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Asia
Categories: Restaurants Chinese Restaurants Asian Fusion Chinese, Asian Fusion [Edit]
1102 E Susquehanna StAllentown, PA 18103
(610) 798-7777
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 9:30 pm
Fri 11 am - 10:30 pm
Sat 12 pm - 10:30 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
36 reviews for Asia
Review Highlights
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"Best authentic chinese food hands down." In 3 reviews -
"The fried noodles they bring you are fresh & usually still..." In 3 reviews -
"very friendly service and a great atmosphere." In 2 reviews
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36 reviews in English
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Review from Tammy M.
Allentown, PA
1/30/2012 4 Check-ins Here
My favorite place for Asian food. The menu is extensive and creative. Never have had bad food from there. We have taken many people there and have always had a good experience.
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Review from Daniel H.
Bethlehem, PA
12/21/2011
Ancient Chinese saying "When Chinese restaurant put Yelp sticker on front door, you know they for gweilo." I could end the review right there but I'll leave the existential debate about arguing on Yelp about Yelp advertisements on restaurant doors to the philosophers.
I certainly believe they're one of the best full-menu Chinese restaurant in the Lehigh Valley. But that only holds up because it's the only fish in the ocean that is this region. I had the Zha jiang mian and not only was I not impressed, I thought that the portions were small given the price. My mother had some sort of spicy Chinese beef soup that she claimed was "okay" but I thought was rather greasy and just blah.
Also their restaurant claims to be in the "Top 100" Chinese restaurants in the nation. I'd like to know the sample size of that survey. Also if you hype yourself up like that you better be able to live up to that sort of claim.
Too long; didn't want to read version: The food is better than the average Chinese takeout, but not anywhere near the hype. -
Review from Glenn T.
Bethlehem, PA
3/1/2012
This place is no better than the corner take away wok kitchen. If you eat in you'll be subjected to very high prices, OK service and ATTITUDE! The dine in food is very good, but the take out is horrible. I don't know if one chef does the take out and one does the dine-in, but whatever the case may be it is really awful. They do have some "special" dining nights where they offer unusual dishes, but those nights are way overpriced for what you get. They have two menus; One for Americans and one for Chinese....they NEVER ask you which one you want (both are in English and they are both different from one another). So, if you dare to go to Asia, make sure you dine in.
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Review from JoAnn D.
Allentown, PA
3/20/2012
This is our family's favorite place for Chinese food in the Valley. The food is great, and the owners are wonderful!
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Review from Lillious T.
New Hartford, NY
1/4/2012
Chose to try this restaurant based on reviews during our drive from Utica NY to Philadelphia. Glad we did! Lovely interior with very nice staff. Great food for a reasonable price. Wish it was closer!
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Review from R J.
Hellertown, PA
12/30/2011
Some of the best Chinese in the area, not greasy like the fast food Chinese tends to be. I highly recommend the lo mein, and Indonesian Tempe. In addition to the regular menu a dessert menu and a full Chinese menu you can ask for. Bonus - they'll make almost anything you ask for even if it's not on the menu.
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Review from Melissa D.
Bethlehem, PA
3/29/2011
The circumstances which brought our posse of three to Asia wasn't related to hunger or wanting to try out a new restaurant, it was actually a hobby called geocaching. There happens to be a geocache located in close proximity to this place. After we found it, we figured it was lunch, we were hungry, and the smell of food drifting out of the place smelled fantastic.
Walking in, the place was very clean. Not many people were there for lunch, but that was actually nice. After we were seated and served the crisps and sauce along with tea (nice!) we all chose a "bowl" from the lunch menu. If you're here for lunch, there are a handful of lunches consisting of a variety of meats and/or vegetables with sauce/seasonings served over rice or noodles in a bowl.
All 3 of us really enjoyed our bowls. The sauce was delicious without being heavy in each of them and the meats and veggies were fresh and tasty.
I'd come back again. There's a geocache we haven't found just down the other street nearby :) -
Review from Rich S.
Allentown, PA
7/15/2011 5 Check-ins Here
Excellent food. I've been here many times & drive past several other Chinese restaurants on the way. Worth the trip! The food is always top-notch. Excellent beef & broccoli, singapore me-fun, seafood dishes. Most of the other Chinese restaurants/buffets in the area have terrible shrimp with a freezer burn taste. I've had dishes with shrimp here several times never having that issue (I'm 99.9% sure they're fresh not frozen).
Service is good/attentive. The fried noodles they bring you are fresh & usually still warm. They are great paired with duck sauce & some of the hot mustard. Tea (included) is good & they don't try pushing sodas to make you feel uneasy if you don't order one like some of the other places do. I usually go during the week since Friday/Saturday nights can get busy there. -
Review from Yi H.
Bethlehem, PA
10/27/2011
I think they really hype themselves up in their website which resulted me in having way too high of an expectation. I had the curry chicken and stir fried noodles and let me tell you, it was not that great. I have had Chinese curry chicken plenty of times to know how it's supposed to taste and the one at Asia was so bland! The noodles dish was ok but nothing really special about it. I'm the type of person who will not go back for second if my first visit doesn't leave me with a good impression. It seems that they customized some of the dishes because of the location and I'm not a fan of it.
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Review from Megan W.
Updated - 11/14/2010
Went back there again this weekend - they're so good. I have been to a couple other Chinese restaurants in the valley because Asia is kind of far from where I live...they can't compare. I have since learned that I should just deal with the drive because the food is SO worth it.
I've had the chicken curry, moo shu pork, orange chicken, sesame chicken, egg foo young, crab rangoons, soups, it is all very very good!!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/13/2010
Pretty tasty! We got takeout the other day - the Moo-Shu pork was really good, as was the Thai… Read more »
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Review from Jim C.
Blue Bell, PA
10/3/2011 2 Check-ins Here
For my money, the best Chinese food I've ever had. I've been to all of the places in Chinatown and I thought Asia tasted better than any of them. Not everyone would might agree with such a lofty statement, but Asia was the freshest and bast tasting Chinese I've eaten.
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Review from Isabel O.
Allentown, PA
12/28/2010 2 Check-ins Here
We've been meaning to try Asia for a over a year after always seeing it on the top of the the Yelp list for Chinese. We finally hit it Christmas weekend and had a great meal.
"Moran" dumplings were tender and very tasty, nicely thin-skinned and not heavy or doughy. Braised Lion Heads (large pork meatballs) were fantastic - we've never had anything like that before and look forward to trying it again. Pad Thai was decent, spiced as requested. Portions very large.
Decor is the typical kitsch, with Maneki Neko at the front desk and calligraphy paintings/lanterns on the walls. If I had a complaint I thought the dining room was way too brightly lit, and it was super warm the night we were there (though in fairness it was freezing outside.) Servers super nice and fast.
Tip: Try to come in so you can make a right turn into the parking lot - you'll turn your hair white trying to make a left in if the traffic is heavy.
BYOB with no fee. Really interesting and varied menu, way more than just the standard takeout fare. We're very happy to have found a great sit-down Chinese. -
Review from Jennifer P.
Bethlehem, PA
10/17/2011
I went there for my birthday two years ago. I think it's a beautiful restaurant and I was more than satisfied w/ my meal. However i haven't had the urge to go back for some strange reason. So maybe it just wasn't that good... IDK. We went around dinner time on a Saturday and it was very quiet and welcoming. I'd love to go back some day soon.
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Review from John R.
New York, NY
10/16/2011
Fantastic place! Great food - the only problem is the portions are too large.
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Review from Pete L.
Hellertown, PA
6/6/2011
Ive been there 3-4 times and have been consistently disappointed.
I've eaten in the far east, can cook chinese myself, and have been to much better restuarants even in the Lehigh Valley. Their chicken almond ding is not cantonese. Portions of their stir fries are raw. The noodles greasy. When I've eaten in the restuarant, the service was consistenly very slow, whilst the workers were busy chatting it up. (won ton soup, (made with chicken?) takes 30 minutes? come on.
Eastern Chinese in Bethlehem is far better, and at least they seem to care.
The whole "top 100 chinese restuarant" thing plastering their shop seems to be a scam, cause the food aint worthy. -
Review from Jim D.
7/22/2010 21 Check-ins Here
Asia. This review has been a long time coming. I've been frequenting Asia for quite some time and every time I dine here, the food is just as good as before. With a large, very diverse Southeast Asian menu choices range from the well known (e.g., pad Thai, orange chicken) to the somewhat obscure (e.g., braised lion's head - NOT what you think it is). To sample more authentic and exotic dishes, ask for the Chinese menu; it has more items. The proprietors are extremely proud of their well earned reputation and accolades and showcase them as soon as you enter the dining room with huge banners and posters.
Patrons of this restaurant will swear to its authenticity and quality and I am pretty much in agreement. The food is absolutely delicious, served generously and made to order by the owner/chef himself. I'm a big fan of the Hong Kong style pan fried noodles, the ridiculously large and fiery firecracker chicken and the mouthwatering and tender boneless spare ribs. But I think my favorite dish is the braised lion's head (3 super fat braised Chinese meatballs made with pork). It's moist, wildly flavorful and humongous!. Who doesn't love big balls?!
Service is always impeccable. The staff is very friendly, knowledgeable, and efficient.
It gets quite busy here for dinner on Fridays and Saturdays but you should have no problems getting a table during the week. They're closed on Sundays. Prices are extremely reasonable. Best of all, it's BYOB and there are no fees. Woo hoo!! -
Review from Jaime k.
Bethlehem, PA
9/29/2008
Some friends had told us to meet them as this nondescript place somewhere between Bethlehem and Allentown, as it boasts awards of "In the Top 100 Asian Restaurants in the Country". I was a tad skeptical (why haven't I heard of this before if its so great?), but trust their impeccable judgement.
Well holy god, I am indebted to them. The inside of the restaurant is a lot more pleasing than the outside. (The outside looks kind of divey, but inside is fancier while still being somewhat casual .)
The menu is extensive with a lot of dishes I haven't see in other restaurants in the area. The dish I chose is at the bottom of the second page, called "A-Girls-First-Name's Eggplant". ("Ashley's Eggplant"or "Margot's Eggplant" or something, I can't quite recall.) The description actually says 'This is so good, you will just have to order it to understand' essentially, and that is no lie.
It was DELICIOUS. The sauce was tangy, and the eggplant was cooked well and absorbed all the flavor, not oily. You think to yourself "how good can eggplant actually be?" but guys, you don't even know unless you've had it. I had to hold back from pulling a total Rachel Ray the whole time I was eating to keep from saying "mmmmm WOW this is AMAZING" between chews.
I'm sure they offer takeout, but the atmosphere is nice for a sit-down meal, and the quality is far superior than 'chinese takeout'. The prices for a dinner dish range from about $10-15. You can get brown rice instead of white, too.
It was a bad idea to review this place on an empty stomach. -
Review from Brian l.
Philadelphia, PA
10/15/2008
Asia is definitely the best Chinese food in the valley. If you're far from major cities like NYC or Philly, this is the best you're going to get here. Asia was also ranked one of the Top 100 Chinese Restaurants in the country in 2007.
This is a place where you can get authentic Chinese food, as well as traditional "American" style Chinese food. The prices are reasonable and there are specials. I've gone here at least 5 times already and I've always leave satisfied.
I highly recommend this place to anyone wanting to try authentic Chinese food. -
Review from Carol K.
New York, NY
12/16/2009
I just had lunch here this week and enjoyed it. I had the mapodofu (spicy tofu) and beef chow fun. They were a bit greezy for my taste and the oil seemed to bland out the flavor of the sauces in my opinion, but overall I really enjoyed it. I also had the special homemade ice cream made of cinnamon and fried noodlebits which would've been fabulous if it was fresh (it was completely riddled with those ice chunks you get when ice cream sits too long in your freezer). I also ilke that they offer brown rice as an alternative.
It's not the best asian restaurant I've ever been to, but I believe it's probably the best one in the area and I'll definitely be back when I'm not in the mood to cook my own. The menu seems predominantly chinese (both authentic and americanized), but also includes a lot of japanese and thai food, and even a variation of kimchi (will try that next time). They have a chinese menu for those who can read it, and when I was there they were taking pictures for a new menu that should be coming out in the new year.
The ambience is great (typical chinese decor), the place is clean and seating includes tables and cozy booths, although the restaurant itself it pretty small and the parking is tight. -
Review from Kelly B.
Bethlehem, PA
2/14/2010
We moved to the Valley a few years ago and have been trying various restaurants in the process of finding really stellar 'go to' places. So far, (well, other than Wegman's due to sheer laziness and a yum factor that's enhanced by proximity), Cali Burrito is up there, along with the Brew Works in Bethlehem and Billy's Diner, but Asia is BY FAR the best Chinese I've had outside of Chinatown in NY.
We ordered the sesame seed crusted Tempeh and while the tempeh was thin, it was nicely crunchy and had a nice nutty flavor, especially good when paired with the peanut sauce. The kimchi was also FANTASTIC, and I'm *not* a fan usually. (I blame a college roommate that snacked on it incessantly....late at night...in our small dorm room. yikes.) The flavor was light and had a nice fermented bite.
Our entrees were the Honey Ginger Chicken (which next time, I'm ordering with steamed chicken-the fried part was good, but a bit heavy for me) and the Sauteed Japanese Eggplant (called Arlene's Eggplant, I think). The ginger sauce was delicious- I especially liked the thin strips of fresh ginger and the eggplant was a firm and slightly chewy consistency.
The atmosphere was very relaxed and most of the guests took their time (the service, while friendly, was also very laid-back in terms of speed, but it's a nice experience not to be rushed). There were many things on the menu that sounded great, so I'm looking forward to going back, even if it's out of the way, it's totally worth the trip! -
Review from Josh F.
East Greenville, PA
7/27/2009
5-stars for the best chinese food in the area!
Very authentic, super delicious, and the owners couldn't be nicer.
Not much else to say...just wish they served dim sum as well, it would be my second home ;) -
Review from Victoria S.
Bethlehem, PA
1/27/2011
After hearing all the great things about this place I decided to finally check it out. I thought it was good but wasnt impressed with this place. Very good chinese food. Saw a lot of natives there which is a good sign. I def will be back to try other things on the menu.
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Review from Jin A.
Keene, NH
4/20/2011
Yummylicious! My hubby and I got takeout after reading all the rave reviews on Yelp and we weren't disappointed. We played it safe and ordered off the Americanized Chinese takeout menu: Genera Tso's Chicken and Beef, Kung Pao Chicken. The General Tso's was good, easily four stars, but the real star (to me at least) was the awesome Kung Pao. I mean, I usually don't even like Kung Pao Chicken and I still scarfed this stuff up. Will definitely visit again
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Review from Samantha S.
Allentown, PA
1/22/2010
Asia is a great Chinese restaurant - probably one of the better ones in the Lehigh Valley. HOWEVER - it's not the best and could use some improvements.
Great points:
- very friendly service and a great atmosphere
- appetizers are great - love the kimchi (different take on the traditional version) and the Vietnamese summer rolls (the basil sauce is amazing)
- definitely order from the Chinese menu (different menu in a hardcover binder) - these are their better dishes
- great pricing (family of 4 can have 2 appetizers, 2 large entrees to share, rice, and dessert for about $50, before tip)
Could use improvement:
- their everyday menu (the American menu) is not authentic (except for the chef's specials) and very greasy - not too different from most take out places
- location is very out of the way - nestled in a residential neighborhood with the majority of the parking located behind the restaurant and down a slight slope
- small dining room so don't try going with a large group - they may not be able to accommodate you
Bottom line: I grew up on Chinese food and can tell good food versus bad food before I even taste it. This is a good restaurant - just stay away from the typical take out dishes and order from the Chinese menu instead (it has English translations). -
Review from suenotto e.
Emmaus, PA
1/21/2011
I got the pad thai and gen tso's ckn. Both were good.
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Review from D U.
Washington, DC
4/2/2011
My favorite part about this restaurant is that every time I go there is always at least one or two tables with actual Chinese people eating, laughing, and having a good time! I figure this restaurant must be pretty authentic!
When I go here, I always try something different than the typical stuff you get at a Chinese restaurant. I've had the braised lionshead as well as 'the fritz'. They aren't things I would eat on a daily basis, but they're good 'Chinese soul food'. It's very hearty, with large portions. You feel very full afterwards. And your tastebuds feel a bit challenged.
Next time, I want to try something from their Chinese menu. I saw something called 'Jelly with Chinese salami'.. I wonder what that is!
Quick tip: when you go here with your family or friends, I suggest ordering together and sharing family style.
Also, you can't fault the owners (or who I presume are the owners). They are always very friendly too! -
Review from Kat H.
Easton, PA
6/6/2009
Okay first, as you see all these great reviews and you are driving to the restaraunt...keep something in mind...the restaraunt is on a really dark street and you are going to pull up to a .....HOUSE. You just heard that right. Don't be deceived....go inside...at this point I almost turned around. BUT THE FOOD IS AWESOME even the sweet fried noodles are so delicious, that I ate too much and couldn't finish my actual meal. Remember to bring your own booze...I always always forget this as a new Pennsylvanian. Seriously...the food rocked...fresh, awesome flavors and also...very attentive servers, we seriously had our own waitress that was spying on us from behind a screen watching our every move so she could fill up glasses the second they were half empty. Awesome.
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Review from Brandi E.
Emmaus, PA
7/27/2009 1 Check-in Here
Asia is the best Chinese restaurant in the Lehigh Valley. There is two reasons why:
1)The Food - The food is all absolutely delicious. The menu has a huge selection covering Thai, Japanese, and Chinese. There is also a Chinese menu that has authentic Chinese food. The beautiful thing is that there is very authentic food as well as very Americanized food to please all kinds of taste buds. Alex the owner and chef specializes in Cantonese food and this is definitely the highlight of the restaurant. You can get things you won't find elsewhere in the Lehigh Valley such as Peking Duck. Actually anything you want he will make for you if you call ahead. I'm a huge fan of the sauces that are used in the dishes. They are homemade and delicious. The homemade ice cream is fabulous too but they run out often.
2.)The Staff - The family that runs the restaurant are some of the nicest people around. If you come back a few times they will make you feel at home even remembering what you talked about last. The staff is very attentive and accommodating to the extreme. Alex the chef almost always comes out to see if you liked the food. He will literally make anything you want as well. This is truly a rarity. This place really takes customer service to another level.
FYI
Asia is BYOB. Asia is not open on Sundays.
Overall
Asia is ranked one of the Top 100 Asian Restaurants in the Country and it lives up to it's acclaim. -
Review from matthew l.
Bethlehem, PA
4/19/2010 1 photo
I am a huge fan of Philly Chinatown, especially Thai Lake or Joy Tsin Lau, and have traveled the hour ride, just to eat chinese food. Imagine my joy when discovering this gem, just 10 min from home. This cleaner, frendlier, and closer restaurant offers almost all of what you can get in Chinatown, including traditional chinese, as well as "american"chinese. My fav's...peking duck, five spice crispy shrimp w/ blackbean sauce, the not-fried thai vegetable rolls, and an occasional special, just to try something different. Hail Asia!!! My new favorite local restaurant!
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Review from Halley G.
Long Beach, CA
10/16/2010
My family has lived in PA for 5 years and they are constantly bitching about how there's "no good food anywhere". So I decided to hop on Yelp and see if we could find some suitable places to eat. We came across Asia and the reviews seemed legit so we opted to try it out.
We went on a Friday around 4:30 to miss the dinner rush. When we got there, we were the only ones in the restaurant which was awesome. The restaurant is very small so if you do go during a rush you'll probably have to wait. Our server was really great and friendly and offered some good suggestions. My girlfriend ordered the Hong Kong Noodles. I ordered Pad Thai. My dad ordered General Tsai's Chicken. My brother ordered Orange Chicken. My mom ordered Green Jade Chicken. And my sister ordered Kung Pao Shrimp. We also had egg drop and wonton soup. We basically pigged the f* out! haha
I thought everything BUT the Pad Thai was good. I'm used to legit Pad Thai and this just didn't cut it. But everything else was fresh and delicious and delivered to our table quickly. The dishes could serve 2 or 3 people and it's served family style.
All in all, I thought this place was good. My family said it's the best Chinese food they've had in PA thus far. I live in CA so I'm a bit of a snob, but they said they'd go there again so it was a success in my book! -
Review from Alex S.
New York, NY
2/6/2009
The Chinese food is great at this place, but it's also some of the best Thai I've ever had. The last time I was here I got pad thai and it was fantastic! The owners are so friendly too -- when it's not too busy the chef always comes out to ask if you were happy with your meal. The curry beef triangles are good too.
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Review from Bob S.
Allentown, PA
1/31/2010
We have been here three times in the past year and everytime we go we love it! It is definitely one of the best Asian restaurants in the Lehigh Valley. Small and intimate, service is always great and the food is excellent! Don't miss this place!
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Review from Kim E.
Bethesda, MD
8/11/2010
Avoiding I-95 traffic to Baltimore, we headed west on I-81, had a hankering for Chinese food and found this odd looking brick building on a windy road between Bethlehem and Allentown. Don't let the unusual setting cause you to get back in the car and miss one of the best Chinese meals you will have in Eastern Pennsylvania, maybe in all Eastern-Central Pennsylvania. The hot and sour soup was better than most I have had in New York or Washington, Shirley's eggplant was exquisite and the other dishes quite good. The honey chicken was pretty goopy, but tasty. Not sure what they should do about the goop, maybe less honey. The owner was very nice and service excellent. I would consider this restaurant a find, for anybody going through allentown. Directions were on my Acura GPS, wouldnt necessarily try to find it without GPS or by knowing your way around these two towns.
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Review from Ko K.
Easton, PA
6/18/2009
Best authentic chinese food hands down. Make sure to ask for the Chinese menu. Haven't tried dishes off the regular menu, but I am sure after numerous visits that they are good as well.
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Review from Jordan M.
Center Valley, PA
8/11/2009 1 photo
Fantastic!
I don't think there's much I could say that hasn't been said already. The food is excellent, the staff is really nice, and the prices are reasonable. If you haven't been here yet, you are seriously missing out. And when you go, try something new!
Also, don't be fooled by the outside of the restaurant. Others mentioned it, but it's just a small little place, but the inside is really nice. It's clean and well decorated. -
Review from Robin S.
Bethlehem, PA
9/16/2008
Good Chinese food in the Valley can be hard to find. Asia is by far the best I have had in the region. Don't be fooled by the exterior and the location, the inside of this award winner is all upscale.
