Big Bowl Noodles and Rice: Fresh Asian Cooking from the Renowned Restaurant

I got hooked on the Big Bowl as a restaurant originally. Now that I have the book, I use it more than any other. Everything so far is good. I now make the best asian food I know how to find anywhere.Recipies are sometimes a bit unclear. But the tastes are so good I couldn't live without this book.

While the Bay Area has an abundance of Asian restaurants few compare to Big Bowl in the Mid-West. The books aesthetics are very pleasing and the format is easy to follow. The special ingredients section was very informative in explaining the origins and use, as well as pointing out which recipes call for them. What makes this book such a great reference is the emphasis on using quality ingredients and the cooking techniques are well described and easy to understand. In addition, I also enjoyed the array of traditional and modern adaptations of the recipes and look forward to using this book more. I highly recommend the satay, the freshly prepared peanut sauce is a winner. We only wish Mr. Cost never left San Francisco.

Having grown up near Chicago eating great food all my life, it wasn't until I had moved away that the first Big Bowl opened its doors. Luckily a friend and school mate of mine who works at the restaurant, invited me in on a return visit. WOW!! The only word I could think of at the time to describe the food. If you live anywhere near a Big Bowl, go! If you are like me in Denver, well outside of their delivery area, do the next best thing, buy this book and make it yourself!