THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Ambrosia Bistro

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Ambrosia Bistro Restaurant Review:

Donald Mui’s latest venture has the good man from Hong Kong in the kitchen himself. White coat and all, he takes charge of the tile-fronted demonstration kitchen that, despite all the restaurants that have come and gone in this location, seems to work well as the visual centerpiece of the place. He has painted the walls mustard gold with white trim, and installed a comfortable seating area for waiting just across from the street-front bar. Much of the menu replicates what’s cooked at sister restaurant Eurasia Bistro, but there are some distinctive dishes as well, such as sautéed plump escargots with Asian basil and a black soy broth, a lovely melding of flavors that don’t overwhelm the delicate snails. Crispy shrimp stuffed with asparagus and shiitake mushrooms pick up sweet tanginess from a pimento-plum sauce. The Vietnamese bouillabaisse---a cast-iron pot brimming with shrimp, scallops, calamari and mussels---takes its flavor cues from a light-as-a-sigh lime leaf--galanga root broth. Panang curry may seem mundane until you have this one, with butter-tender chicken (shrimp, beef and pork also available). A wine list is coming, and Mui says it will have some 80 selections, with many by the glass. Desserts are strictly Continental: tiramisù and a chocolate Charlotte are made on site. Simple fresh fruit and maybe some crystalized ginger with that good tea, served in individual pots that look like tiny gargoyles, would be enough.