Montclarions have spoken, and we travel for our Asian meals.  In fact, we drive to places throughout Oakland, Piedmont, Alameda, Berkeley, Albany and San Francisco for our evening repasts.

These and other findings came from Today in Montclair’s recent survey.  The goal was to understand how much we depend on Montclair Village for either dine-in or take-out options.

Previously, I thought Montclarions were basically lazy, because our four Asian restaurants have been open for years.  That theory was shot down by you.

What happened?  On a monthly basis, at least 75% of you supported Pagarung Thai, Silver Palace, Thai Bai or Toshi Sushi.   However only 25% were loyal (or lazy) and ate all your Chinese and Thai here.  No one reported eating all their Sushi in town.

Perhaps this survey attracted Montclarions who dine out often.  Nearly half of respondents consumed Chinese food five-plus times per month!  Your Thai and Sushi meals were less frequent, with half eaten once or twice a month.

Different patterns emerged among folks with the strongest yen (sorry) for Asian food.  Half ate Chinese locally up to four times monthly, and drove elsewhere for the other meals.  Ardent sushi eaters didn’t stick around much at all.  Thai diners stayed put more often, by comparison.

Survey participants shared all sorts of interesting restaurants outside Montclair, yet none stood out as clear winners to report here.  So that calls for another survey (later) which uncovers your definitive top spots, Asian or otherwise.

Anyway, thanks for  participating – and proving that we do, in fact, venture outside the burg for our Asian meals.  You are a more energetic bunch than I ever expected.

We would like to report on Montclarions and their dining preferences.  Are you habitual, returning to the same places over and over?  How often do you dine locally versus beyond the Village gates?

To find out, we’re conducting a short survey (now closed) about your Asian dining choices.  It’s time to see what you are really doing, when you crave Chinese, Thai or Sushi meals.

Villagers seem to embrace the polyglot, yet only have four (!) Asian options in town.  These stalwarts have been around for years:

• Pagarung Thai: Good curry, destination – Yelp – 6200 Antioch Ct. – 510-339-0566
• Silver Palace: Chinese from the 70s – Yelp – 6515 Moraga Ave. – 510-339-9380
• Thai Bai: Family cooking, takeout – Yelp – 5736 Thornhill Dr. – 510-339-8030
• Toshi Sushi: Traditional options – Yelp – 6100 La Salle Ave. – 510-339-1995

These are local spots, not Bay Area destinations.  Everyone has grown dependent on them, like old family or friends.  But a little excitement might be nice, too.

So please share your opinions now – and we’ll report back in a few days.