Asian fusion restaurant T.O.A. opens in Melville

T.O.A., which takes in Asian cuisines such as Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Thai, Malaysian and Vietnamese, has opened in Melville. This is owner Evan Chen’s fourth installment, joining locations in Huntington, Farmingdale and Sayville.

The menu remains untouched — and extensive. Customers can get their fix on starters like lobster tacos, rock shrimp tempura, dumplings, chicken satay and T.O.A. edamame, tossed in housemade spicy aioli. Large plates range from a Mongolian skillet and Thai red curry casserole to Korean-style baby short ribs and roasted Peking duck; plus poke bowls.

The sweeping section of rolls encompasses the usual suspects, plus signatures like the Melville Roll (cream cheese, eel, avocado, lobster salad, mango and creamy sauce) and the Millionaire Roll, with spicy salmon, spicy yellowtail, avocado, salmon, spicy mayo, eel sauce and crispy onion.

From the sushi bar, which has seating for about a handful of diners, you can expect appetizers like sushi pizza (a crusted tortilla with spicy tuna, avocado, green peppers and onions), white tuna truffle and yellowtail jalapeño, and more sophisticated plates like pan seared tuna with cold soba noodles, a sushi dinner of 10 pieces of sushi, or a sashimi one, featuring 18 pieces of sashimi.

Chen, who hails from China, came to the states 20 years ago at age 16. He started working at his family’s restaurant, MoCa Asian Bistro, which still has locations in Hewlett, Woodbury and Forest Hills. In addition to T.O.A. locations, he went on to open Yaaas Tea in Farmingdale, and soon, Huntington; Potasia Hotpot & Noodle Bar in Hicksville is also owned by Chen.

T.O.A. is at 834 Walt Whitman Rd. in Melville (in the same shopping center as Uncle Giuseppe’s Marketplace, Gregory's Coffee and Lucharitos). Open daily; call ahead for hours. 631-271-6666. toamelville.com