Taste of Asia Menu & Prices: Lao, Thai & Asian Fusion (Anza, CA)

Taste of Asia is located at 53071 US Hwy 371, Anza, CA 92539, in the Inland Empire area of Southern California — about an hour southeast of Palm Springs. Hours are daily 10am-8pm (some sources list 11am-8pm on weekdays; call ahead at (951) 763-4228 to confirm). The restaurant is a local fixture in the small Anza community and draws diners from across Riverside County.

Taste of Asia is an Asian fusion restaurant specializing in Lao, Thai, Vietnamese, and Chinese dishes. The menu reflects genuine Southeast Asian cooking — Lao salads (larb, papaya salad), Thai curries and stir-fries, Vietnamese-style pho, and Chinese-influenced fried rice and noodles. The Lao influence is a distinctive element you won't find at most generic 'Asian fusion' restaurants.

Taste of Asia uses a protein-tier pricing system for most noodle dishes, fried rice, soups, and curries: Vegetarian/Tofu $15.99, Chicken/Pork $16.99, Beef $17.99, Shrimp $18.99, Seafood Combo $19.99. Appetizers run $9.50-$15.50, and signature specialties like Crying Tiger and whole fish dishes are priced individually ($21.99-$24.99).

Crying Tiger (also called Tiger Cry) is a Lao-Thai grilled beef dish priced at $24.99 at Taste of Asia. Marinated beef is grilled and sliced, then served with a dipping sauce made from toasted rice powder, fish sauce, lime juice, and dried chili. The name refers to the story that the dish is so delicious it makes a tiger cry. It is one of the restaurant's most distinctive menu items and a staple of traditional Lao and Isaan Thai cooking.

Yes. Larb (also spelled laab) is a Lao national dish and a signature item at Taste of Asia. It is a warm minced-meat salad mixed with toasted rice powder, fresh mint, cilantro, shallots, dried chili, lime juice, and fish sauce. Taste of Asia offers Chicken Larb ($16.99), Pork Larb ($16.99), and Beef Larb ($17.99). It is typically eaten with sticky rice. Larb is listed under Salads on the menu but is more of a warm protein dish.

Yes. Most noodle dishes, fried rice, curries, and soups can be ordered with tofu or vegetarian at $15.99. Dedicated vegetarian appetizers include Cream Cheese Wontons ($9.50) and Fried Tofu ($9.50). Vegan-friendly options include Fried Tofu, Papaya Salad (request no fish sauce), Sticky Rice with Mango ($11.99), and sides of Sticky Rice ($4.50) or Jasmine Rice ($4.00). Spicy Eggplant with tofu and Broccoli with Oyster Sauce are also vegetarian-friendly entrees at $15.99. Note that many dishes contain fish sauce by default — if you have strict dietary requirements, ask the kitchen to confirm substitutions.

The cheapest items on the menu are Bottled Water at $2.00 and Soft Drinks at $2.50. Among food items, Steamed Jasmine Rice is $4.00 and Sticky Rice is $4.50 as sides. For appetizers, Cream Cheese Wontons ($9.50) and Fried Tofu ($9.50) are the lowest-priced starters. For a full entree, the cheapest option is any tofu/vegetarian noodle, fried rice, curry, or soup dish at $15.99.

Both are Thai noodle dishes but with distinct flavor profiles. Pad Thai ($15.99-$19.99) uses rice noodles in a sweet-savory tamarind sauce with egg, bean sprouts, and peanuts — it is mild and slightly sweet. Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao) ($15.99-$19.99) use wide flat rice noodles in a spicier chili-oyster sauce with bell pepper, carrots, onion, and fresh Thai basil — it is bolder, spicier, and more aromatic. If you prefer mild, go Pad Thai; if you like heat and basil, Drunken Noodles are the pick.

Yes — Taste of Asia is notably strong on whole-fish preparations. The menu features Basil Tilapia at $21.99 and Basil Pompano at $23.99. The pompano especially is a house specialty: the fish is fried whole and topped with a fresh Thai basil, garlic, and chili sauce. Pompano is a rich, fatty fish common in Thai and Lao cooking and less commonly seen on American Asian-fusion menus. These dishes are among the higher-priced items but represent the kitchen's strength.