Fusion never tasted: Cafe De L’Asie

To say that OKC has a few great chefs is a gross understatement. To be honest the idea of featuring one restaurant in OKC each month is like choosing which of your teeth you would rather pull out first. There are so many options and so many amazing chefs doing really amazing things in Oklahoma City. But alas we just have to land on one and this month I couldn’t have been more thrilled to sit down with one of my favorite chefs at his latest amazing accomplishment. Cafe de L’Asie is a beautiful spot right in the heart of downtown OKC, under the direction of Chef Voung Nguyen. If the name of the restaurant sounds familiar, you may have seen it in The Collective food hall before taking over the space formerly occupied by Café 7.

The food at Cafe de L’Asie is the definition of Asian Fusion with touches of classical french cuisine. The unique quality of this Cafe is the fast gourmet experience that they bring to the table. Headlining the menu are the steam buns, which are akin to Asian-style sliders tucked into sweet white dough buns that complement the fillings perfectly. The Steam Buns come in five different varieties that are like choosing which kid you like the best, unless you don’t like your kids, then ignore that reference. For me, if you say Pork Belly, I say yes and am so glad I did. The Honey Sriracha Chicken was off the charts delicious. Then they have Fried Shrimp with lemon truffle aioli and jalapenos, Char Siu chicken which is kind of a Chinese BBQ, and fried Tofu for the vegetarian fans out there. I highly recommend the bundle with options to get Togarashi Fries, Chicken Cheesesteak Eggroll, or Edamame. All of which are amazing but the star of the show is the Chicken Cheesesteak Eggroll, OMG it’s delicate and flavorful and cravings-inducing.

No, they aren’t just a hand food kind of place, they also draw from various points of Chef Voung’s history of cooking. The menu varies a bit in the styles but makes perfect sense when you know that Chef Voung is classically trained in French Cuisine and has Asian roots in various styles. You have the chore of choosing between decadent pasta dishes that rival any french restaurant in Oklahoma, Banh Mi sandwiches that are packed with amazing flavor on perfectly selected bread, and Rice Bowls that dance along your tastebuds like Iman Shumpert and Daniella Karagachwinners, the winners of the last dancing with the stars. I am especially fond of the Beef Bulgogi Bowl with its perfectly cooked rice topped with everything you would expect from a high-end Korean restaurant including a perfectly executed soft-boiled egg and tender flavorful bulgogi beef that I would put head to head against any Beef Bulgogi in Oklahoma.

Cafe de L’Asie also has an amazing breakfast selection with some of the most creative and delicious Benedicts I have seen in one spot in Oklahoma. Turns out, if you can put it in a steam bun, it will also be amazing in a Benedict. Their selection includes Honey Sriracha Chicken, Pork Belly, Fried Shrimp, and Char Siu Chicken, all of which are perfectly complimented with amazing toppings including immaculately poached eggs and artfully created hollandaise sauce. The Cafe also creates a few other masterful breakfast items all aimed at getting you a healthy and substantive breakfast in a timely manner before you dive into your workday.

For those on the run, or too busy to eat with a fork, Cafe de L’Asie also has Fruit Tea and Thai Tea with Jelly options that are absolutely delicious. I could see running through and grabbing one of their Delicious Mango Thai Teas when I just need something to get me through the day. If you are really in need of a pick me up, get the Vietnamese Iced Coffee. I felt like The Nature Boy Rick Flair after a couple of sips of this deliciousness. Good Vietnamese Iced Coffee is an art and Cafe de L’Asie is Picasso.

The key to having a successful spot in the heart of downtown OKC is being able to create delicious and creative dishes that can be delivered at the speed of business. The team at Cafe de L’Asie has mastered this endeavor. Quick, nutritious, creative, and flavorful food is what people crave and no one does it better than Cafe de L’Asie. Swing through if you are downtown or drive from the other end of the state, it’s worth it for this amazing food.