Cox: Formosa Bistro

Koni at Formosa Bistro in Sebastopol. (Jeff Kan Lee/ The Press Democrat)

Sebastopol has nine Asian restaurants by my count — Chinese, Japanese, Himalayan and Southeast Asian — ranging from the venerable King Hwa, which has been there for 30 years, to the brand new Eight.

Another relative newcomer, and a pleasant addition to the scene, is Formosa Bistro. From its name, you might guess the cuisine would be Chinese, specifically the cooking of Taiwan, the island that once was called Formosa and is located across 100 miles of open ocean east of China’s mainland. But no, it’s mostly Japanese with some nods to China and Southeast Asia.

The pan-Asiatic approach is a good one, though, because it allows the diner to sample the foods of the Far East without leaving his or her chair. The Asian insistence on using only the freshest possible ingredients means the recipes are full of flavor. And what you don’t get at Formosa is important, too: None of the flavor enhancer monosodium glutamate is used. The chicken is hormone- and steroid-free. The sashimi is sweet, with nothing fishy about it. The quality is there.

The beverage list is weighted toward sake, with five kinds served in small vessels that overflow into lacquered boxes, a symbol of abundance in Japanese restaurants. These range from $8.95 to $17.95 per serving. Three are available in mini-bottles, from the very sweet Rokkasen Rose at $11.50 for 180 ml to dry Aladdin at $13.95 for 300 ml. Four wines and five Japanese beers are available. If you bring a bottle of wine, corkage is $9.

Gyoza

Dinner started with six pieces of excellent Gyoza ($5.50 ***), Japanese-style, pan-fried, pork dumplings similar to Chinese pot stickers. Each was tender and juicy, enlivened by a rich, brown, spicy dipping sauce. A second appetizer, Crispy Spring Rolls ($3.95 **), was something of a mystery. The menu claims they are fresh vegetables wrapped in papery flour skins and deep fried, but their interiors included pasty noodles. They were bland and a little oily, but were brightened considerably by a sweet, tart, citrus dipping sauce.