Oriental Cafe is an excellent hidden gem in the downtown area of Willimantic. The building it is in used to be a D'angelos, but as soon as you step inside you would never know it. The ambiance is relaxing and peaceful, the service professional and timely, and the food is absolutely phenomenal. I am always skeptical of sushi bars, but this one exceeded my expectations in freshness, which may be stemmed from the fact that its right next to a fish market, but i don't know for sure.
the half price sushi happy hour is a great deal, everything is half price, and the full menu is good too! I got the shrimp pad thai which was delightfully spicy with a huge side of crumbly peanut butter, though they did leave the tails on the shrimp which was a little messy.
they also have several good vegetarian dishes and rolls.
Wow, these guys are really bringing out their A-game. Their food quality has definitely improved, along with their service. I tried the deluxe sashimi this time around and was seriously impressed. I won't waste words trying to describe the presentation. I'm going to say it more than meets the legal definition of deluxe and leave it at that. The service was also top notch and left us wanting for nothing. If you like Asian food, and want to have a nice dinner out, this is the place to go.
Review Source:What a surprise! A very nondescript location on the busy Willimantic commercial strip, The Oriental Cafe turned out to be a real gem.
We stopped in for lunch on a Saturday afternoon, a bit past the usual lunch hour. Only a few tables were occupied, but the bar was full of what I assume were ECSU students, or other locals. While OC doesn't look like much from outside, the interior is tastefully decorated, and more up-scale than we anticipated.
The service was good, and the menu was kind of mind-boggling. Pages of  "Asian cuisine." Apparently meaning, anything from Thailand to China to Japan. All sorts of great options, with many specials, too.
I tried one of their Special Rolls, a Volcano Roll. Every sushi place has their version, but this was probably the best I've tried. Warm tempura shrimp surrounded by all sorts of good stuff, with a nest of incredibly flavorful crab/daikon radish slaw, and a very nice sauce. The presentation was beautiful, too, on a big rectangular white plate painted with wasabi and ginger sauces (I think). As tasty for the eyes as it was to the palate.
Our other dish was a supposedly spicy Thai chicken and string beans, but it needed some chili oil to kick it up. Unfortunately, we only got a dish of srirachi instead, but it helped. The chicken and the string beans were cooked perfectly. Our starters of egg drop soup and hot n sour soup were very good, but nothing spectacular. I'll have to report back on the actual sushi and sashimi, but the plates we saw going to the other tables looked very good.
It's nice to have some new choices in the Willi. The Oriental Cafe is worth checking out. Surprisingly good!
I can't believe I waited this long to try this place! Â I been driving by daily going back long before they opened!
It's a gem! Â Finally well prepared Asian cuisine! Â Nice interior and atmosphere, friendly owner. Had the best General Tso in years last night, went back for the Maki combo lunch today. Sushi was fresh and beautifully presented.
We've eaten here at least a dozen times since it opened in late spring including some takeout. Â They serve Japanese, Chinese and Thai food. Â There's a sushi bar that overlooks a tastefully decorated dining room and an eight stool bar (full license) separated by a half wall (a nice place to sit with a drink while waiting for takeout). Â The sushi is outstanding, fresh and expertly prepared and presented. Â Seven of us ate together there last night. Â Around the table there was miso soup, miso eggplant, sushi and sashimi combinations, perfectly done tempura, tuna and eel hand rolls and spicy Thai shrimp with basil. Â Seven discerning palates and seven enthusiastic thumbs up. Â One of our table mates has tried their Chinese dishes and had good things to say. Â The Thai dishes we've had as takeout have been great but they do back off on the spicy dishes so if you like it hot you have to be clear and ask for extra spicy. Â The service is friendly and efficient. Â When it comes Asian/Oriental cuisine in the area no one beats this place when it comes to quality, atmosphere and service.
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