Asiana Cafe

Asiana has been in town for years. I remember sneaking out in high school to walk over to Asiana for lunch. Then, it was known for being a good quality, reasonably priced restaurant in downtown Greenwich.

We were relatively adventurous eaters when we were young. This was back before everyone had had pad thai. We were hipsters before being a hipster was cool. Credit: Winfried Mosier/Flickr

Years later, that reputation continues. Asiana is rarely empty (which is amazing, considering the restaurant seems to never close for holidays, snow days, anything), and it’s easy to see why. The food is high quality and extensive–the menu is rather lengthy, so there are plenty of options to keep multiple visits interesting.

As many visitors have described it, the cafe’s atmosphere is sleek, trendy, and fun. Asiana is the perfect venue for a less-expensive date night or just a meal with friends on their outdoor patio (which is of course for what locals use it).

And Asiana offers the best Asian selection in Greenwich: Japanese, Chinese, and Thai all make appearances on the menu. While I’ve never had the sushi, I’ve been told from reliable sources it’s the best in downtown Greenwich. I consistently order the dumplings (fried preferred), as I’ve never been disappointed by them. While not exactly traditional, the miso soup is delicious as well.

Excellent options for entrees include: anything with Spicy Black Bean Sauce, Thai Coconut Curry Sauce, or the classic Ginger Sauce; General Tso’s Chicken or Szechuan Spicy Beef, or the classic Pad Thai.

But in reality one of the biggest draws is their pickled vegetables, which they serve each table at the beginning of the meal in lieu of bread. If nothing else, don’t miss those!

Ice cream and an outer skin of fried goodness. What’s not to love?
Credit: genpink/Flickr

To top it all off, they’ve got fried ice cream, something Connecticuters could only find at Thai restaurants in New Haven or off in New York City.

The best part for visitors to the Stanton House Inn is how close Asiana is–the closest restaurant to us, it’s only a three minute walk away! While we recommend this restaurant all the time, on occasions we forget we are often greeted in the evening by guests who “discovered” Asiana and regaled with tales of their meal and encouragement to recommend it to other guests. And we’re happy to comply.