CINCY BUBBLE TEA

The Queen City is home to an influx of entrepreneurs, and the food industry is no exception. The newest start-up to hit the streets is Cincy Bubble Tea, founded by Kalena Gray.

Bringing a refreshing treat every Tuesday to Market on the Square, Cincy Bubble Tea makes this Asian-inspired drink easy and accessible to those who may have never heard of it. "It's like a smoothie, but made with tea and is completely dairy free," explains Gray. What makes it "bubble"? Small tapioca pearls which taste like ball-shaped gummies, float amidst the tea and can be sucked up through the oversized straw. Gray takes the extra courtesy to advise first-timers on how to drink the tapioca pearls, which brings out the added charm of a bubble tea.

As a long-time bubble tea fan, I was excited to find a vendor Downtown serving up these refreshing beverages. My favorite flavor is Taro, which comes in a fun purple color and tastes like cookies n' cream. Cincy Bubble Tea offers a wide selection of flavors from exotic to traditional. Japanese Green Tea and Pina Colada are two of their most popular, but they also offer simple fruit flavors like Mango, Watermelon, Blueberry, Strawberry, and more.

Cincy Bubble Tea sets up shop on Fountain Square's Market on the Square every Tuesday from 11:00am - 2:00pm.

ASIAN FOOD FEST 2013

My all-time favorite food festival in Cincinnati takes place this weekend at The Banks. In its fourth year, Asian Food Fest celebrates the wealth of Eastern culture in the tri-state highlighting local Asian restaurants and entertainers.

 
Vendors come from a variety of backgrounds: Vietnamese, Thai, Filipino, Indian, Indonesian, Korean, Malaysian and more. Food is very reasonably priced from $2.00 - $6.00, most averaging around $3.00 - $4.00 for a featured item.. Each dish is unique to the culture, so you won't find many repeats from booth to booth. The portion sizes are just perfect: you get just enough food to enjoy and still have room to sample several more.

I sampled a little bit of everything, and decided on these Top 5 eats that are a must have at Asian Food Fest:

#1: Asian Corn Dog - Quán Hapa

Served with a side of shrimp rice chips

#2: Taro Bubble Tea - Tea N' Bowl

 

It tastes like cookies n' cream!

#3: Eight Spice Ribs, Honey Tamarind Margarita - Huit Asiatique

 

#4: Thai Milk Tea - Budina

#5: Kook Kik Noodles, Wontons, Spring Roll - Budina 

One of my favorite summertime treats set up shop at the festival too: Streetpops! Owner Sara Bornick crafted exotic-themed popsicles just for the event, such as Vietnamese Coffee, Thai Lime Basil, and Mango Creamsicle.

 

Streetpops are always POPular.

Asian performers entertained the crowd, some with music, some demonstrating martial arts or dance. It was an added touch to see many people wearing authentic dress around the festival as well.

Asian Food Fest was topped off with a magnificent fireworks show from Rozzi's set up near the Roebling Suspension Bridge. If you missed out on today's festivities, you're in luck! Asian Food Fest continues on Sunday, May 19th from 1:00PM - 9:00PM.

 

KUNGFOOD CHU'S AMERASIA

Guò nián hǎo! This weekend, Asian cultures rang in the Lunar New Year with celebrations of longevity and good fortune. In Covington, festivities took place at one of my favorite restaurants: KungFood Chu's Amerasia.

Known for serving Chinese favorites with a fresh, homemade twist, owner Johnny Chu recreated an atmosphere of dining in the 1990s in New York City Chinatown. With modern decor, bright red walls, oriental-style lighting, and kung-fu movies playing on a big screen television, Amerasia is far from your average take-out joint.

Owner Johnny Chu serving up green tea ice cream.

With roots stemming from Thailand, Johnny's father, Chef Chu, created an intense spice level for his restaurant. Compared to normal Asian fare, the peppers are more powerful. For example, if you usually order spicy level 4, you may want to go with spicy level 2 at Amerasia. While their scale ranges from 1-10, ghost peppers are added to the sauces starting at level 5. Order a #10 and the server brings out your plate wearing a gas mask.

Also signature to Amerasia is their vast selection of craft beers. With over 100 bottles, the knowledgeable bartenders will help you find a beer that will pair perfectly with your meal.

This detailed binder of beers is organized from light to dark ales.

Now that I've got your appetite going, let's discuss what to order. I've eaten both vegan and meaty dishes from across the menu and everything has been outstanding. Any dish can be made vegetarian, which I've discovered are just as scrumptious as the meals for omnivores. Here are some of my favorites:

Seaweed Salad (appetizer)

Dragon's Breath Wontons (appetizer)
This was a half-order with sauce on the side.

Big Bertha Vegetarian Eggroll (appetizer)

Teriyaki Fried Tofu with Broccoli

Eg Fu Yung

Teriyaki Stirfry

Chinese Pork Chop

Tofu Ginger Stirfry

Spicy Mapo Tofu

Brocco-Lee

Vegetarian Chinese Pork Chop

Johnny's Chinese Donuts (dessert)

Cooking up dozens of gigantic, delicious dishes combined with personable, attentive service, Amerasia has redefined Chinese food for Cincinnati. Stop by for lunch or dinner six days a week, closed Sundays.