Restaurants in Newton

Classic Chinese food favorites populate the menu at Chosen Wok, which takes pride in its practice of cooking each dish fresh to order. Chefs prepare entrees in open view, doing their work in front of their customers like actors in a play or lawyers reading 600 pages of case law in front of their eventually sleeping clients. They slice and heat savory morsels of kung pao shrimp, sesame chicken, szechuan beef, and hot braised pork in special brown sauce. Warm yellow hues pervade the dining room, which is home to egg rolls and cooling glasses of milk tea.

A wave of flavor washes over visitors to Tsunami Teriyaki, who can dig into charbroiled teriyaki, chicken wings, and Thai and Vietnamese dishes. Spring rolls stuffed with chicken and vegetables and garnished with a ginger-lime sauce can start off meals, or diners can sample salad rolls made with carrots, bean sprouts, and peanut sauce. The hearty selection of noodles ranges from pad thai, “Thailand’s official rice noodle,” to vermicelli, Vietnam’s “light and healthy rice noodle.” The luscious noodles arrive mixed with cilantro, toasted peanuts, lemongrass, bean sprouts, and proteins such as tofu, chicken, or steak. The house Tsunami Specials platters include chicken or tofu mixed with string beans, Thai herbs, or a crushed peppercorn sauce. Thai iced tea and Vietnamese iced coffee wash down spices, and boba drinks of avocado, mango, and sour-green-apple flavors provide refreshing sips that may come with pearls of tapioca freshly stolen from the elusive tapioca oyster.

Boasting 29-inch pies, two types of crust (New York thin and Chicago pan), and a long list of delicious toppings, Air Capital Pizza seduces slice snobs and encourages creative connoisseurs to dig into food circles prepared just to their liking. If your epicurean decision-making skills were exhausted on selecting the next flavor from a roll of Now and Laters, opt for a preconceived specialty pie such as the cheeseburger pizza ($19.35 for a 16-inch), which tops fresh-made dough with beef, onions, sliced pickles, mustard, and cheddar cheese. Closed-face fiends, meanwhile, can cultivate their inward grins with 6-inch classic sandwiches such as the protein-packed Italian sub and hearty meatball sub ($4.95 each), or a custom cheese calzone ($5.95 with your choice of one topping). Round out your repast with a tray of 10 wings ($5.49), or keep your belly balanced by adding a fresh-tossed house salad ($3.79) and 24-ounce fountain drink ($1.39) to your order.

The scents of lemongrass, garlic, chili peppers, and other spices waft from the kitchen at Sit @ Thai Bistro, where chefs prepare traditional and modern Thai dishes. As guests sip sweet glasses of Thai iced tea in the dimly lit, warm-colored dining room, classic panang curry simmers with meat or tofu and assorted veggies in spiced coconut milk, and tender pork ribs marinate in lemongrass and spices before dipping into a special barbecue sauce. The kitchen also riffs on tom-yum soup with a fried-rice interpretation, and whips up entrees such as the Dancing Shrimp with pineapple, bell peppers, onions, and chili-lime sauce, which is sautéed to the beat of a waltz.

Every day, Kababs owner and chef Syed Jillani fills the dining room with the aroma of fresh herbs and spices. Ginger, garlic, turmeric, and curry swirl in the air like an all-scent production of Cirque du Soleil while Syed applies more than 25 years of experience to preparing classic Indian and Pakistani dishes such as tandoori chicken, samosas, and, of course, kababs. These specialties arrive individually with à la carte service or sit in buffet displays during lunch.

Olives, tahini, feta cheese, and herbs accent Mediterranean Grill's recipes, lending their signature flavors to schawarmas, hummus, and fattoush salad. In addition to lamb shanks, seasoned roasted chicken, and other classic Mediterranean meats, the kitchen whips up pastas and grains that include a four-cheese penne rigate and vegetable curry served over a bed of rice. More than 20 wines from around the world color-coordinate with each dish, and Turkish coffee paired with desserts such as baklava top off each meal.