Sunda New Asian brings all the flavors of Asia home as one of the latest restaurants to open in Tampa Bay. Located in Midtown Tampa, Sunda New Asian offers dishes that celebrate the cultures and tastes of Japan, China, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. With the success of his two other locations, in Chicago and Nashville, CEO/Founder Billy Dec, has brought his concept to Tampa. Why Tampa? In addition to being a great place to live and work, Dec has been coming to visit family here for years. Dec has seen the growth and positive changes, and believes Tampa offers a great location for the culinary experience of his restaurant.
On a recent visit, our palette was tantalized by the many dishes we tasted. The freshness of the ingredients and the visual appeal of each dish just left us wanting to return to sample more of the expansive menu. The crafted dishes from Executive Chef Mike Molares showcases the best of Southeast Asian cuisine. The dishes kept coming from mouthwatering appetizers to exquisite main courses and decadent desserts.
If you are a sushi lover, you will certainly appreciate the creative works of art from behind the sushi bar with Head Sushi Chef Ise Masanobu from Tokyo.
The menu offers a variety of dim sum, noodles, salads and rice dishes, to a selection of uniquely prepared seafood, beef, pork and poultry. Many of the dishes are meant to be shared around the table with their sizable portions.
As the dishes flowed from the kitchen, we were bought out several dishes that are not on the menu, but that showcases the flavors and talent of the kitchen team. We did have the server recommended Crispy Brussels Sprouts and they did not disappoint. The crispy vegetables made with red cabbage, red onions, carrots, chilis, shallots and topped with minced shrimp all in a nuoc cham vinaigrette offered a delicious start. The Oxtail Pot Stickers with braised oxtail, caramelized onion jus and white wasabi cream were delicious pillows of delight.
We also had several dishes from the New Asian Creations on the menu including Escolar “The Great White” — escolar served with truffle vinaigrette, potato chip and topped with black truffle shaving, and Salmon Crudo served in a cilantro, lime vinaigrette.
The offering of Signature Sushi included the Lobster Wagyu that was as decedent as the name. The roll was filled with creamy lobster, wagyu tataki, foie gras aioli, truffle vinaigrette, jalapeño, wasabi aioli.
For a main dish, we tried the Chicken Inasal prepared with lemongrass, tomatoes, red onion, achiote glaze, chili lime vinaigrette, and grilled lemon. We concluded our dinner with the signature dessert “Ridiculous” — vanilla ice cream, ginger carrot cake, glazed walnuts and caramel. It was rich and delicious.
The center bar area provides an impressive list of specialty cocktails, signature sakes, and a collection of popular wines. We sipped on the crafted cocktails of Peared Sake and Grass Tiger. The restaurant’s stylish décor and warm ambiance provide the perfect backdrop for an evening of culinary exploration and socializing.
If you haven’t been to Sunda yet, what are you waiting for? We certainly will be back again soon for more of the savory flavors from Southeast Asia.
—Ronda M. Parag
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