Walk the wok
We can’t satay no to delicious 88 Grains cuisine
By Sabine Wilson
For the TODAY
Walking into 88 Grains Asian Fusion Bar should come with a warning: you might find the flavors addictive.
Owner Ann Trakulsomboon created a base menu with the flavors she experienced growing up in Thailand, then added flavors from Japan, Korea and more.
“Ever since I was young, my mom loved to take me out to eat,” she said. “I’ve had all different varieties of foods and this helped develop my palate for knowing what tasted good.”
At the lovely live-edge bar in the lounge, you can enjoy hot or cold sake or one of the beers imported from Japan or Thailand. Included on the sake menu are two flavors from one of Oregon’s hidden gems, SakeOne in Forest Grove. Packaged in their distinctive cobalt blue bottles, the Moonstone label includes Coconut Lemongrass Nigori and Asian Pear flavors that are perfect pairings with the 88 Grains menu.
Though the beer and cold sake are available to-go, while dining in you can enjoy a selection from a creative cocktail menu including a Pomegranate Margarita, White Peach Sangria or the Dragontini, made with Dragon Berry Rum and Amaretto.
And, while waiting for your to-go order or simply taking a break in your day, you can relax and enjoy the video lottery lounge, which features four brand-new machines.
Trakulsomboon owned her first Thai restaurant in Southern California for six and a half years, which enabled her to hone her craft.
“I observed the chefs and eventually gained a mentor and teacher who taught me how the food should be presented and how it should taste,” she said.
Now open a little longer than a year, 88 Grains has a menu with a full selection of original, mouth-watering recipes.
Using all fresh ingredients and making all of the sauces from scratch, she still takes time to add detailed final touches to every dish.
Her honey garlic wings from the starter menu are presented on a bed of cabbage and topped with fresh cilantro for an extra kick. The wings have a crispy exterior but once you take a bite, the soft interior exudes the sweet and savory flavor that Asian cuisine tends to get so right.
For something lighter but still filling, try the beautifully colorful 88 Grains Salmon Salad. On a bed of fresh and crunchy romaine, firm tomatoes, crisp cucumbers and shredded carrots is a beautifully grilled salmon finished with the drizzled house-made soy vinaigrette.
As for her favorite menu item, she enjoys the Spicy Salmon Fried Rice.
“I could eat this every day,” she said. “I cook it at home all the time.”
But her favorite to make for others is the spicy rib-eye salad.
“It’s not easy to make,” she said. “I grill the beef, prepare the salad, mix it all with several spices and flavors and then garnish it. I feel proud to present that one to customers because it feels like I’m presenting an art piece.”
The menu also has hibachi grills with a variety of options: rib-eye steak, a choice of seafoods including salmon, scallops, calamari and shrimp or, mix and match the seafoods and even choose rib-eye mixed with the seafood of your choice.
The special lunch menu has quick and affordable options like teriyaki chicken or the Buddha’s Garden, a mix of stir fried vegetables, all on jasmine rice, noodles or fried rice.
Even the name 88 Grains is thoughtfully inspired. The number eight is traditionally a lucky number that also stands for infinity in many Asian cultures.
“It means never-ending and is thought to bring luck and prosperity,” Trakulsomboon said. “And then for grains, that is meant to represent the many dishes I present with grains of rice.”
Visit 88 Grains and take your tastebuds on a divine, delectable tour you didn’t know you needed.
88 Grains is located in the Taft District of Lincoln City at 4660 SW Hwy. 101. Seasonal hours are noon to 7 pm on Sunday through Wednesday, 4 to 9 pm on Friday and noon to 9 pm on Saturday. For more information and for online ordering, go to 88grainsasianbar.com or call 541-418-5361.