Especially of late, North Texas' Asian food scene is one of the best things we've got going around here, with an influx of East Asian restaurants proliferating around the suburbs faster than we can say, "Oh look, a new bubble tea spot." Whether you're looking for trendy, upscale sushi with Japanese whiskey or a low-key spot to fill up on soul-warming Lao soup, here are a few spots that should be on your radar right now.
Sapp Sapp Lao and Thai Kitchen
120 S. Main St., Irving
This family-owned downtown Irving restaurant specializes in familiar Thai dishes but also less-expected dishes that run the gamut from Spam musubi to the loco moco, rice topped with a burger patty, macaroni, gravy and a fried egg.
Crepes aren't all about sweet at T-Swirl.
Kathryn DeBruler
2540 Old Denton Road, Carrollton
When it comes to crepes, it's not all about butter and Nutella — and nothing nails that point quite so well as T-Swirl, a Japanese creperie in Carrollton. A Japanese crepe's texture is lighter, slightly chewy and more crisp than a traditional crepe, making it a perfect conveyor for a wide variety of flavors.
Uchiba
2817 Maple Ave.
For something a little more see-and-be-seen, the new Uchi offshoot, Uchiba, is open in Uptown with sushi, yakitori and a wide array of Japanese whiskey cocktails. Whether you're waiting for a table at Uchi or just want to sip cocktails and snack on yucca chips and crispy Brussels sprouts, this new spot is a hot ticket.
Sour fish soup at Big Claw in Plano.
Kathy Tran
2049 Coit Road, Plano
Acquaint yourself with the new generation of Plano cuisine at Big Claw, where you'll find Asian-American millennials snacking on dishes like traditional Chinese sour fish soup.
Shaved ice with sweet potatoes, beans, condensed milk and ice cream at Meet Fresh.
Kathy Tran
2001 Coit Road, Plano
If you're gonna take the time to explore Plano's robust array of East Asian restaurants, go all in by saving room for dessert at Meet Fresh, a Taiwanese dessert cafe that makes stellar treats such as shaved ice.
