Let a robot cook your meal at a new Asian eatery opening in Fairview Heights
A new restaurant that’s been in the works since last fall is close to opening in Fairview Heights.
Located at 51 Lincoln Highway, Tasty Bowl Stirfry & Sushi will, as the name implies, specialize in Asian cuisine. I’m thrilled about this because one, Asian food is awesome, and two, well, I’m half-Asian.
Owner Sean Lin, who was kind enough to allow me to visit him at the restaurant, said the plan is to open Tasty Bowl later this month.
With construction still in progress, the space wasn’t camera ready at the time of my visit. Hopefully my descriptions will help give an idea of what to expect when the restaurant opens.
Setting the mood
I was last at the location about four years ago when it operated as Signature Tap House. I recall the lounge and bar area on the west side of the building and the dining area on the east side, separated by half walls and other structural dividers.
The space is still divided similarly with significant changes.
The previous horseshoe-shaped bar was replaced with a new sushi and serving bar and dining area. The space that included the old bar was split with a new wall to separate the sushi bar from the area where the bowls will be made.
The east side of the restaurant will include more seating for guests. Aside from changes to the bar area and the addition of some Asian architectural elements and décor, the interior is mostly unchanged.
Lin said he liked the look of the pre-existing wood paneling on the walls, which are still in great shape. New flooring was necessary since they removed half walls and added other structural elements.
The sushi bar side offers plenty of seating, both along the bar and at tables and booths. All of the furnishings were custom-made and made to last, according to Lin. The upholstery is black and made from synthetic material patterned to look like crocodile skin.
I was relieved but not surprised to learn that it was faux leather. Lin said that real croc leather would’ve cost a fortune.
The setting has a lot of Asian — specifically Japanese — elements to help set a mood that will complement the menu for a great dining experience.
The wall at the back of the sushi bar side has a piece of artwork that I couldn’t take my eyes off. The colors are striking and make the piece stand out in the space that has a mostly neutral color palette. The endcap of the wall that separates the sushi bar from the other side of the restaurant features a large fish tank that will be fun to see once its inhabitants move in.
New tech takes restaurants to the next level
The area behind the sushi bar where the bowls are made will include a four-section food bar consisting of proteins, veggies, grains and sauces where customers can select their own ingredients. The only prior hands-on contact with the ingredients is in the prep work by kitchen staff.
Once the customer selects all of their desired bowl ingredients, they will take it to the counter where it will be cooked.
By robots.
Yes, you read that right. Robots. And it’s so cool!
A line of computerized robotic cooking stations – let’s call them “robot chefs” – will cook each individual bowl.
A robot chef can weigh the contents of a bowl and know how long to cook it. In cases where one may get excited about the sauces and add too much (been there, done that), each station has its own dispenser that can add cornstarch to thicken the dish as needed.
A big advantage for customers is that it cuts down on potential cross contamination. Folks with food allergies or intolerances don’t have to worry about not-so-friendly food elements getting onto their plate.
And I love that it means this vegan won’t have to worry about those random meaty bits finding their way into my grindage.
Each robot chef is also self-cleaning. Part of the automated process includes washing the stir-fry tumblers after each bowl is made.
Again, pretty cool.
The use of these robot chefs helps reduce the need of chefs or cooks, which Tasty Bowl will already have for the sushi bar and kitchen.
“This is our main concern,” said Lin, regarding how difficult it can be to fill such positions.
According to him, the AI that operates these systems helps give restaurant owners a solution for finding good chefs.
A taste of what’s to come
Aside from being able to make your own bowls, I’m sure you’re wondering what else will be available at Tasty Bowl.
The menus are ready, but Lin said he’s not yet ready to share the specific culinary delights and libations that will be available. I did get a quick peek, and he allowed me to take note of the menu’s headings, which include:
Soups;
Salads;
Kitchen appetizers;
Sushi bar appetizers;
Sushi and sashimi entrées;
Nigiri and sashimi a la carte;
Ramen;
Regular rolls and hand rolls;
Signature rolls;
Kids’ menu;
Lunch menu;
Favorite 2 or 3 rolls;
Tasty Bowl drink specials (non-alcoholic);
Tasty Bowl cocktail specials.
Bubble tea will also be available. Lin said he sent his wife to Taiwan to study the proper way make these drinks, so they should be pretty good.
An experienced, well-traveled foodie
Lin has a lot of experience in the restaurant industry, starting when he was about 8 or 9 years old and helping in his parents’ restaurant in China. He came to the U.S. when he was 18, learned English, and continued working in the restaurant industry. Lin worked every position from dishwasher to executive chef and then to owner.
He opened his first restaurant in 2005 and has since opened other restaurants in multiple states, including Nebraska, New York and Kansas.
If you want a better idea of what the vibe will be like at Tasty Bowl, visit the website for Sake Lounge in Olathe, Kansas, which Lin opened in 2013.
Opening restaurants all over the country combines two of Lin’s interests: food and travel. In 2022-2023, he spent time in China, visiting 83 different cities and trying all of the local cuisine.
“I like the food, like traveling,” he said.
With decades of experience under his belt, Lin knows how a successful restaurant operates. His focus is being able to provide “nice food, nice service” to his customers.
To achieve this, Lin is still very hands-on. He will stay with the Fairview Heights restaurant for its first six months to help get things up and running. He says he will then move on to other projects, which includes launching other restaurants in the St. Louis area.
This story was originally published May 5, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
