Bites Nearby: Batik

There are enough restaurants around the area to try a different place each time you go out. But rather than blindly trying any place you pass on your way home, we have a better idea. Each week, North Potomac-Darnestown Patch picks a great restaurant in or nearby North Potomac or Darnestown that is worth checking out. Here's this week's choice.

BATIK: “Our flavor is our own,” says Henry Sy, owner of Batik Asian Cuisine and Dumpling Bar in the Kentlands. And sure enough, he is true to his word.

In addition to House specialties, like Coco Batik Fried Rice (unique blend of coconut and curry) and Curry Laksa (a spicy noodlesoup), you will find familiar Asian fare on the menu including Pad Thai, Chinese Fried Rice, curry specialties and Bulgogi.  The difference is that every recipe has been selected from generations of family favorites and enhanced with a personal, unique Batik flair. 

Batik boasts an impressive and innovative selection of dumplings. The Thai-Way and Main Street dumplings are the most popular, but the Squash-It and Wasabi Blu are a must try. 

“All the recipes have been painstakingly perfected and you just won’t find these flavors anywhere else,” Sy said.  Since it is all about family, he and his wife created the recipes to encourage their children to eat healthier, with vegetables and proteins packed into every bite.

What would Sy like his customers to take away from the Batik experience?

“Most people come in and order what is familiar, but I would challenge them to try something new and unfamiliar,” he said. And by all means, try the dumplings! 

Batik is located at 200 Main St. in the Kentlands. It's open Mon. - Fri., 11:30 a.m.- 2:30 p.m., 5:30 - 9 p.m. and Sat., noon - 9 p.m. Call (301)869-8661 for more information.