The soups at Haiku, a pan-Asian bistro that
opened here a year and a half ago, are a far cry from the thick soups - often filled with
monosodium glutamate - offered at the ubiq-
uitous Asian restaurants in the country.
The mushrooms and peas in the seafood
soup first hit my nose as a kind of perfume.
I breathed deeply, then took a taste: fresh sea scallops, shrimp and crab meat mied in each bite, redolent with a wonderful broth
that it turns out is house - made every mor-
ning. The wonton soup featured tasty little
pork and shrimp dumplings, also house-made
out of thin, light dough. And the miso soup
had a savory smoky flavor, with contrasting
seaweed and pieces of tofu that melted in my
mouth.
All are terrific ways to start a meal that can go in any munber of directions. The menu is
primarily made up of Chinese and Japanese
dishes, but it also includes Thai, Vietnamese
and Malaysian offerings. This isn't trendy fu-sion food, but a sophisticated, thoughtful and
modern take on classic Asian dishes, offered
side by side.
You could just focus on the sushi and sashi-mi, available by the pieces, roll or as an en-trees. The presentations were lovely and the
fish was deliciously fresh each time I had it.
Michael Lee, Peter Diana and Chiang Hsing-
Ya, the owners, employ a purchasing chef
whose sole, daily job is to buy fresh seafood
and vegetables, often organic. So ask for the day's fish recommendation.
If the only california roll you have ever had
is the one usually offered with manufactured
crab,try Haiku's version with fresh king crab.
The taste was entirely different, and entirely
improved. But because the restaurant buys in
limited quantities,special can run out early in
the evening.
Pan-Asian Classics, Deftly Rendered
Salads are another good choise, and they il-lustrate the breadth of Haiku's offerings, des-
pite a fairly tight menu. There is a seaweed
salad in sesame vinaigrette,and a Vietnamese
salad with mango, jicama, crushed peanuts
and cellophane noodles. I liked the crispy ca-
lamari salad: the calamari were lightly fried
and tender; and the greens tossed in just the
right amount of miso vinaigrette.
Entrees are traditional, but often with a twist. A special of grilled rack of lamb came in a black pepper sauce, but the chef, Simon
Chung, added honey to give the Cantonese
dish a sweetness to accompany its usual spi-
ciness. Malaysian red curry's light but creamy
coconut-flavored sauce was perfectly balanc-ed. Pad Thai was simple and delicious, with-
out the greasiness or heaviness often found
in the dish. Don't bother lingering over des-serts. The sole choises, green-tea or red-bean
ice cream,were refreshing but not spectacular
. You won't feel rushed, however, despite the
crowds that can descend on a weekend and
even the occasional weekday night. ( A se-
cond restaurant is scheduled to open in Cross
River in the net month or so.) The attentive
staff is at its best when it is busiest. Waiters
tend to hover if the place isn't crowded, but
when there is a line of people snaking out the door, they are around just enough to ma-
THE NEW YORK TIMES, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2006
By EMILY DeNITTO
Haiku
56 Pondfield Road,
Bronxville
(914)337-5601
VERY GOOD
ATMOSPHER Clean lines,light wood and a
row of simple Isamu Noguchi - style paper lanterns create a modern airy feel that complements the restaurant's fresh take on
traditional cuisine.
RECOMMENDED DISHES All soups;
calamari salad; Sichuan crispy shredded dried beef ; Malaysian red curry; Pad Thai; seasonal
fish from the sushi bar.
PRICES Soups,$2 to $4.25; salads and appe-
tizers,$4.50 to $13.95; sushi or sashimi,$1.95
to $3.50 per piece; hand rolls,$3.50 to $14.95;
entrees,$10.95 to $24.95.
HOURS 11:30 am to 10:00 pm ,Sunday to
Thursday; 11:30 am to 11:00 pm, Friday
12:00 noon to 11:00 pm, Saturday.
CREDIT CARD All major cards.
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS Through the front door.
RESERVATION Not accepted.
THE RATINGS Excellent. Very Good.Good.
Satisfactory. Poor. Ratings reflect the reviewer's reation primarily to food, with ambience and service taken into consideration.
Menu listings and prices are subject to change.
ke sure you have what you need, and will
spend time patiently helping a child learn
how to use chopsticks.
Chopsticks designed for children are just one nice touch. The table soy sauce is low
sodium (unless you ask for regular) because it's the only one without monosodium -
glutamate. Cranberry juice comes with a chu-nk of lime, and there is an array of other
drinks to complement the food: wines, in-cluding hot and cold sake;and imported beers
like Asahi Dry,Tsingtao and Sapporo.
That's not a huge range of choices, but
Haiku lives up to its name: creative within
simple, set parameters.
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