A shower is possible early. Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low near 50F. Winds light and variable..
A shower is possible early. Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low near 50F. Winds light and variable.
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For years I just drove past Spicy Asian restaurant on Meadow Street because I was put off by the name. I don’t go out of my way for spicy food and I assumed “Asian” meant pan-Asian to include Korean, Japanese, Chinese, and Thai. Since there are other alternatives in Ithaca that aren’t necessarily spicy, I was never tempted to eat at Spicy Asian. So, when my editor included it on a list of assignments, I wasn’t thrilled. But now that I’ve been there several times, I really like it and am sorry to have let so much time go by.
First of all, it’s not pan-Asian: It’s exclusively and, according to those I trust, authentically Chinese. Second, there’s a myriad of choices that aren’t spicy and the extensive, illustrated, eight-page menu clearly identifies the spicy choices with one to four red pepper icons.
Spicy Asian has a minimalist interior with covered lamps hanging from the ceiling and it was a welcome relief to find a restaurant that operates without any piped-in music. There are leatherette booths around the perimeter and tables and chairs in the center. Fortuitously, the large picture windows overlook trees and bushes which block out the Meadow Street traffic.
About one half of the menu is devoted to “Szechuan Style” offerings.
Szechuan refers to the largest province in China: It’s twice the size of Great Britain and has a population of over 80 million. Szechuan fare leans heavily to fish and beef dishes, (they raise a lot of oxen) and can be very spicy, however they need not be. The strong flavors come, primarily, from the use of red chili peppers and garlic.
I selected an appetizer, Scallion Pancakes Rolled with Beef, ($10.75). I received four deep fried, flaky, rolled pancakes, two of which went home with me as it was a generous portion. The rolls are designed to be eaten in by hand since otherwise they come apart, however being deep fried, they’re slightly greasy. Still, it’s a very tasty dish.
Moving on to the entrées, I eschewed the red pepper icon items and selected Braised Lamb in Hot Pot ($17.95). My server presented me with a handled, very hot, personal, cast-iron pot with chunks of tender lamb and small scallion slices immersed in a tasty brown sauce.
In some Asian cooking, including Indian and Chinese, the bones of animals are crudely chopped with a cleaver and included with the meat. Consequently, some lamb and goat dishes, this one included, are served with all sizes of sharp-edged bones.
The menu does state, in small print, there are skin and bones in the dish, however I feel compelled to emphasize it.
All that being said, I finished all the tasty, thick sauce with the soup spoon that was provided. I enjoyed the dish and would recommend it to adults who like lamb.
Another entrée I enjoyed was Sauteed Udon Noodles, ($12.95) which came with small bits of pork, four medium shrimp, and some vegetables
The balance of the menu is “Chinese Cuisine”. In that Section, under Chef’s Specialties, I had a wonderful Seafood Delight ($19.95). The platter came with a few succulent shrimp, some tender, juicy scallops, a small half lobster tail, and some crab meat. All of these were surrounded by a hearty collection of veggies including carrot slices, broccoli, mushrooms, baby corn and pea pods. The carrots and broccoli were barely cooked, which could be a problem for some readers. But since these veggies are often served raw as part of a crudité mixture, I had no problem.
Also in the Chef’s Specialties section of the menu I ordered, and liked, Crispy Duck ($16.95). It was boneless so consequently I received about ten thick slices of beautifully seasoned duck with crunchy skin. This dish, too, came with lots of veggies-basically the same as came with the seafood dish-plus some chopped scallions and some thinly sliced mild onions. Everything was surrounded by a tasty brown sauce.
It should be noted that neither of these dishes had any red pepper icons next to their listing and neither was the slightest bit spicy. Both were accompanied by a bowl of white rice.
Tid Bits: If you want a knife or chop sticks, you’ll have to ask. There are two entrances, one directly off Meadow Street and one around the back parking lot that services other retail establishments.
Spicy Asian, 335 Elmira Road, is open Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Take out is available by calling (607) 277-7017 or online at https://www.spicyasianfood.com/menu
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