Sky Asian Fusion - Ocala - A Local Review

Last Thursday, while I'm sitting at Starbucks doing a little writing, a text message from my wife came through which simply said "We're Going to SKY this weekend for dinner, my treat." Now, I'm certainly not one to argue with that statement, but it left me a bit confused as to how I should feel. Should I be excited for the meal? Or should I feel relieved that for once I could avoid the weekly hour long back and forth of "Where do you want to eat?" Diplomacy warrants that I not answer which of these won out, but in any case, I wasted no time in making us reservations at SKY Asian Fusion.

The bar at Sky

Located on the top floor of the new Holiday Inn & Suites, SKY was one of the first in a wave of upper-mid tier restaurants which have come on Ocala's scene in the last few years. Now, I can hear the voice inside you're head saying "Boy, Deej is really reaching for content. He's writing about dinner at the Holiday Inn?" The short answer is yes, but this isn't a run down sports bar with a pool table that's missing a 9 ball. There is little about SKY, or the hotel itself for that matter, which fits into the typical image of "Dinner at the Holiday Inn."

The dining room.

This was about our fifth visit to SKY, and our first since a fairly abrupt change in ownership over a year ago. With the new ownership came many new items on the menu, so we decided to sample a few different entrees to experience its full range. First up was the Orange Shrimp, which was a hold over from the previous menu, but one I'm glad they kept. If you're a fan of the "Bang Bang Shrimp" at Bonefish, then this is certainly the dish for you, as it bears a close resemblance. The shrimp were a nice size, and the orange sauce carried a fair amount of heat, but was far from overpowering.

Orange Shrimp

The next plate out was the Kung Pao Chicken, which naturally brought about a boyish giggle from me. If you're a devoted Seinfeld fan, then you no doubt remember George Costanza sweating profusely when accused of stealing equipment from the Yankees, not because he did it, but because he'd just eaten Kung Pao Chicken. Well, after eating the version at SKY, I showed no resemblance to Costanza, because it seemed they'd forgotten the "Pow." The dish was very bland, and lacked the heat which an authentic version would require. It was enjoyable, but without the spice, it's simply Kung Chicken.

Kung Pao Chicken

Our final dish of the evening was the Korean Red Chili Beef, and here SKY found some redemption following the Kung Pao. The beef was tender and perfectly cooked, but like the Kung Pao lacked a level of spice I would have liked. That said, however, it was my favorite dish of the evening, and our leftovers made an awesome lunch at work the next day, not to mention it seemed to be more spicy after a night in the fridge.

Korean Red Chili Beef

As with our previous visits, we had a nice experience at SKY, and will be back soon. While some dishes may lack a bit of authenticity in terms of spiciness, I understand them toning things down to appeal to a broader audience. Perhaps they could institute the option on some dishes to increase the heat, for those of us who want to connect with our inner George Costanza. Otherwise, SKY delivers a consistently great experience, and throws out the stereotype of "Dinner at the Holiday Inn."

Enjoy Your Stay

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