East meets Western favorites at Cafe Diem
The food at Cafe Diem, 2341 N. Rainbow Blvd., is as American as pineapple pie.
A zing of Asian kisses the red, white and blue dishes in this northwest space, which opened in October on the site of the former Buckingham Smokehouse Bar-B-Q.
In your corned beef sandwich, for instance, lurks star anise and Szechuan peppercorn. Taiwanese cabbage inhabits your side of coleslaw. Even the most patriotic dish, a chicken-fried steak and bacon concoction known as the Heart Attack, is breaded with traditional Japanese panko breading.
Owner/chef Ray Kang describes the fusion as "slightly different than most people are used to."
"It's diner food with Asian spices," he says.
Kang took the name for his dream restaurant from carpe diem (Latin for "seize the day") and the inspiration from his mother, who operated two Chinese restaurants after they left Taiwan in the '80s.
"I always enjoyed restaurants," says Kang, 43, who was a chef at Mandalay Bay's Fleur de Lys until he decided to seize his own day.
The Asian here also bubbles over from influence into an occasional menu item, such as bulgogi (Korean barbecue) sandwiches, pad thai and stir fry.
Cafe Diem, which seats 100, is open 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. (Kang hopes to open for dinner once the AMC Rainbow Promenade movie theater next door finishes remodeling.) Reservations are not required.
Starters: Chicken wings, $7.95; crab cakes, $9.95; crispy shrimp, $9.95
Soups/salads: Clam chowder, $2.95; spinach salad, $6.95; grilled cheese and tomato bisque, $6.95
Entrees: Loco moco, $10.95; Heart Attack, $12.95; shrimp pad thai, $9.95
Desserts: Funnel cake, $3.95; strawberry shortcake, $1.99; lava cake, $5.95
Information: 631-0888
By COREY LEVITAN
