(Chicago) –  New Asian is how Sunda claims its presence in Chicago dining scene and it’s aggressively and creatively revamping Asian fusion food to American audience. I love this place! Not just because there is a good number of Filipino dishes in the menu, but because all of the dishes we’ve tried from drinks to dessert are impressively delicious and creatively different. Oh yeah, they have adobo, crispy pata, pancit canton, lumpiang shanghai and sisig! Mabuhay! 🙂

Everything on the menu is a little pricey so this is more of a special occasion place to go. However, the ambiance, service and the uniqueness of the preparation and presentation of the food will very much compensate for the dent in your wallet. Though, if I am craving for fatty and greasy kare-kare or adobo on a regular Sunday morning, I will still opt to go to Isla or Fishpond.

Overall, Sunda has done a great job in upgrading fusion food and subtly promoting Filipino food to the mainstream American palate. New Asian? Perhaps, I’ll give a couple of nods for now. But since it’s fairly new to the scene, let’s see after some time if they will live up to its tagline. You know what they say… anything new now gets old tomorrow. It’s always a matter of re-inventing, just like Madonna. 🙂

 

  • Adobo Braised Pork Belly – vinegar, garlic, caramelized onions, herb salad, mustard greens

  • Crispy pata – confit pork shank with garlic-foie scented gravy, wilted greens

  • No You Didn’t… The Ultimate Handroll – crab, shrimp tempura, salmon, spicy tuna, dynamite

  • Bigeye Poke – Diced bigeye tuna, roe, peppers and onions, avocado, crsipy wonton, Hawaiian poke marinade

  • Peared Sake (Grey Goose la Poire, Zipang sparkling sake, pineapple juice, ginger syrup, cinnamon rim) + Sriracha Margarita (Fresh cucumber, sugar cane, fresh lime juice with Patron reposado and Frand Marnier finished off  with a Crushed Sriracha peas)

  • Taro and Coconut Milk Bread Pudding – brioche, sweet corn creme, toasted coconut whey

  • The outside

  • The inside

110 West Illinois Street
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 644-0500