Jasmine Restaurant, Wilmington

Jasmine Restaurant’s chefs cull culinary influences from different corners of Asia: the menu catalogs Japanese, Thai, and Vietnamese recipes. From the Japanese portion of the menu they prepare sushi and sashimi, crafting specialty rolls such as the Jasmine stuffed with lobster claw, avocado, cucumber, and spicy mayo. They even add a little Latin flair by preparing the Samba roll with salmon, jalapeños, and mozzarella cheese. Along with the sushi, the kitchen team plates korean barbecue short ribs, pad thai, and charbroiled lemongrass chicken to round out the Asian fusion menu. Soothing music accompanies the soft clink of forks and knives as they slice into wok-cooked filet-mignon entrees in the recently renovated modern and chic dining area. There, wooden tables sit beneath hanging lights, and beaded curtains offer a jangly threshold to another dining area, a lounge, or a parallel universe in which Japanese food is all hamburgers.