Editor's note: A previous version of the article had a picture of the incorrect restaurant. It has since been corrected to reflect a true image of the restaurant. We sincerely regret the error.
Most Auburn residents know that when trying to cook authentic Asian cuisine, the Asian Supermarket off Opelika Road is the perfect destination; but most people don’t know that it holds another surprise.
The Taste of Asia restaurant is a fully functional restaurant located in the Asian Supermarket that first opened in July 2015.
Cherry Zou, the manager of Taste of Asia, describes the menu as a mix of authentic Chinese and American-Chinese food.
“When we first came here we noticed that there were a lot of Chinese restaurants in town,” Zou said. “But none of them were authentic, so we decided to have a Chinese restaurant here.”
As for how authentic the food is, Zou said that the cooks there come from all over the world and each specializes in a specific style of cooking.
“For specialty dishes, we hire specialty chefs,” Zou said. “We have a specialty Sichuan chef who is originally from Sichuan; and Cantonese chef, who is from Hong Kong.”
Jake Masic, an Auburn local and senior majoring in marketing, describes it as a quiet place to get good food.
“Not many people know about it from what I gather,” Masic said. “It’s really got a hole in the wall feel, too.”
Another Auburn senior, Grace Hanlon, said she originally found the restaurant because she was looking for the Asian Supermarket for cooking supplies with her mom.
Hanlon describes the restaurant as authentic and budget-friendly because a large serving of food goes for under $15.
“I originally would go in and order one foreign item for dinner with friends to try something new,” Hanlon said. “Now I go for the hot pot with my friends.”
Hanlon thinks the hot pot and the boba tea are the best items there.
“You definitely get the best experience that way,” Hanlon said.
It also helps that ingredients to make the dishes back home are right across the aisle.
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