Fodor's Expert Review The Union

At this casually cool restaurant and lounge whose tagline could be "Asia's greatest hits," the sharing plates and fun cocktails have elements from Japan to India and everywhere in between. Start with a Banga, a cocktail in a jar, then choose Thai papaya salad, a Vietnamese banh mi (sandwich), or Indonesian nasi goreng (fried rice). Banga #2 blends tequila, mandarin, lime, agave syrup, and galangal, while #3 is a mix of bourbon, mirin, mint, calamansi, and ginger beer. Nonalcoholic drinks with flavors like coconut, ginger, and Thai basil are also delightful. More great food choices include sweet and spicy chicken wings, Cha Ca Hanoi (Pacific cod, rice vermicelli, and greens in a turmeric-herb-coconut milk broth), and spicy sambal green beans.