Satiably Pan-Asian

When you take a stroll on Baily Road - by New Baily Road street to be exact - which is laden with arguably 747 restaurants, it's quite unusual for your eyes to land on a restaurant serving Pan-Asian cuisine. 

However, amidst your KFCs, Cheezs, Madchefs and other fast food restaurants, if you do end up craving oriental flavours, look no further than Satiate to quench your Pan Asian cravings. A new up-and-coming restaurant, Satiate opened its doors on 16 June 2023.

Photo: Collected

Not dissing on the location but upon entering Satiate after walking up three flights of narrow stairs, I was greeted by a fascinating decor that is few and far between when it comes to most other restaurants on Baily Road. However, you could say that the decor might remind diners of a certain other Pan-Asian restaurant in the city which is also making a name for itself.

At Satiate, I had planned to sample four dishes: an appetiser, an entrée, and two complementary options. However, a pleasant surprise awaited me as an unplanned item stole the spotlight. Yet, this doesn't discount the excellence of the other items.

One often overlooked aspect in restaurant reviews is 'waiting time'. At Satiate, they impressively served my appetiser within 15 minutes, with the subsequent courses following suit in 20 minutes. They even welcomed me with a hot beverage, although the ginger tea was piping hot, it should have been lukewarm instead.

Wonton in Chilli Oil 

Photo: Courtesy

Originating from Chengdu, China, this dish is recognised for its fiery and savoury qualities. Sichuan peppercorns are a distinctive component of wonton in chilli oil. It is renowned for its flavour, which is umami-rich, savoury, and spicy.

The appetiser came in five pieces. The chilli oil was not too greasy, nor too overpowering. The minced chicken with a few herbs blended well with the entire flavour. The only takeaway would be that the dish was a bit under-salted. But hey, to each their own, right?

Rating: 7.5/10
Price: TK386

Seafood Fried Rice

Photo: Courtesy

No dining experience is going to feel complete unless the entre, the main dish, tastes how it's supposed to. There is not much to dwell on when it comes to fried rice because it is as basic as it gets when it comes to Chinese or Asian cuisines.

To put it simply, the fried rice at Satiate felt homely and that's the highest compliment I can pay when it comes to dishes involving fried rice. It felt comforting. Probably rain drizzling outside my window seat had something to do with this, but the Seafood Fried Rice is something you won't regret ordering at Satiate.

While calamari and shrimp are common seafood choices for fried rice, they are often accompanied by other ingredients to enhance the overall taste and texture of the dish. Calamari can have a slightly chewy and tender texture, while shrimp can be succulent and slightly sweet. This combination of textures and flavours can create a delicious and appealing fried rice dish. However, I would have preferred the Seafood Fried Rice with a few more choices of protein other than the shrimp and calamari it was served with.

Rating: 8.5/10

Price: TK278 

Sriracha Chicken Mushroom

Photo: Courtesy

I never want my 'spicy' food to leave too strong of a spicy aftertaste on my tongue and for that very reason, I found the Sriracha Chicken Mushroom very pleasant. Their Sriracha sauce recipe is homemade and customised for the customer's taste preferences and spice tolerance. 

The most cliche adjectives when it comes to the doneness of a chicken are 'tender' and 'succulent.' Hate to say it, but the chicken was tender and laden with sriracha sauce, it tasted succulent. The shiitake mushrooms alongside the sticky rice, and the sour and spicy sauce complemented the chicken thigh cubes. Satiate collects their shiitake mushrooms from China and Japan.

Rating: 8.5/ 10
Price: TK422

Sapo Beef

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Of all the dishes we ordered, the one that held the restaurant back by a few points was this Japanese hot pot dish with thinly sliced beef and shiitake mushrooms in the 'Sapo' sauce made from a combination of vegetables and tofu.

To begin, the dish looked quite underwhelming. The gravy was a bit disproportionate to the amount of meat as it was a bit too runny for my liking. I was not the biggest fan of the overpowering ginger aftertaste the dish left in my mouth.

Rating: 6/10
Price: TK558
 

Blueberry Lemonade

Photo: Courtesy

I must end the review with the best item I tasted on the day, which was surprisingly a drink I had no intention of ordering in the first place but I got lured in by its photo on the menu.

The owners of Satiate came up with the idea of serving drinks in Custom Pet bottles as this is very popular in other countries. The drink, basic lemonade mixed with blueberry syrup, had no secret recipe, but it simply tasted excellent and refreshing. Moreover, the drink was served in a custom-made can- something unique that I hadn't come across in Dhaka restaurants before.

Rating: 8.5/10
Price: TK26