Taste of Asia

   If we're not eating Mexican food then we're probably stuffing our faces with ramen and bao. Duncan and I share a love for finding local Asian spots to feed our hunger. We have been to a few places but these are at the top of our list.

Domu

   We frequent this one quite often. We went to the Domu at East End Market once and although the wait was insane it was worth it. When we heard they were opening a more casual, on the go restaurant right by our house we got excited. 
   We usually get the Shoyu Ramen which is what's pictured above. It's a chicken broth with chicken thighs, a soft boiled egg, bamboo shoots, scallions, and a garlic-scallion confit. I can honestly drink an entire gallon of the broth by itself and be happy. We've also gotten the pork gyoza, one of Duncan's favorite dishes. It's so soft and full of flavor. We like to dip it in our broth for extra tastiness. 
   Once you walk into Domu Chibi you order your dish on a computer, wait for your name to be called when your food's ready, and enjoy. It's a great place to go if you want fast food that's savory and reasonably priced. Each ramen bowl is about $9.50 which isn't bad for the amount you get. If you ever stop by don't be surprised if you catch Duncan and I there devouring ramen.

Susuru

  This is definitely one of the most unique restaurants we've been to. When you walk into Susuru you notice right away that it has a very retro style to it. You'll see Godzilla, Astro Boy, and a couple of vintage games. It emulates a retro Japanese gastropub. Once you walk in you are greeted in their native tongue which adds to the authenticity of this place. 
   The food is just as unique as the style. We started off with the Natto Lotus Chips which weren't really our style but we could appreciate the art and work put into it. We almost always get corn when it's offered so we got the Yuzu Street Corn which was grilled corn with cotija cheese, yuzu mayo, nori flakes, and spicy togarashi. All of these things made for the perfect blend of spicy and tasty. 
   For our main dish we got the skewers and I just have to say WOW. These were some of the most flavorful skewers I've ever had. We had the tebaski (wings), short ribs, and momo (thigh). It was so good we had to order a second round. It's a must if you come here. We also had the Tori Paitan which is a chicken ramen in a very creamy broth. The most interesting and possibly best part about this dish were the burdock root tempura they add on top. We've never had that before and it added a wonderful crunch to the bowl. They also have specialty drinks that stick to the theme of the restaurant like a drink with the infamous Godzilla on top. It's a must if you're looking for not-so-typical Asian food.

Hot Asian Buns

   Hands down the best food truck ever. We first tried Hot Asian Buns at Tasty Takeover (a food truck block party in the Milk District) and it was love at first bite. The buns are so soft it's probably what biting into a cloud would feel like. Our favorite one is the Korean Fried Chicken bao. It includes gochujang (a red chili paste), creamy slaw, sesame, and scallions - all of the ingredients that create perfection. I know it sounds like I'm exaggerating but you wouldnt think so if you tried it for yourself.
   The 12 Hour Smoked Brisket and ​Pork Asada are also things we've tried on the menu and both equally as savory. The menu is small but they put a lot of love and work into their food and it shows. There's a special where you can get loaded kimchi fries with two baos of your choice. We would honestly follow this truck everywhere and don't think we haven't. If you want to know where they will be follow their Instagram: Hot Asian Buns

Hawkers Asian Street Fare

We discovered this place a couple months ago and have already been there more times than I can count. Asian food never fails us. Every time we go we just order a bunch of plates and share, which is what the menu is designed for. The Roti Canai and Yi-Yi's Chicken Dumplings are my favorite. Duncan loves the Beef Haw Fun dish. The wide rice noodles they use are so bomb. We always get the Lucky Buddha beer which has such a crisp taste and comes in the cutest buddha-shaped bottle. Let's get to the best thing on the menu though - the dessert. I'm not exaggerating when I say that the Cinnamon Roti á la mode is literally the best dessert I've ever had. It's a quesadilla-like dessert filled with a cinnamon cream cheese and topped with vanilla ice cream and fried dough crisps. Duncan and I were so close to getting the creme brûlée (we always go for that if it's an option on the menu) but fortunately it was sold out and we got to try this magical dessert. Seriously, try it I promise it won't disappoint. They have recently added Jo-He Bag O' Donuts which is now tied with the cinnamon roti for best dessert. This restaurant is open until 12:30 a.m. on weekends.

Izziban Sushi & BBQ

Sushi is a newfound love of mine. I have a severe allergy so I never liked going to places that sell a lot of seafood. For a while I thought I was allergic to all seafood but about two years ago I found out I only had a shellfish allergy. After discovering that, I tried sushi for the first time and fell in love. Of course, I carry my epi-pen with me everywhere I go and try to stray away from raw fish. Duncan and I usually go for the sweet potato and chicken rolls with spicy mayo. Soooooo good. They're 2 for $9 on happy hour from 10 p.m. - 12 a.m. Duncan is a huge fan of dumplings so we always get the pork gyoza which is also on the happy hour menu. We recently tried their fried chicken with thai chill sauce and ended up getting three orders of them because they were that good. They also offer Korean BBQ here which is really good but come with an empty stomach. We usually get the $18.99 menu because we just order the briskets but there's other similar menus for those of you who would love to expand your options. They're open until 2 a.m. and are always pretty full - with reason because who doesn't love late night sushi?

   Hopefully one day we'll travel across the pond and get a real taste of Asia but for now these are our favorites in Orlando so far. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!