Okay, I'll come clean: I was actually in town to do a little antiquing, hoping to expand my vast collection of vintage erotica. But after scouring Fullerton's many curio shops, I found no bawdy pics to purchase. To avenge my disappointment, I resolved to treat myself to an Asian-fusion feast at Ziing's, where I'd been meaning to stop since its July inception.
Ziing's owners consulted a feng shui master during the design, and the results seem to vindicate their expenditure. The restaurant is long, sleek and stylish, with the reception desk between the main dining room on the street side and the bar-dining area facing the parking lot. Ziing's has no front or back, but rather opens out organically in both directions allowing patrons to enter from either side. A floor of expensive Brazilian purple heart wood extends beyond the main dining room into the spacious bar-dining area.
Booths and tables are to one side; to the other, a gorgeous black bar that can seat up to 18 persons. Behind this sits an immense, pistachio-green liquor shelf resembling a Buddhist temple. I took a booth opposite the bar where I could spy on the hip, young crowd in attendance. Little touches caught my eye: on each table sat tin candle holders with Chinese characters cut into them; a television in the corner played classic Japanese monster flicks with Godzilla battling Mothra, and so on.
But it takes a better man than moi to imbibe one of these and keep down a Chinese meal! I would have adored a glass of plum wine, which I've always found a perfect match for most Asian cuisine, but there was none on their list, an oversight I suggest they remedy posthaste. My other quibble has to do with the selection of sakes, which could be improved by replacing Hakusan with another brand. Hakusan is an American sake and not very good, so offering it as one of the two sakes on your list is akin to serving Boone's Farm by the glass.
I opted for a couple of bottles of Tsing Tao beer instead. Some compare Ziing's to the more corporate P. The former is the child of Peter Petro, a formally trained chef of exceptional skill.
