Poseidon Asian Cuisine & Sushi Bar
128 Paoli Pike
Paoli, Pennsylvania
(610) 812-3333
Tucked away in a building that has been home to several restaurants – including the long-running Luigi’s, the short-lived Big Easy, and an excellent 
gastropub dubbed the Redhound Grille – Poseidon Asian Cuisine, hopefully, will enjoy a longer and more prosperous tenure than its various predecessors. And, based upon several recent visits, as well as the comments posted on social media, as of this writing, the gastronomic gods – especially the Greek god of the sea – seem to be smiling favorably.
The menu, of course, rounds up the usual suspects… sushi, sashimi & teriyaki; fried rice, noodles, Szechuan stir 
fry & poke bowls. Familiar the culinary constituents may be, but… the ingredients are of impeccable quality, the preparation & presentation first-rate, and the atmosphere – including a beautiful patio for al fresco dining in warmer weather (pictured) – relaxed and inviting. Add personable & knowledgeable service, reasonable prices, and the fact that you may BYOB, and a very pleasant dining experience awaits.
There are, as you may very well suspect, numerous ways to start things off here. My dining partner, for example, is a lover of crab, and she went immediately for the Crab Cheese Wontons, which she highly praised. I, on the other hand, since I consider myself something of a veggie-saurus at heart, felt very much in the mood to give the Tempura Vegetable a try.
Tempura is a dish that consists of vegetables – in this case, carrot, sweet potato, broccoli & mushroom cap – (or 
seafoods) that are battered and deep fried. However, it is the distinctive batter that makes tempura remarkably different from other fried foods. Tempura batter utilizes no breadcrumbs; it is basically made from beaten egg, flour, and cold water. Occasionally, a touch of oil or spices may be added… And here it was as light as a feather.
Tempura is one of the most common Japanese dishes served outside of Japan. And, in the minds of many, along with sushi, it has become synonymous with Japanese cuisine. Interestingly enough, however, tempura’s origins are not Japanese. This method of frying food was introduced in the 1600s by Portuguese missionaries. The original dish is no longer extant, but it was a meal designed for Lent, when many Christian denominations are forbidden to eat meat. In point of fact, the name tempura comes from the Latin ad tempora cuaresme – meaning, “in the time of Lent” – which, evidently the Japanese mistook as the dish’s name and called it tempura. Speculation has it that the original Portuguese dish may have originated in Goa, India, where a similar dish known as pakora is served.
Please pardon the momentary digression… Back to the entrées… My choice for the evening was a rather simple dish, the Eggplant with Chicken. That being said, however, the brown sauce was quite excellent… It was also slightly on the spicy side, which was very much to my liking, as there was just enough heat to invigorate rather than incinerate the palate. The slender slices of chicken were moist and tender, and the eggplant just the proper texture and consistency.
My dining partner went straight for the Sexy Lobster (pictured), a dish she had thoroughly enjoyed during a previous visit. The lobster is steamed, formed 
into a roll and stuffed with lobster salad. It is then topped with steamed shrimp, avocado, red tobiko (flying fish roe), and companioned by spicy mayo and mango sauce. An absolutely fabulous dish that is highly recommended on all counts… And as you can tell from the photograph, it was as pleasing to the eye as it was to the palate.
Asian restaurants aren’t particularly known for their desserts. However, the cheesecake we shared certainly 
deserves mention. Although not made in-house, it was moist, flavorful, and the perfect sweet ending for our evening at table.
I do apologize, however, for the poor quality of the photograph… We visited the restaurant during the latter part of August and were seated outdoors on the patio. As you can tell, darkness had begun to descend.
As noted above, the service here is quite good. In this regard, however, I do have one significant complaint; and I take a moment to dwell upon it here, not because it is endemic to Poseidon, but because it seems to be occurring with the nauseating inevitability of an unloved season (mostly, it is true, in more casual eateries; but occasionally in fine-dining establishments as well – a prominent Michelin-starred restaurant in London, which shall remain nameless, comes immediately to mind).
The scenario goes something like this… You and your dining partner have stepped out for a leisurely dinner. In absolutely no hurry, you’re enjoying your appetizers and some very pleasant conversation. You’re not quite halfway through the starters when… you guessed it… up pops a runner bearing entrées. This is a positive no-no. There is absolutely no way that entrées should be presented at table before appetizers have been cleared.
Unfortunately, this Speedy Gonzales approach to restaurant service has become more and more commonplace of late. And this questionable state-of-affairs 
is certainly not the fault of the kitchen; rather, it occurs because of the inexperience of servers and, ultimately, as a result of poor management. Some restaurateurs seem to be under the mistaken impression that anyone with the appropriate number of appendages is qualified to wait tables… and that, quite simply, is not the case. Occasionally, a bit of instruction is very much in order.
Bon Appétit & Cheers!
TAD
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