Metromix.com......South-side spice

Drop that take-out box -- elegant Asian fusion has landed in Southtown.

By Lisa Arnett

In Orland Park's kingdom of burger joints and casual mall chains, Ginger Asian Bistro is the well-dressed newcomer. 

Aiming to fill the need for a higher-end Asian restaurant in the south suburbs, husband-and-wife team Kai and Esther Chow searched for almost two years for the right stand-alone location. Their 6,000-square foot space has morphed into a soothing, Zen-cool eatery -- a far cry from its previous incarnation as a Damen's Steakhouse. The Chows envisioned the restaurant reflecting each of the four seasons, from the paprika-painted autumnal bar to a private party room decorated in icy gray and warmed with a fireplace. The dining room boasts a tropical art-gallery feel, with vivid photographs of Hawaiian flowers decking the walls.

ChicagoMag.com......Promising Restaurant Alert

We wanted to bring Asian fusion cuisine to the southwestern suburbs," says Kai Chow, regarding his new 180-seat spot, Ginger Asian Bistro (15700 S. Harlem Ave., Orland Park; 708-633-1818). "We live in Orland Park, and we found that there was no such restaurant within a five-mile radius." The executive chef, Kelvin Cheung (a grad of Kendall College and son of Phoenix Restaurant's Eddie Cheung), masterminds a menu that bops all over the Far East (and elsewhere): panko-breaded shrimp; Chinese tea--braised ribs; roasted tandoori snapper; chocolate-chip cookie dough egg rolls. The décor consists of giant spotlighted photos of tropical flowers. "We want to give our guests an art gallery feel," Chow says. Dish promises to check the place out and report back.