If you ever find yourself with a group of hungry friends or family who all declare an interest in going out for Asian food but can’t decide what kind – Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Thai? – Sushi Chinoise is the place to go. The name of the restaurant can be deceiving as it sounds as if it might be a French sushi shop that comes with a sort of Chinese twist. In fact, Sushi Chinoise serves a veritable panorama of Pan Asian cuisine: sushi, Chinese rice and meat dishes, curry noodles from Singapore, Vietnamese-style rice bowls and egg rolls, and chef Thao Nguyen’s now-famous Bibimbap, the Korean rice bowl that helped her win top honors on the Food Network show, “Beat Bobby Flay” in May last year.
From one of the several columns on the menu that list a range of noodle or rice bowls, we tried the Singapore noodle bowl, which contained delicate morsels of chicken, pork, and shrimp in every bite, smothered in vegetable slices and a buttery curry sauce. I enjoyed my family-size bowl of Vietnamese salad comprising rice noodles, vegetables, and shrimp sautéed in a delicate, gingery sauce melded with slices of this season’s sweet and tender onions.
The sparkling star of the show, however, is the savory sushi. If you want to pick from the Nigiri column on the menu, you can select from the freshest of tuna, yellowtail, octopus, shrimp, and egg ($3-8 per plate). On the other side of the menu are traditional American-ized rolls, such as California roll and other specials of the house (up to $13 per plate). We tried the ceviche roll, the tropical roll (with mango slices), and the Saigon roll, which came snuggled in pale rice wraps. The sushi platters are nicely presented and prettily packaged with contrasting flair.
There are six kinds of Japanese sake on offer, served either hot or cold, and a short list of brews, including Kirin Ichiban on draft.
The service was excellent – the bowled selections came flying out of the kitchen in heaping portions, artfully arranged in colorful, glazed ceramic ware. We were there for lunch, and when I asked the waiter what the difference was between the lunch and dinner menu, he said, “The menu is the same. The difference is that the portions are larger.” When you go, go hungry.
The atmosphere and architecture is modern with a few traditional touches. The dining room has high ceilings and plenty of light, which serve to make it crystal clear that the focus at Sushi Chinoise is on the food.
Entrees range up to $20; noodle or rice bowls up to $14.
Sushi Chinoise
19122 Beardslee Blvd, Bothell, WA 98011
(425) 402-0200
Lunch, M-F, 11:30-2:30
Sat-Sun 12-3
Dinner, Sun-Th, 4:30-9
F&Sat, 4:30-10
Happy Hour: M-F, 4:30-6
Mary Charvat is a resturant reviewer and freelance journalist for the Reporter newspapers.
