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| - When I'm at a Chinese restaurant having a hard time with chopsticks, I always hope that there's a Chinese kid at an American restaurant somewhere who's struggling mightily with a fork." ~Rick Budinich
To call Red Bowl Asian Bistro a Chinese Restaurant would be like calling the Titanic a boat or the iceberg that sank it a cube. Yes, Chinese
food is on the menu but so are a great many other dishes that do not originate in China. The best way to describe the cuisine at Red Bowl is to use the term fusion and since I think that word is pretentious, I am going to try it a different way. Here goes...the food at Red Bowl is a delicious culmination of all the great far eastern delicacies prepared in a way that the Southern American palate can comprehend. That is, the Red Bowl menu contains the very best selection of oriental delights that are marketable to the uninitiated diner. Red Bowl serves food to appeal to gourmands and foodies alike.
Since I consider myself part of the latter group (not intending to be snobbish), I was especially impressed with the menu's vast selection. At first, it may appear daunting, but once you settle in you'll realize, as I did, that the size of the selection is what earns Red Bowl the designation of Asian Bistro...in this case, size does matter. There is no phrase that more aptly describes the subtle nuances and differences of their listed fare than "Asian Bistro". To be sure, regardless of who you are dining with (I know this to be true because I have two very food-finicky kids), there is something on the menu for everyone.
One of the things that make my dining experience most enjoyable is the ambiance. A nice ambiance can make a marginal meal good and vice versa. Red Bowl's new Rock Hill location is perfectly outfitted, and the warm lighting, wood-paneled walls and open floor plan make a perfect setting in which to enjoy a meal. The main dining room is elegantly appointed and spacious. There is seating for 120 patrons at a time, and you won't feel crowded, because the atmosphere the open dining room creates is light and airy. For those of you who are not looking for a full meal, you'll be pleased to know that Red Bowl has an elegant sushi bar manned by very experienced sushi chefs. Here you can sit comfortably with a friend, choose freely from the broad selection of makimono (variety of rolls like the ubiquitous California Roll) or Nigirizushi (hand formed sushi) and watch as they are meticulously prepared. Watching the sushi chefs at Red Bowl is similar to watching a ballet; they are graceful, effective and efficient. The chefs obviously take great pride in their work, and everything that leaves the kitchen is a masterpiece in style and taste.
Service can also determine a dining experience. We were welcomed by Owner Joseph Yang and seated in a private dining room that can host up to 35. I have to admit, I felt like a rock-star because the VIP treatment never ended. I thought we might be getting preferential treatment because, after all, we were here to review the restaurant, so I wondered around the dining room to see how the "mere mortals" were being served. To my delight, it was abundantly clear that great service was part of the package. After we settled in, our waiter, Michael greeted us and took our drink order. Both the Tega Cay and Rock Hill Red Bowl locations have an extensive bar and wine list (including a great selection of sake), and can serve just about any adult beverage you might desire.
We chose to eat "family style" and asked Joseph to choose the dishes as opposed to ordering from the menu. This way, we decided, we would get to try everything that was brought to the table. As the food arrived, Michael explained to the novices in our group what everything was and what ingredients each dish contained.
The sushi arrived first. I am not sure exactly what we were served because there was so much of it-it seemed like there was one of each item on the sushi menu represented. Sushi is one of my favorite foods and I have eaten it at various venues around the world from London to the Cayman Islands and everywhere in between. Not only was the sushi expertly prepared and presented, it was delicious, too. Actually, delicious is an understatement but I can't think of a word that aptly explains these taste bud treats. We devoured the sushi platter (including the garnishes) as if we'd been stranded on an island without food for weeks. In retrospect, had I stopped to consider how voraciously we ate, I might have been a little embarrassed. The sushi was THAT good.
The remnants (what little there were) were cleared and the next course arrived which was an assortment of the appetizers. Among the parade of pre-meal tid-bits were pan-friend dumplings, chicken skewers, lettuce wraps, spring rolls, egg rolls, and sauces for dipping.
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