The Local Flavor Asiana House

Author: Emily Thompson

For those of us looking for sushi here in Middlebury, the Asiana House in Burlington fulfills that Japanese desire with its menu ranging from standard favorites like shrimp tempura and teriyaki salmon to innovative sushi maki. Due to its wide range of sushi and cooked entrees, Asiana House accommodates a very broad range of customers, even those who may fear their first bite of raw fish.

Though small, the restaurant is quite chic with its modern wooden interior, somewhat reminiscent of a sauna. Because the restaurant is so small, it forced us to wait 45 minutes for our table Saturday. The service was very friendly, partially because they apologized excessively for the long wait for our table. The elbowroom on the long wooden benches left something to be desired and maneuvering around the tables in order to get to the bathroom was like an exercise in hula dancing. Due to the small size of the waiting staff, the wait for the food rivaled that for the table itself. During the wait for the food, the oh-so-close neighbors and their large sushi boats taunted us with their rainbow-colored creations.

The appetizers are nothing too special, simply common favorites done especially well. Warm and salty edamame prepared the stomach for the generous helpings of sushi to come. The average price for small, cooked appetizers are less than ten dollars, but money should be spent on the main courses if one is strapped for cash.

The sushi rolls, or maki, not only come in huge portions, but are works of art as well. The Volcano maki looked like a volcano, with the sushi rolls stacked up in order to make a mountain and bright orange seafood salad spewing right out of the top. The Rainbow maki not only exhibited the many different colors of the rainbow, but arched across the plate as if it belonged in the sky.

Many of the house specials have little unexpected twists that make them all the more special. Bits of vegetable tempura hide in the spicy tuna roll simply to add an enjoyable crunch. For vegetarians, Asiana House provides tempeh and vegetable specials that rival their raw fish counterparts. Even the old standards of tuna and California rolls satisfy, undeniably thanks to the fresh fish delivered every other day. The house specials range from 13 dollars to about 20 dollars for six pieces. The standard rolls range from three to six dollars for vegetable rolls.

The desserts do not abide by the Japanese mantra of the restaurant, but no matter. The fruit platters and tempura ice cream fill up the last bit of space in one's stomach, if there was one to begin with in the first place.

As one of the few decent options for Japanese cuisine close to Middlebury, Asiana House's specials constantly change in order to satisfy new and returning customers. The wait might be long, but stick it out, the meal will be worth it.