK, back to those three new places that are on my target list. I've just noticed or heard about them recently. I have not stepped inside. (I'd welcome comments from anyone who has.)

Since I mentioned soul food, it's only appropriate to start with Southern Kitchen. It's on 4th Street in Allentown about one block south of Central Catholic High School. It appears to occupy the end of a series of row homes. I have a penchant for the comforting, simple preparation and presentation of soul food. Devoid of pretentiousness or gourmet influences, it is there to satisfy hunger and reconnect you to the simple side of life. My expectations are set high; here's hoping Southern Kitchen can meet them.

Thanks to Kurt Blumenau at The Morning Call for sending me a note about The Sun, which he covered in his July 4 Retail Watch column. Kurt reports that The Sun is on MacArthur Road just south of Home Depot. The Jamaican menu includes oxtail stew, jerk chicken and several preparations of snapper. I imagine it's BYO, so I may have to bring a couple Red Stripe beers for the entire effect. (Political note: please contact your state senator and tell him/her to support the bill that would permit the sale of six packs in beverage stores. This state's liquor laws are so antiquated and backward.)

Finally, I noticed a restaurant called Tokyo Do on Easton Avenue in Bethlehem about 1/2 mile east of the Stefko Blvd. intersection. The sign read sushi and Japanese cuisine. I was unable to tell whether the place has the pseudo-Japanese "hibachi" style entertainment-dining that has become all to common in the Lehigh Valley. Five years ago, Robata in downtown Allentown owned the genre. Now there must be 7-8 different places: A-1 in South Mall, Teppan on Cedar Crest/Hamilton, Ichiban (I think) on Catasauqua Road -- the others are escaping me now. My kids enjoy the knife-wielding chefs, onion volcano and shrimp toss, all which become cliche after the second time you've witnessed them. The only redeeming factor is the ability to place one's sake either on or adjacent to the heated stir-fry table, thus maintaining the sake's warmth. Hot sake makes life itself more tolerable.