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Editorial Review

Reviewed in the June-July 2008 issue of Ciao! magazine

Its home base is the third floor overlooking Canwest Park, but Hu’s on First Asian Bistro isn’t the typical ballpark sports bar, or Asian bistro for that matter. This bustling eatery is an upscale hybrid of the two: a meeting place for complex Asian flavours, with a sleek bar and scenic location that make it a hot summertime destination.

The bistro’s lively mood is accentuated with curios of all things Asian: stalks of bamboo, vibrant wall paintings and traditional round-bottomed woks. The decor may be playful, but the overall atmosphere feels hip and modern.

Executive Chef Kyle Julien has been keeping busy during his past five years at the bistro, constructing a menu that is vast and unique. The firecracker shrimp starter is initially sweet, yet a fleeting heat creeps into the aftertaste. The shrimp are encased in a delightfully crisp fried pastry and accompanied by a choice of biting wasabi or cool mint dipping sauces. The Indonesian beef satays are perfect in their simplicity. Long strips of succulent marinated beef are pierced with a skewer and served off the grill with a creamy peanut sauce.

The main section of the menu is studded with tried-and-true favourites like Thai green curry and pad Thai. The latter is a genuine tribute to Southeast Asian cuisine. A nest of broad rice noodles is built centre plate and piled high with bean sprouts, peanuts and tender pieces of chicken. This combination creates a full-bodied flavour, with a zing from a shower of exotic tamarind sauce.

Singapore street noodles lives up to its rogue name. A knotted mound of vermicelli smoulders in an intense curry sauce. Savoury barbecued pork and meaty shrimp are happily discovered with searching chopsticks, as are refreshing bean sprouts that temporarily relieve the powerful heat.

The flavour of the orange peel shrimp, like many of the seafood dishes, is brightened by the heavy use of citrus. The complementing textures of crunchy tempura shrimp, baby bok choy and water chestnuts each remain distinct in a coating of tart orange sauce.

Desserts here are far more than a fortune cookie. Banana walnut spring rolls are a creative take on the appetizer, with hunks of walnut, ripe banana and a speckling of deep brown sugar rolled into a hot pastry that is doused in vanilla ice cream and molten caramel sauce.

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