Voting to end on favorite Asian restaurant

Posted By Mike West

If you count the number of restaurants in the Murfreesboro area, it soon becomes obvious that Asian food is a local favorite.

While many of us refer to it as Chinese food, oriental or Asian cuisine is a better description of a dietary style that includes food from China, Thailand, Laos, Japan, Mongolia, Korea and other Asian countries.

With each culture, the foods can vary wildly from the mild Cantonese to the spicy Szechuan and Hunan-style Chinese dishes.

And who ever dreamed that you would be able to buy fresh Sushi, made before your eyes, at area supermarkets.

What's your favorite Asian restaurant?
Vote for your favorite Asian restaurant as suggested by Murfreesboro Post readers.
Created Monday, July 7, 2008 2:14pm

choice%
Far East18.2%
Taste of China7.6%
Bangkok Cafe13.6%
Omni Hut3%
Chef Wang7.6%
The Clay Pit3%
China Garden1.5%
Noppakao4.5%
Aja Sushi1.5%
Fulin Asian Cuisine6.1%
Thai Spice1.5%
Pei Wei7.6%
Sumo0%
China Spring3%
Fuji's15.2%
Golden Eagle1.5%
Sushin4.5%
You must be logged in to cast a vote in this poll.

Even fast-food burger places like McDonald’s have their Asian inspired salads and entrees now.

One interesting part of the Asian food phenomenon is that many of the best restaurants are located, and cater to, a particular neighborhood.

Oriental food is a fairly recent development in the Murfreesboro with the first restaurants dating back to around 1970s except for one exception:

Smyrna’s Omni Hut: James F. Walls, a World War II and Pearl Harbor veteran, turned a love for Polyasian cooking into a profession at Omni Hut and did it so well it has been drawing customers from across Middle Tennessee for almost five decades. 618 South Lowry Street Smyrna, TN 37167 (615) 459-4870.

Far East Restaurant: Long before Asian food became almost universally popular, Far East was serving up excellent egg rolls, fried rice and moo goo gai pan to Murfreesboro residents. Far East started as an Asian market in the 1970s and then began offering carry-out. Eventually it morphed into a restaurant.

Its Main Street location was once a prime spot, but the quality of the food keeps it in the hunt despite abundant competition. Our favorite: the cashew chicken and beef with broccoli. The roast pork is a favorite along with the snow peas and mushrooms. Home of the sweetest, sweet ice tea in the world. 1529 E Main St., Murfreesboro, 37130 (615) 890-1413.

One of Murfreesboro’s most-popular carry-out restaurants is Taste of China, 1730 W. Northfield Blvd., is located near Kroger in Georgetown. A vast number of combination plates are available with quick, excellent service. Ol Hammerhaid is stuck on their General’s chicken, much to the amusement of the proprietors, which offer one of the most diverse menus in town. 6-15-896-5933 is the number programmed on H-haid’s speed dial.

Hammerhaid also got stuck on Bangkok Cafe’s coconut curry beef when this delightful Thai restaurant was located downtown near the saltmines where he labored. Now located on his favorite shortcut to Stones River Mall, Bankok has spacious and nice accommodations at 315 Robert Rose Drive, Murfreesboro, 615-896-8399.

OK, now it is your turn. Share your favorite Asian restaurant with Murfreesboro Post readers. Where’s it located and what do you love about it? Don’t be shy. Please confine your answers to the Murfreesboro/Rutherford County area.

Chef Wang anyone?