Quick Bites

Just a couple of random comments on some Asian establishments in our neighborhood.
"Blue Elephant" 2912 Wasson Road, Cincinnati 45209 phone 513-351-0123, opened last week. I stoped by and picked up a menu, yesterday. It is mostly Thai with a few other dishes( mostly pasta's) for those who don't want to order our area's most prevalent cuisine. By my count, and I may have missed some, there are at least 15 Asian restaurants in our "hood". They run the gambit from expensive, white table cloth, to strip mall "carry out". "Blue Elephant" has a clean modern dining area and also does "carry out" I will give it a try shortly.
A snowy evening dinner, last Tuesday , at the "Bangkok Bistro"3506 Erie Ave, Hyde Park 513-871-0707, with four of us, turned up very little new. A small crowd, because of the weather, 3 different servings of Pud Thai and two spicy sushi rolls convinced me that there is nothing very special, for my tastes, about this popular East Walnut Hills spot. The crispy Pud Thai was the best of the selections we had and the rolls were definitely pedestrian and inferior to others in our area.
Thursday night back to our usual stand, "The Oriental Wok" at the Regency, Hyde Park. There were four of us and two ate regular menu( Marilyn's chow mein was crispy and fresh) items while the other two had only specials. I had a non-Asian meal consisting of two chops from a delicious New Zealand rack of lamb, which we four shared for a table first course, followed by crisply sauteed soft shelled crabs served on greens, diced red peppers, celery and sweet onions with a very light dressing, excellent. The sauce on the roasted lamb was also outstanding; lamb reduction, a splash of wine, tomatoes and onions. I know that I seem to enjoy the food at the OW more than most so maybe I am prejudiced by the reception, service and friendship with the chef, but I hope not. I know that if something that I am served is not how I feel it should be I will react there as I would elsewhere.
Now to go dig out of 5 to 7 more inches of the white stuff,