I have to admit I was skeptical before I even walked in the door of Asiana Oriental Cuisine, 1198 George Towne Dr. First, I wasn't crazy about schlepping all the way to Pewaukee for a lunch meeting. Second, the sign outside said "Oriental Cuisine."
Can you even say "Oriental" any more?
But my concerns were quickly put to rest -- thanks to a unique and tasty meal prepared at a Hibachi/table. And since I can barely go one day without thinking of a line from "The Simpsons," I immediately remembered when Marge (I think) recommended Benihana "where the dinner is the show!"
Anyway, it's always fun to eat from a flaming table, but calling a restaurant "Pan Asian" is a lofty moniker. It's not easy to do sushi, Chinese, Thai and Hibachi under one roof.
I'll have to test out the other ethnic specialties another time, because this afternoon I decided on the Hibachi steak lunch special for a mere $11. It came with a cup of soup, and more importantly, a showy cooked-to-order plate of food. The chef whipped up some grilled vegetables, fried rice and steak, right on the spot. And it was really good.
At 12:45 p.m. on a Tuesday, the restaurant was rather empty, but all three of us in my lunch meeting left fully satisfied. If I ever find myself again in Pewaukee, I'd certainly return again.
Andy is the president, publisher and founder of OnMilwaukee. He returned to Milwaukee in 1996 after living on the East Coast for nine years, where he wrote for The Dallas Morning News Washington Bureau and worked in the White House Office of Communications. He was also Associate Editor of The GW Hatchet, his college newspaper at The George Washington University.
Before launching OnMilwaukee.com in 1998 at age 23, he worked in public relations for two Milwaukee firms, most of the time daydreaming about starting his own publication.
Hobbies include running when he finds the time, fixing the rust on his '75 MGB, mowing the lawn at his cottage in the Northwoods, and making an annual pilgrimage to Phoenix for Brewers Spring Training.
