HAI

HAI Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant & décor: HAI chef Haibin Wang cooked in China, Europe and Russia before teaming up with the famous chef Peter Chang in Maryland. At his Decatur restaurant, a clean, contemporary interior presents an uncomplicated design. Seating consists of tables and chairs, a mix of two-tops and four-tops. A large flat-screen TV hangs over the bar that offers four additional spots.

Likes: The wide variety of unusual dishes.
Dislikes: The wine list.

Food & Drinks: The distinctive menu features some unusual dishes and cuts a wide swath through the range of Szechuan cooking, and as such, diners should watch the heat levels in certain selections, although we find even those marked with three peppers quite tame. Among the unique options to share is a puffy scallion pancake, a billowy, airy creation; tear pieces from it and dip them into the accompanying mild curry sauce. Small plates, as in the crispy pork belly bedecked with cilantro and Szechuan spices, are stand-outs. For a vegetable, try the spiral cut “Dragon Eggplant” in a spicy garlic sauce. Pork, chicken and seafood are the principal mains, although vegetarians will find plenty of possibilities. We liked the “Hot & Numbing” flounder even though its heat level is shy of authentic and not at all numbing. But the custardy textured fish and its bean-sprout base are seasoned enough to appeal to a large audience. Rather than standard white rice, we prefer the unusual “multi-grain” rice that's grown in northern China; it's worth the small upcharge but not listed on the menu. End the meal with the pumpkin red bean “cake” that brings three, two-inch sesame-seed-dusted warm balls with a dab of red bean paste within. There is a wine list, but most choices won’t pair well with the food, except for the Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, which should complement the milder seafood. Otherwise, go for the green tea or jasmine tea.