Just to give you a little background on Jade Bistro, the restaurant has been a staple in College Park for many years. It is located in the heart of College Park in a small strip mall which houses about 5-7 restaurants/stores.  But before you say “Strip Mall?” Jade was named “Best Chinese” by The Orlando Weekly for 2003-2004. They are open for lunch and dinner and usually have a good size crowd seated. On their menu they advertise Asian Cuisine as well as a Sushi Bar. Jade offers indoor as well as outdoor seating, which is dog friendly if you’re looking for a place to bring along your furry friend.

Upon our arrival we were immediately greeted, seated and promptly brought water, plates, chopsticks and menus. The atmosphere outside was cozy yet elegant with just a few tables and the inside had a warm and slightly modern feel with several booths and tables throughout, not to mention the 20 foot sushi bar in the center of the restaurant.

We started our dining experience with a bottle of cold unfiltered Momokowa Pearl Saki ($14) and an order of the Summer Rolls ($3.95). The peanut sauce, which accompanied the roll’s, had an almost smoky flavor which added a little zing with each bite. The shrimp inside the rolls tasted fresh as well as the vermicelli and green onion.

Next, we were served an order of the Steamed Pork Dumplings ($4.95). 6 total dumplings delivered with a traditional dipping sauce on a plate. Upon first bite, my guest and I noticed that they were cold. Had the dumplings been served in a traditional bamboo steamer, they would have remained their desirable tempertaure. They were quite tasty, but I couldn’t get past their chill.

After the dumplings arrived an order of the Tuna Kobachi ($8.95). The dish is simple. Fresh tuna diced and seasoned with spicy sesame oil and pepper sauce. The taste was excellent. The fresh red tuna melted in my mouth with each bite. 

With the appetizers finished we put in our order for 2 rolls and an order of white tuna nigiri. It took about 15 minutes until our sushi was delivered. First up was the traditional Spicy Tuna Roll ($5). For me, this roll is a staple whenever going out for Sushi, it’s a basic roll traditionally served at all sushi restaurants and it allows me to truly see how fresh their tuna is. First bite and all I tasted was a chewy seaweed wrap. Each piece must have taken me nearly 3 minutes to chew. It was a chewy dry disaster. The second roll was the Mexican Roll ($7). In this roll you will find avocado, masago, a slice of jalapeño pepper and shrimp tempura for that oh so tasy added crunch. First bite, and once again all we tasted was a chewy seaweed wrap. The components of the roll were also flavorless and the tempura shrimp didn’t have that crunchy goodness that I was looking for. I found it hard to get past the chewy seaweed wrap yet again. The last item served was White Tuna nigiri style ($4). It was like butter, deliciousy fresh and delightful. This definetly hit the spot and capped off what looked to be a horrible sushi experience at Jade.

After the sushi was finished we placed an order for some Classic Chicken Fried Rice ($7.55) as well as an order of the Honey Garlic Chicken ($10.95). Both looked enticing. The fried rice wasn’t dry at all and there was plenty to take home as leftovers. The honey garlic chicken was excellent. Slightly crispy pieces of chicken covered in a golden honey and garlic sauce. My guest and I were both completely pleased with these dishes!

Overall the food was good, with the best items being the Tuna Kobachi, White Tuna & Honey Garlic eChicken.  Overall the service was satisfactory. If your looking for a quiet neighborhood restaurant with a craving for Asian Cuisine, then Jade is a great spot.

Jade Bistro

2425 Edgewater Drive

Orlando, FL 32804

407-422-7968

Hours: 

Lunch:

Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30pm

Sat 12:00-3:00pm

Sun N/A

Dinner:

Mon-Fri 4:00-10:00pm

Sat 5:00-10:00pm

Sun 4:00-10:00pm

 http://www.jadebistro.com/