Xia's Asian Tapas

Located at 134 North Spruce Street in Downtown Winston-Salem, Xia’s Asian Tapas offers Asian fusion cuisine for lunch (11-3) and dinner (5-9:30) every day except Sunday. Patio seating, a beer and wine menu, and online ordering are available.

The owners of What Da Pho opened Xia’s about a year ago, and so far, it’s demonstrated staying power. It’s a handsome space inside and out. As expected given its origins, Xia’s menu skews Vietnamese (pho, banh mi, fresh rolls, and lettuce wraps), but there are Chinese influences as well. That menu isn’t terribly large, but it does offer a good deal of versatility, including vegetarian options.

My wife and I went with steamed dumplings followed by short ribs and garlic green beans with beef and rice. The flavors were excellent across the board. The green beans were sharply garlicky without overwhelming the palate while the ribs offered lemongrass notes and a hint of sweetness. The dumplings will make it hard to go back to the frozen version any time soon.

Service was friendly and generally attentive. Our group of four ended up receiving dishes at different times, a possible product of the “small plates” concept blurring the distinction between courses. Speaking of which, expect small portions, especially for the near-entree prices paid. Nothing was outrageous, but a “come hungry and fill up” joint this is not.

If you can look past that limitation, Xia’s Asian Tapas offers tasty food in an attractive location. Provided you aren’t famished, it’s worth checking out.