AKA Bistro Reopened: First Impressions

As I reported previously, AKA Bistro, one of my favorite suburban restaurants reopened last week, after being closed for a few months due a massive flood. Located in Lincoln, AKA Bistro serves both French bistro fare and Japanese cuisine and their menu has seen some changes. You still can find old favorites like their Homemade Traditional Miso Soup and Moules Frites, but you will also find new dishes that might become new favorites. I should also mention that Chef/Co-Owner Chris Chung is now responsible for 100% of what's served.

Earlier this week, I stopped by for lunch, to see the new renovations and check out some of the new menu items. The restaurant itself looks largely the same, with some changes to the kitchen area. You can sit inside, or on the exterior patio. As I perused the menu, there were plenty of dishes I was interested in trying, so I definitely need to return to check out more.

I began with one of the new Appetizers, the Spicy Steamed Clams In A Jar ($10), which is a large mason jar with small and plump steamed clams in a savory broth with basil, lemongrass, Thai chile and lime. The tender clams were cooked perfectly, and the broth was compelling, with lots of flavor and a hint of almost sweetness. The broth in their Mussels dish is one of my favorites, and the the broth with their clams, though different, is equally as good. They even give you a straw so you can drink up the broth once the clams are gone. My preference though is to dip bread into the broth. This is a winner of a new dish!

As an Entree, I chose the Sautéed Sliced Angus Beef Bowl ($16), with kabayaki carrot and onion on top of Japanese rice. There was plenty of tender beef, and the carrots added a nice, sweet crunch to the dish. This is intended to be one of their more healthy new dishes, and it makes a good selection.

AKA Bistro has returned, and its food is as delicious as ever, with plenty of new and interesting dishes. I certainly will be returning, for lunch, dinner and brunch, but I have faith the restaurant is not going to disappoint. I strongly urge my readers to check it out.