Ashoka Indian Cuisine invites visitors to embark on a culinary journey through India but in Flagler Park Plaza in Doral. At first glance, the restaurant appears ordinary, but once you step inside, you're transported to a charming indoor courtyard decorated with window panes on the walls and a fountain at its center. You can explore your palate or indulge in the dependable but delicious plain-Janes of butter chicken and chicken tikka masala. Each dish is generously proportioned and spice-laden. Best of all, Ashoka has a marketplace with an array of Indian goods to take home.

Decorated with Central Asian paraphernalia, this tiny hole-in-the-wall diner on Dania Beach Boulevard serves incredible dishes from Uzbekistan, a Silk Road, central Asian country with cuisine that fuses influences from across the continent. Noodle dishes like Uyghur lagman soup and steamed dumplings called manti share space on the menu with kebabs, dolma (stuffed grape leaves), and blini pancakes served with yogurt or jam. Don't miss the samsas, which are sweet, flaky pastries filled with beef or pumpkin and served with a delicate tomato sauce.

In the heart of Coral Springs, the intimate, casual dining experience at the Namu Korean Japanese Kitchen and Izakaya boasts a variety of Korean dishes like tteok-bokki, bibimbap, and japchae, and Korean street food staples like pancakes, kimchi fries, fried seaweed rolls, and baked corn cheese. But the real highlight at the Namu is the Korean fried chicken, with its balance of crispness and sauciness, you can't lose. The Namu also offers a selection of Japanese dishes for your guests who don't dig the bounty of a Korean kitchen.

Disappointed by Miami's lack of Vietnamese cuisine, husband-and-wife team Tam Pham and Harrison Ramhofer took matters into their own hands. The couple based the idea of Tâm Tâm on the Vietnamese phrase quán nhau, which loosely translates to a place where friends gather to enjoy food, drinks, and life in general. Situated on a quiet corner in downtown, the small but vibrant Cuban cafe turned Vietnamese restaurant has an old bakery display case and ventanita window at its entrance. There are wood-paneled walls, barstools with fun patterns, and a large framed photo of actress Jane Fonda, formerly a staunch anti-Vietnam War activist. The 36-seat spot has a rotating menu that is just as eclectic as its interior –– boasting inventive dishes like dragon shrimp crudo, jungle steak tartare, and crisp wings glazed in fish sauce, as well as a sprawling list of wines and frozen drinks like passion fruit daiquiri and spiked Viet iced coffee. The liveliness even extends to the bathroom, where there's a hidden karaoke machine.

Nothing matches the Miami heat better than Thai spice. It makes Lung Yai Thai Tapas' location on Calle Ocho both unexpected and perfect. It's a small place, and the long wait is a testament to its mouthwatering menu. If you often find yourself saying, "The customer is always right," don't come here. Some people might whine about their policies: no reservations, no substitutions, and one-time-only ordering. Those people are missing the point. Owner and chef Veenuthri Trisransri and his crew know what they are doing and are experts in Thai cuisine. You should let them take the wheel; you'll be better for it. It's called tapas, so expect small dishes with big flavor. Make sure to over-order. It's best to try as much as possible, share, and discover a new favorite dish with each visit. The food comes as fast as the check. The experience can feel like a blur, but the tastes will stay with you for days.

IYKYK: Peruvian-Japanese cuisine is the darling of Asian fusion these days, and with good reason. At the helm of bringing this marriage of flavors to the world is Chef Gastón Acurio. The Brickell Key outpost of his beloved Lima-based restaurant, La Mar, was opened by Diego Oka just over a decade ago. The menu's dishes are inspired by Oka's travels around the world — many of which were in Asia. Oka takes this fusion to another level with simple nigiri, or Peruvian-style sushi, and more complicated dishes like a tableside chaufa made with Wagyu skirt steak and vegetables, covered with a shrimp omelet. Pair it with a pisco sour or a sake-based cocktail, like the "Yasashi Mariposa," and enjoy a waterfront view of the Magic City.

Miami is not the city you think of when you think of legit Chinese food. But for more than 20 years, Long Gong has been serving up a different version of the Magic City deep in La Sowesera. You'd never guess one little kitchen in a forgettable strip mall could crank out so many delicious varieties of authentic dishes. But this is the real deal. If you're adventurous, ask for the Chinese menu, and if not, grab the other one. A tip: The scallion pancakes and noodles in chili sauce have more flavor than you'd think possible. Omnivores will have a tough time running out of options with sautéed duck, hot and sour sweet potato noodles, spicy intestines, and so much more. Long Gong is open noon to 10 p.m., six days a week, but closed on Wednesdays.

Plenty of restaurants try to create a facsimile of Japan, but at Ogawa, you'll feel like you stepped through a portal to the real place. Miami fades away as you become immersed in the remarkable meal, prepared kappo-style to allow for extra food orders and pleasant conversation with Chef Masayuki Komatsu and his diligent kitchen staff. A seat at Ogawa is very expensive and highly sought after, and once you walk through the door at this luxurious, sumptuously decorated omakase next to the train tracks in Little River, you'll instantly understand why it's worth every penny.

James Beard Award-winning chef and owner Tyson Cole opened the original Uchi — the name means "home" in Japanese — inside a refurbished bungalow in Austin, Texas. Now, he has locations all over the place, including in Wynwood, where he serves the best sushi in town. Much of the menu is dedicated to deliciously fresh makimono (sliced sushi rolls), sushi and sashimi, and Toyosu selections — an extensive list of fresh fish flown directly from the Tokyo market of the same name. With a single sliver of kamasu (red barracuda), ebodai (butterfish), kisu (Japanese whiting), or kurodai (black bream), Cole manages to carry you off to the streets of Japan with each and every bite.

Although there are plenty of new omakase restaurants in Miami, one truly stands out from the rest: Shingo in Coral Gables. Helmed by fourth-generation master and award-winning sushi chef Shingo Akikuni, the 14-seat counter in Coral Gables is like a teleportation device to Osaka, Japan. Here, the premium fish sourced entirely from Japan is sliced in uniform precision and dressed with barely just a swipe of seasoning like nikiri. Here, Chef Akikuni and his second-in-command handle the group of 14 without missing a beat as they seem to glide while serving each dish. Plus, the servers ever so gracefully pour sake from Japan and even offer to hold your belongings so you can give yourself over entirely to the experience.