Creasian Fusion Is A Hit In Elk Grove!
Owner
CreAsian. What a fabulous word that perfectly encapsulates what CreAsian Fusion serves! I walk in and am quickly greeted and seated. The host walks up, provides me with a menu, and as usual, I make small talk to find out that he, Tuan Le, is the owner. Le shares that this is his third location and he loves food as well as the idea of sharing his passion for cooking with others. He has two other restaurants in Redwood City, but due to the increasing cost of living, he decided to move back here to open the restaurant.
Menu
CreAsian’s menu is colorful and boasts some of the most traditional items you can find at a Vietnamese restaurant. Items include Pho, a tantalizing variety of Vermicelli Bowls as well as Grilled Plates. Other choices included Lemongrass with one’s choice of meat, Shaking Beef, Clay Pot Rice, and Tamarind Shrimp. Of course, coming here, I 100% had every intention to try their Pho. Looking over their Pho options, I am overly pleased with two unique ones. These were the Grilled Beef Ribeye Pho as well as their Pho Combo with Oxtail. While I decide on which bowl of Pho to order, I look over the rest of the menu. I know I need to try a Vermicelli bowl as well as the dressing for the sauce. Then, as I flipped the menu over to study it, one item stood out to me. I would order this item, for sure.
Other menu items include their shakes with exotic flavors like Soursop and Durian or the more traditional flavors like Strawberry or Coconut. Even better, you can add Tapioca Pearls to any smoothie to turn it into a boba! Additionally, CreAsian Fusion has a variety of appetizers that can serve as a meal or you can share if you wish, with friends. Their Tamarind Wings and Beef Carpaccio sounds amazing and is on my very long list of items I need to try next time I am in! I should note: Do not be fooled by their seemingly carnivorous options. They also have vegan and vegetarian dishes as well like Vegetarian Pho and Chinese Broccoli in Garlic Sauce.
Food
After staring at the menu and reading over the descriptions carefully, I decided on 4 items: a Taro shake with Tapioca Pearls, the Pho Combo with Oxtail, the Shrimp Vermicelli Bowl, and the CreAsian Style Noodles. I am eager, hungry, and try to wait patiently for all of the food to arrive.
The shake is first, and I take a long sip of it, savoring the sweet, nutty-like flavor of it all. If you’re new to taro, my only advice would be to dive right in. It is similar to a sweet potato, but better and more flavorful in so many ways! The boba married with the taro flavor is perfect for a hot day like today!
Up next, the owner brings over our Shrimp Vermicelli Bowl. I taste the dressing, and could probably pour it over anything and everything I eat. It’s sweet, salty, and the slightest hint of lime reminds me of my time in Laos years ago when I traveled through the Vientiane food market with my mother. I taste the perfectly fried, golden egg rolls, and savor the taste, dipping my next bite lightly into the dressing. Ah, I can eat 10 of these and always want more! I eventually pour the whole serving of dressing over my bowl and stir gently, make sure every strand of noodle and piece of shrimp bathes in it.
I enjoy every bite of this and only stop once our owner brings out the CreAsian Style Noodles. The smell of fried garlic and whatever ingredients those noodles are made of has my stomach rumbling despite just devouring the vermicelli. I dig into the CreAsian noodles and oh, my. This was probably the most delectable fried noodle dish I have had in years. I am not even sure I want to eat anything else, even the Pho which is then brought out.
I grew up enjoying oxtail, as pricey as it is. So, when I saw it on the menu, I leaned towards it. When you cook it properly, the meat tastes like beef but is silkier, richer, and so very tender. The broth from oxtail Pho is so incredibly delicious, I only add chili oil and lime juice to season it to my liking. The oxtail meat holds together well, but slides off the bone easily, allowing me to fill my mouth up with a bite of it, slow-cooked and ready to be eaten up.
Overall
The atmosphere of CreAsian Fusion is casual, bright, and colorful. It is clean and tidy with attentive staff. The food is absolutely a dream, and the location could not be any easier: right off 99, and close to shops. I would highly recommend this fusion restaurant, especially their CreAsian Style Noodles! Oh! And they allow diners to bring in a bottle of wine to accompany their meal.
CreAsian Fusion
9163 E Stockton Blvd Ste 300, Elk Grove, CA 95624
