A sampling of food at CHIN Fusion Restaurant & Sushi. Photo provided | CHIN Fusion Restaurant & Sushi on Facebook

This story originally appeared in the Nov. 8, 2024 edition of the LINK Reader. To get stories like this first, subscribe here.

This Streetscapes we head to Mall Road for all-Asian cuisines. Three spots with an array of options and a vibe for every occasion. Join us as we visit Thai Tea House, Chin, and Yamato Hibachi Grill and Sushi. 

Chin Fusion Restaurant and Sushi

The newest Asian restaurant on Mall Road provides guests with top of the line food and a pleasing modern aesthetic to match. Choices include pho, ramen and dumplings along with items that may be new to some guests. Chin Fusion Restaurant and Sushi also has over 10 traditional Chin and Burmese meals that can’t be found at just any Asian restaurant and are great choices to try something new. (Chin is a state in western Myanmar, also known as Burma.) 

The house special, sabuti, is essentially a soup consisting mainly of corn and beef. Another specialty, Burmese wat thar dote htoe, are pork intestines on skewers served with chili sauce and veggies. Guests looking for more familiar flavors still have the likes of orange chicken, bulgogi beef and pad thai. Whether you stick with tried-and-true fried rice or branch out for tteokbokki, Korean rice cake and authentic tea leaf salad, guests are sure to get a filling and appetizing meal. 

Thai Tea House

Thai Tea House offers traditional Thai food and a variety of Thai drinks, including fruit sodas, yogurt drinks called lassi, milk tea, fruit teas and coffee. 

The drink choices here may seem familiar, but many differ from their American cousins. Thai coffee and tea traditionally are made with sweetened condensed milk and are served cold over ice. These will be much sweeter than what guests may typically order from a coffee chain, but they make for a perfect midday treat. Drinks come with the option to add in boba, chewy tapioca balls that come in a variety of flavors to enhance the already-delicious drink. 

Boba, or bubble, tea can also break up the flavor of the drinks with little bursts of flavor that tone down the sweetness. Brown sugar milk tea with classic boba or Thai iced coffee with brown sugar boba are two options that are perfect for a novice Thai drinker. 

Yamato Hibachi Grill and Sushi

This Japanese restaurant primarily serves sushi and hibachi. This restaurant isn’t for the faint of heart – or for small stomachs. It’s best known for its all-you-can-eat menu, which includes choices of appetizers, hibachi and sushi – yes, including delicious crab rangoons. All you crab rangoon fans can really test the limits to see exactly how many is too many. 

There are ample options to sample everything on the menu. Gyoza, chicken hibachi, spicy tuna roll, you name it, it’s on there. 

As if endless food for a great price weren’t already enough, the food is brought out to guests by a robot. This is a cool addition for any families to keep kids entertained or, heck, even some fun-loving adults. 

Guests without an endless appetite can order Yamato’s signature dishes, bento boxes and poke bowls while still getting a great value. 

For beverages, they have traditional sake, wine, and both American and Asian beers. From the all-you-can-eat options to drink offerings, there are countless reasons to visit, even if it is just for the robots. 

What to Know If You Go

Chin Fusion Restaurant and Sushi

Location: 7657 Mall Road, Florence 

Hours: Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m.; Friday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m.

Phone: 859-630-2554

Thai Tea House

Location: 7563 Mall Road, Florence

Hours: Monday, closed; Tuesday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., 4:30-8:30 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; 4:30-9 p.m., Saturday, noon-9 p.m.; Sunday, noon-8 p.m.

Website: thaiteahouseky.com

Phone: 859-869-4114

Yamato Hibachi Grill and Sushi

Location: 8197 Mall Road, Florence

Hours: Monday, closed; Tuesday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Website: yamatoflorence.m988.com

Phone: 859-869-2016