Restaurant Review: East Moon Asian Bistro

It’s so exciting when a new restaurant opens in Ellicott City!  When I first saw the signs for East Moon Asian Bistro over at Shipley’s Grant off Rt. 108, I was so excited. Not only is it close to home, but the words “Asian Bistro” definitely caught my attention. Having seen the “open” sign last week, I decided to take the family and head over to East Moon for lunch.   

The first thing I noticed when I walked in is the great décor. I loved the modern lights and bubbles on the wall and ceiling fixtures.  It was kind of dark inside, which I love in restaurants.  It was just dark enough to make you feel like you’re really out to eat.  A date night there would be superb!

There are two sections to the restaurant: a sushi bar and the main dining area. The sushi bar is open, so you can see the sushi being made in front of you (another plus!).  The sushi bar area also has several large flat-screen TVs for those looking for more of a “bar” setting. The main dining area has booths (great for families) and tables.

The servers were wonderful; so sweet and accommodating, especially with parents of two small children like myself!  Our server (Maggie) was extremely nice and brought us everything we asked for with a smile.

Now, on to the food. The East Moon menu offers an extensive selection of appetizers, entrees, sides, and sushi to please even the pickiest of eaters like myself.  Meat-eaters, vegetarians, sushi lovers, and Thai-food fanatics all have a wide selection to choose from when it comes to lunch and dinner. The lunch specials, which offer an entrée, fried rice and a spring roll starting at $6.50 are especially enticing. 

Highly impressed with the number of vegetarian options available to us, we ordered salad, miso soup, vegetable lo mein, Buddha’s Feast (vegetables and tofu in a brown sauce), and Tofu in Peanut Sauce. It sounds like a lot, and it was. We couldn’t believe all the food we got for just $6.50 per entrée! This isn’t one of those places that serves a tiny lunch portion with an even tinier bowl of steamed rice. No, no.  You definitely get your money’s worth here.

Two words came to mind as soon as we dug into our lunch: fresh and delicious.

Everything we tasted (with one small exception) was wonderful. The salad had a light and creamy peanut dressing that was exceptional. Although we didn’t care for the taste of the peanut sauce in the Tofu Peanut entrée, we loved our other two dishes. The vegetable lo mein was light, perfect for lunch or as a side dish.  

The Buddha’s Feast was the all-around family favorite. The vegetables were nice and crispy and fresh. The mushrooms alone provided enough “meat” for the dish. The star of the dish, of course, was the tofu. This wasn't normal, bland tofu, however. They cooked the tofu in such a way that it had a rich, smoky flavor, which I loved. Even non-tofu lovers will appreciate the flavor in this Buddha’s Feast!

With a full sushi bar, Vietnamese rice noodle bowls, Thai curries, and perfectly sweet Thai Iced Teas, East Moon Asian Bistro offers something for everyone!

Welcome to Ellicott City, East Moon!