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The scene is still hot at this perennially packed midtown Asian spot. Kathleen Squires on
06-18-2006
The Scene
A 16-foot-tall Buddha lords over this 12,000-square-foot, multilevel spectacle where, even after five years, bodies pack every inch from bar to bathroom. Though there's no dancing, throngs of midtown workers and trendy tourists bring out their inner club kids to the thumping deep house music.
The Food
The pan-Asian menu could easily become an afterthought in such a scene-centric spot, but Chef Rick Laakkonen runs a reliable kitchen. The satay of Chilean sea bass brushed in miso, shrimp and green beans in a bright XO sauce, and crunchy spring rolls generously stuffed with duck are impressive, but most of the menu falls short, as with lackluster wasabi-crusted filet mignon and flavorless deep-fried lobster dumpling. Desserts, like the giant fortune cookie filled with light and milk chocolate mousse, perfectly embody the spirit of this over-the-top spot.
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