The upscale Asian-American restaurant Asia recently opened at Ameristar Casino in St. Charles, Missouri. Similar to Las Vegas casinos, the restaurant is situated on the casino floor behind the Asian gaming section. Vice President of Hospitality David Begonis said, “Vietnamese and Chinese–there’s a pretty robust population here and there was a real need for a quality restaurant in the area that served a quality product. We didn’t want it to be too ostentatious, just kind of upscale with a cool environment and great food.” With minimal architectural detail, a wall of tea kettles separates the main dining floor from a more private section.
The menu created by Executive Chef Don Yamauchi and Chef de Cuisine Hai Ying Bushey includes an array of appetizers. Recommended is beef satay, to pair with Dragon Berry Punch made with pitaya, or dragonfruit. Main dishes include General Tso’s chicken and crispy Szechuan beef. Rich desserts feature mango fluffy ice, topped with popping pineapple tapioca pearls. Waiters mix Vietnamese iced coffee at the table. A flight of sake is recommended, distilled with notes of banana and roasted nuts, as is Taiwanese-style bubble tea. The check arrives in a giant fortune cookie, baked in-house.
