Asian flavors blended at Palagor

  Like Chinese food? Thai? Malaysian? Indian? Get the best of them all, blended into new dishes created by longtime chef Kenny Chuah with the opening of a new restaurant in town.

  Chuah and partner Alex Aw, who have been gathering a following for their food since opening Highway 95 Cafe in 2003, have now expanded their efforts to Palagor Highway 95 Asian Fusion.

  Located in the building formerly occupied by Gene's Restaurant at 771 S. 4th Ave., Palagor opened its doors New Year's Day to offer Yumans a new concept in Asian food.

  "It's authentic Asian cuisine with a modern presentation," explained Aw
as he took a break from the kitchen.

  The concept is popular on the East Coast, said Chuah, who honed his cooking skills in exclusive restaurants in Singapore and New York before coming to Yuma in 1985 to help a friend. That included seven years as head chef at a five-star Singapore restaurant and nearly 18 years' experience at the renowned Penang Restaurants in Boston and New York City.

  "I've been cooking for 25 years," going back to when he was a teenager in Malaysia, Chuah said, adding with a grin: "The wok is my wife. I'm always in the kitchen."

  Aw, too, has spent many years in the kitchen, learning at the side of his father, who had a restaurant in another part of Malaysia.

  Also contributing his cooking skills and years of experience in Las Vegas and Los Angeles is chef Sheng Zhang - nicknamed "BBQ Sheng" for his expertise with barbecue dishes and Peking duck.

  Before finalizing their own menu, the entrepreneurs visited Chinatowns in Manhattan, Flushing and New Jersey. They hit dozens of restaurants, sampled more than 120 dishes and compared notes with fellow chefs before devising variations of standard favorite dishes.

  They were looking for more than tasty dishes with tempting names, though. They also wanted to offer their customers healthier choices.

  "I wanted them to be healthy ... good for the body," explained Chuah.

  That means most foods are stir fried instead of deep fried, other seasonings replace sodium and the menu offers an array of salads and entrees with lots of vegetables.

  One thing diners can be assured of, Aw said, is that their meals are cooked as they're ordered. "This isn't fast food or a buffet line."

  As he spoke, a group of diners left with smiles and promised to be back.

  Palagor - the name comes from a Thai village Chuah visited - is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and noon to 8 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

  Lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. features the favorite fusion dishes for $7.50. Catering is also available. For more information, call 782-2607 or 782-2608.

  Before opening, the restaurant was given a face lift with fresh paint and new decor and furnishings.

  With the opening of Palagor, the entrepreneurs now have three local restaurants. They are continuing to operate Highway 95 Cafe at 2585 E. 16th St. In addition, in December they opened a restaurant in Wellton at the request of customers in the eastern part of the county. Asian Bowl 95 Cafe, 28541 Los Angeles Ave., can be reached at 785-4669.

  Each restaurant offers a slightly different menu, Aw said. While Palagor offers fine dining with its exclusive fusion dishes, Highway 95 Cafe will continue to feature Asian Thai food. The Wellton restaurant offers rice bowls and some of the dishes served at Highway 95 Cafe.

  Aw said he believes one secret to their success is the oversight he and Chuah provide on a daily basis. Another is that "we have no bosses, only partners."

  One of those other partners is David Wong, who grew up with Aw in Malaysia. He also has years of experience in the restaurant business on the East Coast, starting as a waiter, and now has the title of "captain" for Highway 95 Cafe while lending a management hand at Palagor.

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Joyce Lobeck can be reached at jlobeck@yumasun.com or 539-6853.