Asia Kitchen opened its doors in January, bringing a taste of Asia to the Delta Fair Shopping Center in Antioch. Stepping in to the Asia Kitchen dining room, visitors can admire décor inspired from all over Asia. The renovated space is bright, the walls adorned with Chinese paintings. The dining room offers plentiful seating at new tables and booths able to accommodate small and large groups. Diners seeking a more relaxed dining experience can find privacy behind Japanese shoji screens at the back of the restaurant.

Asia Kitchen might be brand new, but owner Michelle Chau and family are seasoned professionals in the Antioch restaurant scene. Her family previously owned another Chinese restaurant on A Street, which they later sold. In November of 2010, the family discovered the vacancy in the Delta Shopping Center and decided to reopen. “We like this location,” said sister Vivian Chau, noting that one of the reasons they chose the Delta Fair location was its ample parking and better foot-traffic location.

The delicious aromas wafting from Asia Kitchen would inspire anyone passing by to stop in. True to its name, Asia Kitchen offers favorites from all over Asia, including Singaporean style noodles, hot and sour Thai fish, clams steamed in Japanese rice wine, and Vietnamese-style barbecue pork chops. According to Vivian, the diversity of Asian dishes reflects the tastes of Asia Kitchen’s patrons. “Our customers, they want more Asian dishes,” she said, noting that the expanded offerings at their previous restaurant were highly successful.

While some of Asia Kitchen’s menu reflects cultures from all over Asia, the core is still Chinese. The restaurant’s cook hails from Hong Kong and boasts more than 15 years of experience in Hong Kong kitchens. The menu features family favorites such as lemon chicken, chop suey and Mongolian beef, along with fare such as clay-pot tofu and deep-fried whole flounder accompanied by the chef’s special sauce. Diners with a sweet tooth should try the Hong Kong style milk tea with optional large tapioca pearls.

Asia Kitchen also offers fresh dim sum, a Cantonese specialty – particularly in Hong Kong – involving a variety of small dishes traditionally shared among diners and served with a cup of tea. “We were the first restaurant in Antioch that offered dim sum,” said Vivian, referring to her old restaurant, which offered dim sum only on weekends. Asia Kitchen now offers it every day. Dim sum offerings at Asia Kitchen include popular Chinese pork dumplings called siu mai and cheong fan, a flat steamed rice roll stuffed with either beef or shrimp.

When asked what she enjoys most about the restaurant business, Vivian answered with a smile, “People enjoying our food!” Quite a few of Asia Kitchen’s patrons remember the Chau family from its previous restaurant, and both sisters are eager to chat with everyone in the dining room.

Asia Kitchen, located at 2730 Delta Fair Blvd. in Antioch (in the Delta Fair Shopping Center next to Dollar Tree), is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. for dine-in, take-out and delivery within three miles. The phone number is 925-706-8388 and the fax number is 925-706-8389.