Good Ethnic Restaurants around Newport News? (Hampton, Pembroke: to buy, income, live)

[IndiaLimaDelta]

I would like to compile a list of good ethnic restaurants in the Newport News area that my family and I can try once we move there. Specifically, I am looking for:

Thai (NOT places that serve red Pad Thai with tomato paste -- real Pad Thai has tamarind paste)
Japanese (not "steak house"; a place that can do fresh sashimi -- if I see hibachi grill I will run, run from it)
Malaysian/Singaporean/Straits Chinese (Keow Teow)
Vietnamese (yes, Pho, but also hot pots and Banh mi and Vietnamese coffee)
Chinese (esp. Sichuan-style cooking like Dan Dan noodles and lamb with cumin; NOT, I repeat, NOT what is known as "American Chinese," i.e. red General Tso's chicken, etc.)
Korean (more than the usual Korean BBQ beef; I mean things like Soondae -- Korean blood sausage -- and Mandoo)
Middle Eastern (Turkish, Lebanese, Persian, etc.; tender, tender lamb)
Moroccan (I need my Bistillah)
Indian (both North and South; I'll eat tandoori stuff if I have to, but much prefer Keralan curries -- any recipe from Malabar coast)
East Asian bakery (Bingsoo, moon cakes, etc.)
Indian bakery (gulab jamun, kheer)
Ethiopian
Peruvian (Ceviche, anticuchos)
Spanish (tapas)
Italian (esp. Sicilian; a place that can do real Aglio e Olio)
NY-style Pizza
NY-style deli (good Reuben a plus)
Carolina-style BBQ (both North and South)
Texas or New Mexico style Chili (esp. with green chile; darn these NE Yankees with their silly beans)
Lastly, a place to buy Linguica (Portuguese sausage) and Portuguese white wine. Also good quality Australian shiraz.

That's all I can think of now, but I am sure I will add to the list later.

[UHgrad]

I can only vouch for the ones I have eaten at so I will list those. Urbanspoon can be helpful finding places if you haven't been to the area before.

Pretty good japanese place across from kiln creek called Kero Sushi with sushi, tempura, udon etc...

Thai restaurant called Thai Erawan is good. Seemed pretty legit, I lived in Hawaii for 7 years so I have a decent idea of good asian food.

Northern Indian is a place called Nawab. My friend from India says it is OK, not great, but it is your best option around here.

Some decent korean places off of Warrick, cant remember the name but they were good.

Chinese, not sure about newport news. Va Beach has a good dimsum place across from Pembroke Mall. Sorry again, i forget the name.

I'll ask my mom about the itallian and linguica, she cooks AWESOME itallian so I don't eat out when I need a fix, I just make a phone call.

There is a new Brazillian place in downtown norfolk on Granby that is good (according to friends) but also pricey. $$$

Ethiopian, the only one I know of is the Ethiopian Sport Cafe. I have not been but I drive past it a lot. It is in Hampton near the peninsula town center. Give it a try and let us know.

BBQ is all over. Pierce's near williamsburg has the best cornbread and beans around and the BBQ is good too. Not sure what North and South carolina BBQ is? I always thought of it as more of an East vs West (Mustard vs Vinegar base)... but either way you will have plenty of options in the area.

Gotta run, thats all I can think of for now. Good luck.

[BrianLMA]

My favorite Thai/Japanese restaurant in the area is Thaijindesu Thai & Sushi Bar in Port Warwick (and I've heard opening soon in Hampton's new Peninsula Town Center: Thaijindesu, Thai & Sushi Bar ,Thai and Japenese restaurant located in Port Warwick, Newport News, Virginia 757- 595-8410.

They have my favorite dish, Katsudon, and very reasonable prices.

[kairi2]

Middle-Eastern: Village Kabob 1215 George Washington Memorial Hwy
Unit - Q, Yorktown, VA 23693 Quaint but the food is awesome.

Wine: Total Wine, on Oyster Point Rd. It is like the mecca of wine/beer around here.

[VinceraVivere]

There's a Korean place I like a lot up near Denbigh off of Warwick bvd - Kyung Sung restaurant. If you head up warwick going north, it's on the right hand side of the road just past Bland bvd.

[IndiaLimaDelta]

Anyone else?

[webjess]

Village Kabab in Yorktown is my fav for Indian.

Ethiopian Sport Cafe in Hampton is really good.

Kyung Sung is good. I like Mona's on Warwick too for Korean.

Brickhouse Tavern in Port Warwick for pizza.

Vinny's on J Clyde is good comfort food Italian.

[IndiaLimaDelta]

I see some of the same few names keep coming up.

I love hole-in-the-wall ethnic restaurants just as much as the next foodie, but one gripe I have about them is the lack of fresh ingredients (the quality of mutton, for example, at most dodgy Northern Indian restaurants is almost repulsive).

One thing nice about NoVA is that, due to the affluence of ethnic populations, there ARE many ethnic restaurants that use fresher, more expensive ingredients.

Is it too much to expect such places in Hampton Roads given the ethnic makeup and the relatively lower disposable income level?

[Thomas3588]

I don't think it is a case of "lower disposable income" level-it is more about the population make-up. Predominate population is military in this area-therefore relative small "ethinic" population that brings those restaraunts in...

[IndiaLimaDelta]

If anything, military population would draw more ethnic dining -- most military friends I have are crazy about Korean BBQ, Thai food, etc.

Generally, lower disposable income means less to spend eating out and even when eating out, cheaper, chain options are more likely to be sought.

But the lack of wide variety of ethnic populations (upper income ones at that) probably contrains the ethnic restaurant business more than anything else. I'll find out soon enough -- I like talking to restauranteurs about their buinesses.