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Dining review: Liang's fresh, exotic fare fits any schedule

Staff photo by CLIFF McBRIDE

Clockwise from bottom, Orange Peel Beef, Walnut Shrimnp, egg roll, Liang's Chicken Lettuce Wrap, Crispy Cheese Puff and Fish Filet with Mixed Vegetables at Liang's Bistro.

By MARY PATRICK | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 14, 2009

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TAMPA - Everything you know about drive-through windows is wrong.

As evidence, we present Liang's Bistro. Unlikely as it may seem, this comfortable, casually elegant eatery is located in the former home of a Burger King. The building has been renovated almost beyond recognition, but the takeout window remains — and it's a bit hard to believe that you can pick up food of this quality without getting out of your car.

The restaurant makes good on the promise given by owners Linda and Perry Liang when it opened in 2004 — it offers a mix of Asian dishes from various countries, and it gives customers the choice of enjoying a meal in Liang's dining room or grabbing it while on-the-go.

We did both.

First, it must be said that the service either way was exceptional. Takeout was quick and efficient, and during our sit-down meal servers were prompt and attentive. Food was cooked to order and delivered to our table in good time. We also appreciated that someone in the kitchen enjoys presentations, as each entrée was beautifully plated with Asian food carving and fresh herbs for a bit of flair.

This is a little place with a big menu that covers most of Asia. There's a sprinkling of teriyaki, Thai basil and Vietnamese lemongrass dishes among the standard Chinese takeout fare of fried rice, sesame chicken and Mongolian beef. Entrée offerings are organized into "From the Ocean," "From the Land" and "From the Garden."

We started with a few standard appetizers. The egg rolls, stuffed with ground pork and shredded veggies, tasted overwhelmingly of smoked pork. Better were the vegetable spring rolls, which featured stir-fried, shredded vegetables wrapped in a super thin wheat paper and deep fried. The pork dumplings, served steamed or pan-fried, were filled with a wonderfully seasoned ground pork and vegetable mixture and served with a tangy dipping sauce.

While there is a children's menu with limited sweet-and-sour choices, the chicken skewers appetizer — four bamboo skewers threaded with chicken breast chunks marinated in a sweet sauce and grilled — satisfied our 8-year-old dining companion, particularly because it came with peanut sauce.

For entrees, we first tried the Orange Peel Beef. Solid if not spectacular, it came with strips of beef, breaded and fried and tossed with broccoli, orange peel and chili peppers for a spicy, citrusy combination. For vegetable lovers, the Buddha's Delight is a treasure trove of broccoli, baby corn, straw mushrooms, water chestnuts, carrots and snow peas stir-fried in a creamy sauce (you can also get them steamed).

One of our favorites was Liang's BBQ Pork, which features boneless tender pork charbroiled and brushed with a sweet and smoky sauce — delicious — and served with a complementary cucumber salad.

Vietnamese Lemongrass Shrimp featured about eight large shrimp sautéed with lemongrass, asparagus, broccoli, onion and red and green peppers. Those who like spicier dishes might find it a bit bland, but otherwise it was a fresh, flavorful choice.

The best dish was a staple of Thai restaurants, Pad Thai. As usual, it came with a choice of vegetable, chicken, beef, pork or shrimp atop wok tossed rice noodles with bean sprouts and roasted peanuts. Liang's version had just the right hint of spiciness and we're already looking forward to eating it again.

In all, Liang's Bistro provides dependable dishes across a wide array of Asian cooking styles, most of it at an affordable price. Throw in the benefit of easy pick-up and it's clear why the place has become a popular New Tampa restaurant.