Where You Should Eat: Asian Food In Palm Beach County & Broward

Lets just come right out of the gate and say it, PBC is lacking in its “Asian” food scene. Thats a broad category I know, but as a lover of the many varieties of Asian food and culture, the pool is not deep here. Shallow, devastatingly shallow in fact. Having said that though, we have a few! And they must be protected/supported.

In general I would say Japanese food has more representation than most; sushi is such a staple for so many people, this isnt all too surprising. With that though, all sushi is not created equal. While there are a lot of sushi restaurants in Palm Beach County, it is tough to seek out the quality spots. I will caution you true food and sushi lovers to do your homework on Sushi spots when you visit PBC, and do not just trust yelp or google reviews; they will lie to you. But I will not, these are the 3 places I frequently grab sushi. The only 3 places I will consistently eat sushi are at Imoto by Buccan in Palm Beach, Sushi by Bou now at Bennys in Lakeworth, and Kaizen closer to Fort Lauderdale. Im sure there may be some other spots, but Ive been burned too many times to trust them. (Honorable mention is Suhi Jo - solid, not great, but solid. And close to where I live.)

Imoto by Buccan is next door to the beloved Buccan helmed by chef Clay Conley who also owns Grato and the 2 Buccan sandwich windows, which are a lovely and satisfying quick lunch option (try the beef carpaccio sandwich!). Imoto is a small sleek modern space serving up precise Japanese dishes. While the menu doesn’t change much, the staples are fabulous; duck tacos, marinated wagyu, miso black cod, always order a few pieces of Nigiri and a couple rolls. Do note, they stay realatively traditional Japanese and do not have rolls with all the american fillings and additions. They’re simple, small and show off the highest quality rice and fish; the way it should be. Always make a reservation, or snag one of the 10 or so bar seats. Valet available at the door.

From there we move south towards Lake Worth, the area I call home, and my favorite beach in the county. Everyone will talk about being in Palm Beach, or further south in Delray or Boca, but having been up and down this coast for years now, Lake worth beach is the best. Plenty of parking, the sand and water are gorgeous and well maintained, theres often live music, monthly full moon drum circles, an actual pier with a solid restaurant, a beach side bar and a few other shops and food options in the casino area. Even with all of this, it still feels small, rarely overcrowded and the vibes are always high.

Bennys on the Beach, the iconic pier restaurant was not only saved last year from a corporate buy out but also received massive funding and community support resulting in a second location just 70yrds away in the casino building. This expansion has brought a revitalized feeling to the Lake worth beach front area and offers a higher quality food option than existed before. My favorite part of this change has been the opening of a pop-up location of Sushi by Bou, which now has taken over the front bar. They are serving up a high end Omakase, at a reasonable price ($65/pp - 12 courses, or $100/pp - $17courses). Keep in mind this is refined dining but with a beachy relaxed feel. Chef is a true student of sushi with incredible knife work, perfectly mastered rice, an inventive spirit, and a reverence for the art of sushi making. After your Omakase, try the Big Mac; made with Uni, Toro, Scallap, and Wagyu. This $28 bite is worth every penny.(Maybe make it 2 bites, its pretty big)

If you can make it to Kaizen, this is really the one spot I would recommend to anyone. The quality of fish is second to none even as I compare it to some of my sushi havens in northern and southern California. Chef Wei is a master at his art and stays true to traditional Japanese style, cuts and does an incredibly unique Omakase for just $60. Whether you do the Omakase, or just grab some Nigiri and a couple chef’s special rolls, every bite will have you doing a little shoulder bob. As always, the thing I really appreciate is that nothing is overly americanized. Wei and his team stay true to honoring the ingredients and bringing thoughtful and unique spins as opposed to the rolls you see stuffed with cream cheese (my nemesis). Anyways, grab a lychee martini, they are wonderful.

My favorite roll: The Tuna Dijonaise - Might just be my favorite roll of all time. Something about that sauce..

While there are a good handful of Thai restaurants in the county, Ive only found one that keeps me coming back, Malakor Thai Cafe, in the Old Northwood area. Food is solid, service very friendly, ambiance is nice, and the Thai ice tea is hittin’; definitely a solid option. Spend a few hours strolling around this lesser known but equally cute little downtown just minutes from down town West Palm.

I beg of any restauranteur, cook, chef, food lover, please, for the love of all things spicy, sweet and sour, we desperately need more Asian options in this area. Particularly a fabulous Vietnamese and/or Chinese, maybe some Philippino, or Korean, any and all of it would be welcomed with open arms. And the clientele is here, a younger more educated food crowd from the northeast is more regularly descending upon West Palm, so please, open some other options!!