Barrington's PL8 boasts creative pan-Asian fare

The foods of China, Japan and a few other Asian nations converge under one roof at PL8, a sophisticated pan-Asian restaurant that opened in February in The Foundry Mall in Barrington.

A world apart from your standard mom-and-pop Cantonese eateries prevalent in the suburbs for decades, PL8 (pronounced “plate”) is a fancier, downtown-style restaurant with food reminiscent of what you might find at Chicago's Ben Pao or Big Bowl. The decor itself, highlighted by red walls, bamboo-sided booths and a sunken bar, is your first tipoff that this place has the good luck of financial resources behind it.

Running the show are two experienced restaurateurs: Ed Culleeney, a former partner in the aforementioned Ben Pao with Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, and Shawn Li of TL's Four Seasons in Bartlett. A Palatine resident, Culleeney seized the opportunity to partner with Li and some Barrington investors to open his own business close to home.

It's fun to sit on a backless stool reportedly made from 1,000-year-old petrified Chinese wood at the sunken bar and relax with a Barringtini, a citrus-infused vodka martini mixed with two house-made syrups, one with lemon and the other with ginger. Ginger and sugar are the predominant flavors — a bit too sweet for serious martini fans but not for most palates.

My companion and I shared a sake flight of three very different rice wines, served cold, ranging from bitter to our favorite, the floral Green Ridge. Other alcoholic choices include a small wine list, beers — often a better choice to pair with Asian food — and nonalcoholic fresh ginger ale with a tangy taste that pairs well with many of the dishes.

The menu configuration is untraditional. It starts with the Chinese dishes, from appetizers through meat and fish entrees, then lists noodle, rice and vegetable plates. Japanese dishes, consisting of nigiri/sashimi, maki and sushi plates, do not appear till the end.

The maki rolls we tried were a great way to kick off our dinner. My favorite, bearing the provocative name of “hand grenade,” had a definite bite, provided by spicy garlic mayo seasoned with Japanese chili powder accenting nori-wrapped wild-caught shrimp. Following the spicy roll with the thin slice of orange on the bottom helps to cool the heat.

Other winners from this section include the snow crab roll, another spicy choice with a generous portion of luscious crabmeat and just the right amount of a honey wasabi sauce drizzle, and the spicy bigeye tuna roll, a staple at most sushi restaurants, seasoned with chili pastes.

For the less-adventurous maki eater, there's the California roll — the classic blend of crabmeat, avocado and cucumber with tobiko topping. Other safe choices include the tempura shrimp, crabmeat, cucumber and avocado roll and the Philly roll of Scottish salmon, avocado and Philadelphia cream cheese — not authentic but a good way for the uninitiated to test the waters.

Hot appetizers have pan-Asian and American influences. A fun choice is the crab Rangoon chop sticks. Long wonton wrappers, tightly rolled into tubes, come stuffed with cream cheese, scallions and crabmeat. They are served with a sweet-and-sour sauce. The comforting beef and napa cabbage pot stickers are deep-fried unless you request the lower-calorie steamed version, which is nicely browned and crisped in the frying pan before serving.

While it's highly possible to feast only on a series of small plates and soups, including well-made miso soup with seaweed sprouts, tofu and white miso, kept hot in covered cups, many tempting larger plates beckon. I recommend the mei-ji shrimp dish, a smoky-flavored mélange of stir-fried shrimp and asparagus. Another good one is the peppery basil garlic chicken with green and red bell peppers and button mushrooms.

From the noodles and rice section, I ordered pad thai, which I've eaten at countless Thai restaurants. This one was missing the tastes of many standard ingredients, including bean sprouts, lime juice, cilantro leaves and chopped roasted peanuts.

Asian restaurants traditionally are not known for desserts, but I like to end a meal with a bit of sweetness. Of the four choices, caramelized pineapple ring dusted with five-spice powder, cinnamon and brown sugar glaze, topped with vanilla ice cream, sounded the best. The taste combinations indeed were delightful, but the portion size (one pineapple ring) was skimpy.

All in all, PL8 is an exciting addition to the rather sparse dining scene in the Barrington area. This restaurant deserves the kind of good fortune contained in the cookie that ended the meal on a positive note.

<b>PL8</b>

736 W. Northwest Hwy., Barrington, (847) 382-1988

<b>Cuisine: </b>Pan-Asian

<b>Setting: </b>Contemporary with Asian accents

<b>Hours: </b>11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; noon to 9 p.m. Sunday

<b>Entrees: </b>$8-$17