In the late 1980s, Luong Moc “Louis” Tran, a Vietnamese restaurateur, helped advance the business concept of serving Asian food in American food courts. As an operating partner of a successful restaurant group, Tran helped integrate over 50 Asian-style restaurants into shopping centers and airports across the eastern U.S. Following this success, Tran’s entrepreneurial spirit and creative energy enticed him to explore new business opportunities, and in 2004 he began developing the concept for Asian Too, a restaurant blending quality Asian favorites from a wide range of countries in a clean and comfortable environment.

“We want our customers to feel as if they can either come in to grab a quick bite, or experience a nice relaxing meal while enjoying our open kitchen,” explains David Hansen, vice president and partner of Asian Too.

Falling somewhere between the categories of fast food and casual dining, Asian Too’s open kitchen prepares a variety of wok stirs that blend beef, chicken, shrimp, pork or tofu in a variety of creative dishes, and traditional Asian entrees, such as sweet and sour chicken or shrimp. Fresh sushi is another draw of Asian Too, including traditional Sashimi and Nigiri, and popular rolls include the Viera roll, the shrimp tempura roll and the spicy tuna roll. Pan-Asian versions of rice and noodle bowls, salads, soups and wraps also are popular menu items.

To help with Asian Too’s execution, Tran recruited his former colleague and close friend, Henry Nguyen, to be the general manager of the restaurant’s first location in The Avenue Viera, which opened four years ago this month. “We’ve been friends for 15 years and are like brothers,” Nguyen says of his relationship with Tran. Today, The Avenue Viera represents one of seven Asian Too locations in central and eastern parts of the U.S.

During daytime hours, families often stop in to enjoy Asian Too’s special lunch menu, and during the work week the restaurant also commonly draws a business crowd from the nearby Viera Government Center.

“All of our dishes are made-to-order, but they are served quickly,” Hansen says.

While Asian Too does share similar attributes of a quick-service restaurant, unlike many of these establishments, customer service at Asian Too doesn’t stop once the food is delivered. “We continually check on our guests throughout their meal,” Nguyen says. “We want everyone to walk out happy.”

Favorites

Mandarin Orange. Lightly battered chicken, beef or shrimp tossed with scallions, snap peas and red onions in a sweet and spicy orange glaze sauce.

General Tso’s. Lightly battered chicken, beef or shrimp tossed with broccoli, baby corn and snap peas in a sweet and vinegar sauce.

Lo Mein Noodle Bowl. Egg noodles with scallion, bean sprouts and carrots in a garlic soy sauce.

Viera Roll. Made-to-order eight-piece sushi roll made with salmon, cream cheese, avocado and cucumber, and topped with sesame seeds.

Bourbon Chicken. Chicken specially marinated in a secret recipe bourbon spice and then grilled. Served with zucchini, broccoli and baby corn with sweet bourbon sauce.

Kung Pao. Choice of chicken, beef, shrimp, pork or tofu tossed with zucchini, scallion, red onion, red bell pepper, water chestnut, dry chili and roasted peanuts in a chili soy sauce.

Boba Drink Menu

Asian Too serves a variety of milk teas, flavored teas, slushies and smoothies served with tapioca pearls, otherwise known as boba, at the bottom of each drink. Originating in the 1980s in Taiwan, boba, which has a gummi bear-type texture, is able to take on each drink’s flavor. Each boba drink at Asian Too is served with a wide straw, making the pearls easy to consume.

“Our most unique flavor is Taro,” says Alex Metott, assistant manager of Asian Too in The Avenue Viera. Common in Asian and Hawaiian desserts, Taro is a starchy root similar to a potato that possesses a sweet flavor.

“People may be unsure about ordering boba at first, but once they try it, they always order it,” Metott says.

Address: 2221 Towne Center Blvd. #115, Viera (in The Avenue Viera)

Phone: (321) 637-9663

Website: www.asiantoo.com

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; Lunch specials on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Other: Military and uniformed police discounts; vouchers for Gryphon Group Security Solutions combat trainees; kids menu; party tray menu that feeds six to eight people; delivery available through Twins Food Taxi services.

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