Noncommercial venues such as universities and corporate foodservice also are finding that Asian accents unlock a world of options. At Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vt., chicken has been offered Szechwan style, with a curry glaze and in the spirit of Kung Pao. Biga on the Banks in San Antonio is modern American influenced by the flavors that pique the interest of chef-owner Bruce Auden. Past work and travels make him partial to Asian and Mexican flavors. But the restaurant's Lone Star State location leads him to feature game and local ingredients.
Western food is almost too similar in flavor and texture.
With Asian, there are incredible counterpoints of sweet and salty, hot and sour. There is that exciting counter-play and distinct flavors that have a tremendous capacity to meld. With such a vast pantry of ingredients, concepts are reaching beyond one Asian country as well as other parts of the globe. At Temple, the cuisine is grounded in a Korean aesthetic shaped by classical techniques. From there, many borders are crossed to showcase an international perspective, says Ara-mino.