local flavor Burlington's Asiana House dishes up delightful sushi

Author: Tamara Hilmes

If you are looking for a meal to set your taste buds ablaze with flavor, stop, drop and California roll on over to Asiana House and sushi bar at 191 Pearl Street in Burlington, Vt. While I am no connoisseur of raw fish dishes, I can safely say that the sushi that I sampled at this rather chic downtown establishment is the best that I have tasted thus far in Vermont - granted, it is the only sushi I have eaten in Vermont.

As you enter the restaurant after a long afternoon of shopping on Church Street, you are immediately immersed in a sleek and simple, yet rather inviting realm of Eastern cuisine. Everything from the flames of the colored glass votives dancing on the surface of the heavily veneered pine tables to the series of small bamboo plants spaced evenly atop the room divider contributes to the modern and classy atmosphere found at Asiana. A waitress dressed in a funky yet elegant uniform that mimics the traditional Japanese kimono led me to my table and passed around the menus.

Upon first glance, Asiana's menu can be quite overwhelming. The lists upon lists of various sushi platters and rolls, as well as appetizers and noodle dishes for those not so keen on sushi, can be a lot to handle on your first visit. If you are as indecisive as I am and take an eon or longer to choose your meal, try ordering one of the delicious appetizers. The Vegan Samosa, for a mere $5.95, is perfect for whetting your sushi appetite. Do not be thrown off by the name - its vegan-ness doesn't hurt the flavor. It's not actually alcohol, but rather five delicious little spring roll pockets filled with an array of vegetables presented not on a plate, but in a martini glass. Imagine a classy, Japanese version of pizza rolls served with a spicy sweet and sour sauce. Yum.

While you may be tempted to just order another round of Samosas, I recommend you save your appetite for the main course. The restaurant offers a wide variety of sushi rolls, from traditional to vegetarian. If you possess a Gollum-esque taste for food, go for the Snap Dragon combination. This elegant dish consists of rolls filled with tuna, salmon and seared onions tucked tightly inside seaweed and rice topped with bright orange fish eggs. If the explosion of flavor doesn't wow you, the presentation will. The rolls, accompanied by a swirly mound of ginger and dollop of bright green wasabi, are placed on a simple white dish with sauce drizzled in a criss-cross pattern across the porcelain. Several of the other traditional entrees are also splendidly plated. One 18-piece dish is served with the sushi arranged in a pyramid on the plate.

If you are like me, however, and the texture and smell of raw fish make your stomach turn over, you might want to opt for the Sweet Potato Tempura Maki. This delightfully simple and sweet roll is filled with sweet potato encased by a crispy tempura lining beneath the seaweed that adds a surprisingly pleasing crunch. Dipped in soy sauce, this fish-free rolls offers the epitome of a sweet and salty flavor sensation.

For those not hot on any kind of sushi, fishy or otherwise, the Asiana House has a number of non-sushi items on their menu. The Vegan Combination comes with a heaping portion of sizzling noodles and vegetables along with a bowl of salty seaweed soup. The more traditional miso soup can also be ordered a la carte or as a side dish for a meal.

Should you choose to immerse yourself in a culinary experience from the Far East at Asiana House, I recommend you call (802) 651-0818 and make a reservation, as this classy joint can get busy around dinner time.