Kathy Tran
Audio By Carbonatix
The burgeoning Harwood District has added another restaurant to its ever-growing list of amenities. Elephant East is the latest concept from the Harwood Hospitality Group located at 2850 N. Harwood St, on the backside of Harwood Arms. If you’ve driven down Harwood Street you’ve no doubt noticed the red bamboo forest with the large ornamental elephant. Elephant East bar Kathy Tran
Technically the walkway between Harwood Arms and Elephant East is called La Rue Purdue and is a “European-inspired alleyway,” however, there was a corn hole game at last check; feels like bocce ball would go better with that theme.
Chef Thomas Griffin spearheads Elephant East in the kitchen. Dishes are inspired by his years of traveling to Bangkok, Indonesia, Malaysia, The Philippines, Shanghai, Vietnam and Taipei. Griffin spent time under the tutelage of James Beard-nominated chef Philip Tang, where he, according to a press release, “learned the art of Asian noodle and breadmaking along with wok cooking and dim sum production.”
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Cocktails
Kathy Tran
Better bet they have a strong cocktail game. The Margarita of the East uses blanco tequila, ginger-lime agave and candied ginger. There’s also a Singapore Sling and a Pear Mule made with house-infused pear vodka, Texas ginger-lime sake, St. George spiced pear liqueur, fresh lime and ginger beer. Cozy booths at Elephant East Kathy Tran
Starter highlights include house-made steamed boas with pork belly, cucumber, pickles shallots and an apple char siu (a variety of sauce). Korean fried chicken is made with rice-flour and served popcorn chicken-style; two flavors include soy garlic and gochujang barbecue with furikake rice and kimchi (photo at top).
Entrees include Singapore noodles made with egg noodles, Chinese sausage, Napa cabbage, snow peas and yellow curry. Their papaya salad is made with sweet potatoes flakes, green beans, peanuts, tomatoes, chili lime vin and herbs. Galbi boneless Korean short ribs come with sticky rice, kimchi in a sesame apple demi.
For dessert, diners can have Chinese doughnuts with red sugar or a bubble waffle sundae.
Elephant East, 2850 N. Harwood St. #120. Closed Monday and Tuesday; 5-10 p.m. Wednesday; 5-11 p.m. Thursday; 5 p.m.-12 a.m. Friday and Saturday; 5-10 p.m. Sunday.
