Tallahassee loves Lucy Ho's cooking(1)
Its interior is warm and welcoming — from the elegant bamboo wall on one side of the intimate dining area to the jewel-toned panels and discs that adorn the wall facing customers as they enter.
A trio of sumo wrestlers, looking happy and well-fed, watches over diners. Soft jazz plays in the background.
This soothing decor was planned with a purpose.
"The economy has affected us a lot," Ho said. "We realize that when people go out to eat, they want to make sure the price is worth it. It's more than just the food, it's the look."
Azu, located in a tiny strip mall on Apalachee Parkway just off Capital Circle, is more than a scaled-down version of the Lucy Ho bistro on Halstead Boulevard that closed earlier this year because of parking problems and the need for Keiser College to expand.
It's more family-oriented than Masa, the Lucy Ho restaurant on Monroe Street, and has eschewed the buffet, that ubiquitous staple of many Chinese restaurants.
That's a plus — it means that what you order is always tasty, fresh, hot, and beautiful to behold.
The lunch menu features trendy, red-lacquered bento boxes — sectioned-off plates filled with one of 18 savory entrees, ranging from General Tso's Chicken to Pork Katsu with Sweet Chili Sauce to Shrimp & Vegetable Tempura. Along with a spring roll, side dish of the day, noodles and fried rice, it all adds up to a pocketbook-pleasing $8.
Also available are soups — the Hot & Sour is silky, delicious and chock-full of tofu and vegetables — and starters such as the Tuna Tartare, the sure-fire hit that's a regular at Masa. And, of course, there's a lengthy sushi menu.
"We wanted to simplify the new menu to make sure we do the best job we can," said Shaun Lee, the restaurant's marketing manager and Ho's nephew. "Most Chinese (restaurants) offer the same thing with different names. You order Kung Pao Chicken or Cashew Chicken, it's the same. We don't want that."
