Restaurant fuses Asian cuisines together

If you're looking for a new place to wine and dine, Wasabi 88 is the place to go. Located in the shopping center behind Oh Charley's, it's a fun and fresh place to go out and have a good time. Wasabi 88 is unlike any other Asian restaurant in town.

From a variety of appetizers, sushi, Asian dishes and desserts to choose from, patrons have trouble contemplating over the mouth-watering dishes, including the spicy basil stir-fry and the broiled sea bass.

As a person who is not so keen on seafood, I took the big leap and tried the sushi. The sushi was wonderful, along with all the other dishes I tasted.

Most surprising about Wasabi 88 is the owner-29-year-old ECU alumni, Dai Nguyen.

"I love cooking and creating dishes. The thing I'm going for is Asian fusion, and to bring elegance to [an] Asian restaurant," Nguyen said.

Indeed there is an elegant theme about Wasabi 88. Nguyen's restaurant is a place where visitors would want to dress to impress. Though there is not a dress code, it is what some would call "fancy."

With its dim lighting, candles on the table and soothing jazz music streaming, it is definitely a good place to have an intimate dinner date.

Wasabi 88 is also different from other Asian restaurants in the area because its menu is not limited to one Asian country. And that's what Nguyen was going for.

"All in all, I wouldn't classify it as Japanese-Vietnamese or Thai. It's a little bit of all so that you have a variety to choose from," he said.

Nguyen emphasized that quality was the restaurant's No. 1 concern and, judging by happy diner Maiya Lor, an Asian American from Greenville, he definitely achieved that goal.

"I liked it because it's top quality, as I often cook Asian cuisine, I would not be able to imitate Wasabi 88's dishes at home," Lor said.

Wasabi 88 is located on 420 F Arlington Blvd.

This writer can be contacted at featurers@theeastcarolinian.com.