reviews by abby

Abby Headrick is a graduate of the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication with a degree in Public Relations. Abby spends her weekends playing tennis, watching college football, and planning her upcoming wedding. Originally from Dalton, Ga., Abby now resides in Duluth and is still getting used to traffic.

Lavender Asian Bistro

From the outside, Lavender Asian Bistro appears to be a commonplace Asian restaurant located in a strip mall.  However, take a peek inside this hidden secret on Scenic Highway and you’ll remember why your mother told you to never judge a book by its cover.

The transformation upon entering the restaurant is impressive.  A partition wall separates the dining area from the bar, where our drinks were served in the trendiest dented barware.  Rock and cranberry hued walls, white tablecloths, and elegant, dark hardwood flooring lay the groundwork for the upscale Asian cuisine.  On the back wall of the dining area is a large window to view the Iron Chefs at work in the kitchen.

We dined on appetizers of fried calamari ($6.25) and dumplings with hot sesame sauce (a must try!) ($4.50) while scanning the expansive Chinese and Thai menu.  I finally settled on the Seafood in Bird’s Nest, which was as beautiful as it was tasty: a combination of lobster, shrimp, scallop, fish, and assorted vegetables cooked in a white sauce, placed in a crunchy potato “nest,” and garnished with an exotic flower ($15.95).  Unnamed Fiancé feasted on a generous portion of traditional Pad Thai sautéed with egg, sprouts, scallions, and shrimp, topped with ground peanuts ($9.95).

As fantastic as our appetizers and entrees were, the piece de résistance was without a doubt the fried ice cream.  Not a fan of the Mexican version of this dessert, I was a little hesitant when our waiter brought green tea ice cream (coconut ice cream is also available) coated in sponge cake.  The fun began when he doused the spongy, soggy concoction with 151 proof rum and lit it on fire – I kidyou not.  You have not dined until you’ve had a fireball of ice cream rolled around your table by a waiter.  Unnamed Fiancé nearly dropped his phone.  After the initial shock wore off, I was pleased to find the sponge cake was nice and crunchy and the green tea ice cream tasted like pistachios ($4.50).  It is worth ordering for the spectacle alone.

A unique take on Asian, Lavender Asian Bistro does basic Chinese as well as more elaborate dishes.  Between the magnificent food and open hearth kitchen, diners indeed “Witness the Art of Culinary Style of Asian Cuisine.”