Love Asian food? Here are 18 great Cleveland-area restaurants with Asian cuisine as a centerpiece on the menu: Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Asian fusion & more. 9 of the restaurants are from the 2015 A-List guide to to Northeast Ohio's Top 100 restaurants. We also included 11 others that deserve your attention as well.
FROM THE A-LIST
Bac Asian American Bistro and Bar, 2661 West 14th St. (Tremont), Cleveland, 216-938-8960, bactremont.com: Lovely pan-Asian flavors served in a languid retro-hip-post-Colonial restaurant. Some of the dishes are on the mild side, but if you like it hot, they can make them blazing.$$-$$$. All major credit cards. Cuisine: Asian fusion. (Beth Segal, Special to cleveland.com)
Ginko, 2247 Professor Ave. Cleveland (Tremont); 216-274-1202,danteboccuzzi.com: This modern and colorful eatery features the talented Taishi Noma, a tall, bespectacled chef with the bearing of a Zen master. To be sure, his fish and rice are worthy of contemplation. $$$-$$$$. All major credit cards. Cuisine: Japanese. (David Farkas, Special to cleveland.com)
Ninja City, 11311 Euclid Ave. (University Circle), Cleveland; 216-860-0510, ninjacity.com: Every once in a while, you're served a plate that is just too fetching and eye-catching to muss up with a spoon, fork or chopsticks. So it goes with the Bacon Egg Ramen at Ninja City--Bac Ngyuen's playful new dining endeavor in University Circle. The concept of the place is fascinating enough (think urban pop culture explosion and you're about halfway there) but the food gets those senses working overtime. Great a la carte menu that mimics the Happy Dog/Barrio approach. $$. All major credit cards. Cuisine: Avant-garde Asian. (Peter Chakerian, Special to cleveland.com)
Noodlecat 234 Euclid Ave., Cleveland; 216-589-0007, noodlecat.com: Chef Jonathon Sawyer's Noodlecat is the restaurant downtown has always lacked: a funky, fun and imaginative eatery. The Japanese-leaning menu answers the call by offering a variety of ramen-noodle specials that might feature barbecued ribs one day and Buffalo chicken skin on another. $$. All major credit cards. Cuisine: Japanese. (David Farkas, Special to cleveland.com)
Pacific East, 1763 Coventry Road, Cleveland Heights. 216-320-2302, pacificeastcoventry.com: Where do you start at a restaurant with an 11-page Japanese menu, 10-page Malaysian menu, and one of the largest sushi and sake selections in the region? You just dive into the deep blue -- as suggested by the decor. This corner spot in Coventry's lively street scene is popular with Asian diners, always a big reason to follow. $$-$$$; all major credit cards. Cuisine: Japanese and Malaysian. (Debbi Snook, The Plain Dealer)
Shuhei 23360 Chagrin Blvd.(Commerce Park), Beachwood; 216-464-1720, shuheirestaurant.com: Few Japanese restaurants in the region rival this landmark for classic raw fish art. Shuhei still packs 'em in, all day long, as it has for almost two decades in its tucked-away location in the back of an office building on Chagrin Boulevard. $$$-$$$$. All major credit cards. Cuisine: Japanese, Sushi. (Beth Segal, Special to cleveland.com)
Superior Pho, 3030 Superior Ave. (rear entry off East 31st Street), Cleveland, 216-781-7462, superiorpho.com: A good pho -- a fragrant, clear soup that makes use of freshly prepared meat broth, noodles and meats in various stages of cooking, plus all kinds of aromatic herbs, crunchy bean sprouts and zesty sauces -- is a national dish of Vietnam. It's primo here, in many versions. Fried rice and chicken and cabbage salads. $-$$. All major credit cards. Cuisine: Vietnamese. (Debbi Snook, The Plain Dealer)
Wild Mango 362 Westfield Great Northern, North Olmsted, 440-979-1888; wildmangorestaurant.com: Consistently one of the finest Asian restaurants in the region. Sculpturally beautiful dishes produced by a chef from Beijing herald vivid flavors at this restaurant in Westfield Great Northern. $$$-$$$$, all major credit cards accepted. Cuisine: Asian, seafood. (Joe Crea, Northeast Ohio Media Group)
Wonton Gourmet & BBQ, 3211 Payne Ave., Cleveland, 216-875-7000. New owners have maintained the near-landmark status Wonton Gourmet has earned. Step up into this narrow storefront off of Payne Avenue in Cleveland and you might easily imagine yourself in a food shop in Hong Kong. A destination for down-to-earth, "real" Chinese dishes. $-$$$, all major credit cards accepted. Cuisine: Chinese. (Joe Crea, Northeast Ohio Media Group)
BEST OF THE REST
Minh Anh, 5428 Detroit Ave., Cleveland; minh-anh.com, 216-961-9671 - When I moved back to Cleveland in the late 1990s, Minh Anh was the first Asian restaurant colleagues suggested I try. I still return for the delicious food, especially wonderful Pho dishes, lacy crepes, and satisfyingly spicy Chicken Curry Vermicelli. If you're not aware, restaurateur Bac Nguyen (Bac, Ninja City) made his chops here, at his grandmother's side.
Han Chinese Kabob & Grill, 3710 Payne Ave., Cleveland; facebook.com/hanchinesekabob, 216-769-8745 - Few places rival Wonton Gourmet for Chinese food with a vibe of true authenticity, but Han does it smartly. And in a bright, modern space, for good measure. Wonderfully spicy, cumin-scented lamb kabobs, tasty Dandan Noodles, Roast Fish Hot Pot... this is a place to bring friends, take your time (service can lag) and share a bunch of zesty flavors. It's one of those places I want to return to repeatedly, to keep on exploring.
Charm Thai, 7426 Broadview Road, Parma; charmthaiohio.com, 216-642-0301 - The space is lovely, lit by colorful teardrop lamps, and service has been unfailingly gracious. Though I've enjoyed sushi and a couple of other dishes on the menu, my family always returns for the pad thai - one of the best in Northeast Ohio - and the almost as good Country Pad Thai. Charm's basil scented Pat Pong (spaghetti with chicken, shrimp and broccoli) may be even better.
Pearl of the Orient West, 19300 Detroit Road (in Beachcliff Market Square), Rocky River; pearlwest.com, 440-333-9902 - What draws me most to Pearl-West is an ever changing selection of sushi dishes, many of them occasional specials. I don't really go for the usual Chinese-American stuff; rather, if owner George Hwang is available, ask him to guide you to some of the restaurant's most authentic dishes from his native Hong Kong - hopefully, you'll enjoy a dining adventure.
Miega Korean, 3820 Superior Ave. (second floor of Asian Town Center, corner East 38th St.), Cleveland; miegabbq.com, 216-432-9200 - First timers should visit at lunch time. The hot pots range from good to delicious, but frankly I go for the Korean lunch boxes (especially the gal-bi-gui, marinated thin, cross-cut beef short ribs, or the bulgogi made with steak) and the various bowls of kimchi that land on your table.
Ty Fun Thai Bistro, 815 Jefferson Ave. (Tremont), Cleveland; tyfunthaibistro, 216-664-1000 - I like the curries here, especially owner Sunny Ting's Green Curry (No. 32) and the Massaman (No. 34). But you'll find very good fried snapper (when available), and an enjoyable Thai fried rice.
Sun Luck Garden, 1901 South Taylor Road, Cleveland Heights, sunluckgarden.com; 216-397-7676 - Cleveland.com and Plain Dealer reviewers have repeatedly praised chef Annie Chiu's renditions of favorites such as mu shu pork, eggplant with spicy garlic sauce and butterflied shrimp wrapped in bacon (wor hip har). I especially enjoy Chiu's hearty House Special Fried Rice.
Hunan By the Falls, 508 East Washington St., Chagrin Falls; hunanbythefalls.com, 440-247-0808 - Gather friends and compose a meal of "bites" such as the steam shrimp dumplings, jade minced chicken, fragrantly marinated and chewy teriyaki beef skewers - then add a few of the larger bowls and plates such as the deluxe wonton soup, tangerine beef, hunan chicken and fried rice Hunan style.
Blue Jade, 7080-B Engle Road, Middleburg Heights; bluejadechinese.com, 440-234-1668 - An initial visit left me unimpressed - but then, I'd played it safe and went for one of the usual combo-specials. Once I understood the value of sidestepping Blue Jade's standard menu of staple Chinese-American dishes (just so-so) and asked one of the managers to steer me to the chef's specialties, I've happily returned. Try the Mekong Shrimp and Scallops; Szechuan Three Kinds; pan-fried noodles, and some of the weekend specials.