Asian Restaurants Archives ~ NC Triangle Dining Food Blog

November 23, 2013 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

Tangerine Cafe, Cary for Inexpensive and Tasty Pan-Asian Eats

Front of Tangerine Cafe, Cary- NC Triangle Dining

Way out in Cary by the Apex border is a little strip mall cafe called Tangerine Cafe. I had been out here a long time ago because it’s one of my co-worker’s favorite lunch spots and I finally got back for a return visit. Covering a breadth of Vietnamese, Thai and Asian eats, it’s sort of a mini and local PF Chang’s but does a good job with keeping the flavors real and prices low. Perfect for a delicious and inexpensive lunch!

Lettuce wraps app at Tangerine Cafe, Cary- NC Triangle Dining

You might have to look a bit to find Tangerine Cafe’s it’s in a dark corner of the strip mall but once you step inside, your retinas are hit with the brightly colored walls and spartan space. Asian Cafe decor all the way, it’s all about the eating here! The lunch menu gives you 10 or 20 apps and entrees to choose from ranging from Thai to Vietnamese, Malaysian and more. Let’s call it a pan-Asian menu and leave it at that. We order up the Imperial rolls, chicken lettuce wraps along with a honey walnut chicken and crispy catfish for me.

Imperial rolls at Tangerine Cafe, Cary- NC Triangle Dining

Tangerine Cafe is a small space so you may not want to hit it up during busy periods but it’s not too bad for a Tuesday lunch. Our apps show up and I’ve got two thick rolls filled with pork and some noodle. The nuoc nam on the side is fine for dipping and it’s a heavy and dee-licious appetizer which I finish off. The lettuce wraps is a large pile of leaves with a slightly spicy minced chicken which goes great with a ginger soy sauce. There is plenty of food here already, even without the mains!

Crispy catfish at Tangerine Cafe, Cary- NC Triangle Dining

My spicy catfish is a decent looking dish. Fried filet covered with a tangy sauce with a bit of basil for flavor. It’s a flavorful fish dish and reminiscent of other Thai dishes I’ve had. With the side of rice and braised veggies, it’s a great lunch. Service in this small cafe is decent, two gentlemen dressed in black take care of our table. We can’t make it to dessert so it’s time to leave! And here’s where the story gets better. While I think the food at Tangerine Cafe is a bit Americanized, it’s still very tasty and delivers the necessary flavors. And for the price, this place can’t be beat, our meal with two apps, two entrees and two drinks comes out to about $26. Really a great deal for this quality and quantity of food. So let’s just say that Tangerine Cafe is a bit of an Asian-eatery gem. If you’re ever in the hood, stop on by and let your tastebuds be dazzled and surprised!

Tangerine Café

2422 SW Cary Pkwy

Cary, NC 27513

919.468.8688

Tangerine Cafe menu

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February 11, 2015 by Ron Wen 2 Comments

Juju in Durham for Asian Tapas in a Beautiful Setting

Front of Juju Asian Tapas in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

After spending two years in Chapel Hill for school, I don’t get back to the Thrill as much as I probably should and miss some classic spots in the area like Jujube. A small Asian fusion eatery, it piqued my curiosity to hear that they were putting up a sister restaurant, Juju on Ninth Street in Durham, deep in Duke territory. But hey, outside of basketball season, Durham is my second home when it comes to eating and dining out so I was glad to check out Juju for an informal dinner. Here’s how it went down…

Bar at Juju Asian Tapas in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

Located in the Shops at Erwin Mall, Juju strikes a modern and delicious stance. Slick-looking logo, the brick front wraps around the front and side of Juju to a large patio area complete with gas fire pit. Inside we’re greeted by a young hostess and surprise, we’re told that seating is limited on a cold Monday night. Sorta odd because there seemed to be plenty of empty tables but I guess Juju must be popular already. Beautiful bar in the center, Juju is a mixture of modern and elegant Asian decor and details. Rustic and stylish wood chairs, interesting overhead lighting, we grab two seats at a community table and peruse the menu. Thankfully it’s not too long with a selection of small ($6 – $9) and large plates ($9 – $16), with a Peking duck priced at $65. Suggested serving per diner is to go with two or three a person, we order up some chicken-kale crispy dumplings, steamed pork buns, noodles bolognese and short rib for our meal. A small list of beer, wine, sake and dessert completes Juju’s tight menu.

Chicken-kale dumplings at Juju Asian Tapas in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

Short-rib with pear plate at Juju Asian Tapas in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

The crowd is pretty young and heavily female, which is sort of typical around Duke University. With the plush and rich decor at Juju I can see the place being great for a date or girls night out. After a short wait, our plates start coming out. First the crisp, chicken-kale dumplings which are perfectly pleated and fried. Quite good even though the stuffing is non-traditional. Next comes the short rib and bolognese. The grilled short rib is thinly cross-sliced and tender, layered with pear, citrus slices and parsley! Yum, probably my favorite dish of the night with a hit of savory, sweet and citrus, nice. The bolognese is a dish I’ve tried before at Jujube but this version is new and improved. Modern take on red-roasted pork, it’s savory and the rice noodles are cooked just right with a touch of firmness, al dente. And finally the pork buns which are tasty but not as good as what you can get at Sono. Plus the buns are sort of falling apart, I’m used to a more artful presentation of this colorful dish.

Pork belly buns at Juju Asian Tapas in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

Service over the course of the evening was professional, team service with a primary order taker. Waters were filled and timing was quite good overall but it’s hard to go wrong with small plates since you just eat as things show up at the table. And while I’m tempted to try the Momofuku crack pie ice cream sandwich, I’m still recovering from the holidays so we pass! But overall I was pretty impressed with Juju, especially since it’s only been open a short while. Prices are a touch high but about right for this level of service and ambiance, I’d expect to drop $25- $35 per person with a drink before tip and tax. And you know what? It’s worth it since I had a good meal and enjoyed everything around it. There is definitely some juju going on in Durham’s newest Asian fusion restaurant, check ’em out when you get the chance!

Juju Asian Tapas

737 9th Street, Ste 210

Durham, NC 27705

919.286.3555

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June 6, 2015 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

Ko Kyu Na’mean Rolls Into Durham with Great Ethnic Eats

Front of Ko Kyu Na'mean in Durham- NC Triangle Dining — Front of Ko Kyu Na’mean in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

So when is a food truck not a food truck? When it moves into a bricks and mortar store-front like Ko Kyu Na’mean! Like other popular food trucks in the Triangle (Baguettaboutit, Only Burger), Na’mean is the first store-front for the very popular Ko Kyu. Known for it’s spicy fusion of ethnic flavors along with a bit of quirky irreverence, Ko Kyu had launched a Kickstarter to find a more permanent home in late 2013. Fast-forward to early 2015 and after a soft-launch, Ko Kyu Na’mean quietly opened up to muted fanfare. I had to stop in and check out their new spot, read on my friend!

Counter at Ko Kyu Na'mean in Durham- NC Triangle Dining — Counter at Ko Kyu Na’mean in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

If you’re headed out to Ko Kyu Na’mean, understand that right now they are only serving lunch Monday to Friday. This storefront is tucked away in the back of a quiet plaza, just look for their red and white sign next to the NC Beer store. When I arrive, the place is packed with sidewalk tables full of folks happily munching away on lunch.

Menu at Ko Kyu Na'mean in Durham- NC Triangle Dining — Menu at Ko Kyu Na’mean in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

Inside, the space has got that Ko Kyu food truck feel. Menu in black with press-on white letters, brightly colored graffiti walls and an old-school boom box overhead pumping out some classic tunes. The menu has eight or so sandwiches, a handful of sides along with some specials on a pinned up piece of paper. I’m here with my friends Lauryn and Rose so we spread the Ko Kyu love out and order up a bunch of items for sharing.

Graffiti wall at Ko Kyu Na'mean in Durham- NC Triangle Dining — Graffiti wall at Ko Kyu Na’mean in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

Up front at the Ko Kyu Na’mean counter you’ve got self-served drinks including a Julio orange and toasted almond horchata, yum! We get our playing card on a stand and grab a table in back. It doesn’t take too long for our food, maybe 15 minutes and it’s served casually on aluminum plates. We’ve got two short-rib sandwiches, a chicken sandwich along with pork belly (Pressed short rib, baht mi, ko.f.c and belly banh). Sides of furikake potato chips, kimchi cucumber, cream of broccoli soup and a ginger-roasted broccoli-cauliflower accompany our mains. As you can tell Ko Kyu owner Flip, likes to get a bit creative and playful with his menu and space!

Pressed short rib sandwich at Ko Kyu Na'mean in Durham- NC Triangle Dining — Pressed short rib sandwich at Ko Kyu Na’mean in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

As we dig into the meal, I’m reminded of how long I last ate at Ko Kyu food truck and you’ve got the similar mix of ethnic flavors (Mexican, Asian) that Ko Kyu is known for. Short rib is a popular item for them and it shows off well in the panini and baht mi which is blinged out with peanut sauce and sriracha butter (very Thai).

Belly banh at Ko Kyu Na'mean in Durham- NC Triangle Dining — Belly banh at Ko Kyu Na’mean in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

The soup has some crumbled bacon on top, delicious and I love the kimchi cucumber which reminds me of a northern Chinese dish. The belly banh looked delicious but it didn’t quite do it for me which was odd since I usually love pork belly and banh mi. And boo, but I didn’t make it to the fried chicken sammich!

Pozole soup at Ko Kyu Na'mean in Durham- NC Triangle Dining — Pozole soup at Ko Kyu Na’mean in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

Flip comes out later and offers up a taste of his pozole (spicy hominy soup) which is excellent and looks fantastic with a radish slice on top. With all this food, we needed to digest and caught up with Flip and his work with Ko Kyu over the past year. This space had been part of the kitchen canteen for his two food-trucks and they had finally taken next steps to open it up for the rest of the store-front. And he had done a soft-opening (super quiet) to work out the operational kinks and make sure he could deliver on his food expectations.

Stuffed Ko Kyu first-timers Rose and Lauryn- NC Triangle Dining

So it was a great lunch visit to Ko Kyu Na’mean especially when I got to share the meal with two Ko Kyu first-timers. With the Ko Kyu food trucks and their new storefront you’ve now got three options to try out their spicy deliciousness. I would love to see Ko Kyu become the equivalent of the East Side King food trucks out in Austin! Congratulations Flip on taking it to the next level and stop on by if you’re up for some salacious and sumptuous eats, sandwich-style…

Ko Kyu Na’mean

4823 Meadow Drive

Durham NC 27713

919.699.4667

Location on Google maps

February 19, 2013 by Ron Wen 10 Comments

Soo Cafe in Raleigh for Amazing Korean Fried Chicken!

(Now open at its new location: 2815 Brentwood Road, Raleigh!)

Sometimes people use the phrase “one-trick pony” to describe a person or situation in a less than positive fashion. But in my eyes, if you do that one trick REALLY well, who cares? Well I recently visited Soo Cafe out on Hillsborough Street for one thing, Korean fried chicken. I’ve been chasing down Korean fried chicken for AGES, it’s been my foodie white whale. I visit NYC pretty frequently and would always ask for it but for some reason, never made it over. So imagine my excitement when I’m reading some online reviews and realize that Korean fried chicken has hit the Triangle.

Interior of new Soo Cafe location in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining

Soo Cafe sits in a little plaza next to Sadlack’s Heroes and Buddha Belly, thankfully they’ve got a small parking lot out front. But it is an odd lot with two small entrances at either end and a narrow strip of spaces, navigate it carefully. Inside the place is a bit bare-bones: some Asian wall-hangings, TV with K-pop videos and shows rolling and a back counter for ordering. I put my order in for a half-chicken with garlic-soy sauce and wait in quiet desperation up front. They cook it all to order here so it takes some time, 15 plus minutes but I’ve been waiting years for this treat so no big deal. I get my styrofoam container, hop in the car and blast off for home. The smell is intoxicating. Even with a cold I can smell savory garlic aromas penetrating the car and upholstery but if your car is going to stink of something, Korean fried chicken ain’t a bad way to go.

Soy-garlic Korean fried chicken at Soo Cafe in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining

I get home and unpack my bag. They’ve got some foil lining the Styrofoam and inside I spy 8 neat pieces of crispety, crunchety chicken, glistening with sauce. The surface is all bubbly even though from what I understand, Korean fried chicken doesn’t use much coating. I grab a drummette and it’s sticky with sauce, take a bite and… bam! That crazy umami feeling when all your eating senses go on high alert. This chicken has got some crunch, sticky sweet sauce, pungent garlic layered on top of tender chicken. Whoa! Take another bite and another, that piece is gone! As I work my way through half the box, my opinion doesn’t change, this chicken is awesome! Even with my taste at 60% I can tell that Soo Cafe dishes out some mean-ass fried chicken.

I stop my hungry little brain after eating half of the container and show some restraint, the rest is for tomorrow. But I can tell you that if this Korean fried chicken was ALL Soo Cafe did, they’d be a winner in my book. But they also dish out sushi, bulkogi, katsu and more. And I’m pretty sure even if it’s all good, I’m going to have a hard time getting past the chicken on the menu. No website, no Facebook I really thought about keeping this one to myself and not writing about them, but… Two words: Try it.

Soo Cafe

2815 Brentwood Road

Raleigh, NC 27604

919.876.1969

Soo Cafe Menu

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October 1, 2016 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

First Take: Noodle Blvd in Cary For a Heart-Warming Bowl of Ramen

New Noodle Blvd in Cary - nctriangledining.com — New Noodle Blvd in Cary – nctriangledining.com

(Moved to new location at 1718 Walnut Street, review will be updated soon) When it comes to Asian food, the Triangle can be a bit tough in terms of finding authentic eats. But over the years, Cary has been a bit of a mecca if you’re up for down-home Chinese or Indian food in the area. And now you can add ramen to the list! While more and more restaurants have been adding it to their menus, ramen shops are a bit tougher to find outside of Dashi in Durham. So I was excited to see all the great reviews roll in for Noodle Blvd in Cary! Especially with the cold weather coming soon, ramen can be a really heart-warming comfort food for me so off I go…

Located in a quiet strip plaza off of N. Harrison, you’ll have to keep an eye out for the discrete store front driving by. And while Noodle Blvd looks like it’s quite big from the outside, you find out differently once you step inside. With an open kitchen on one side and a thin, L-shaped dining room, seating is quite limited for tables (2-tops) with a smattering of bar stool type seating at the window and kitchen bar which feels sort of ramen house traditional.

And while the space is pretty basic, Noodle Blvd sports some interesting touches. Industrial piping is used for the stools and foot rests along the bar. There are some bright splashes of colors in the green and pink chairs and you can watch all the action in the kitchen as they prepare your noodle soups! And thankfully it’s a very short menu here at Noodle Blvd, spanning one laminated sheet. Some traditional ramens (shoyu, tonkatsu), non-traditional options along with some Japanese appetizers. I order up some gyoza as a starter and an interesting sounding Bangkok ramen for my main.

House noodles at Noodle Blvd in Cary - nctriangledining.com — House noodles at Noodle Blvd in Cary – nctriangledining.com

The gyoza come out pretty quickly and it’s a good looking plate of 5 pan-fried beauties. They’ve got a thin skin and are served up with a slightly sweet soy-based sauce which is pretty good. A delicious start although I’m not sure if these dumplings are made in-house.

My bowl of Bangkok ramen falls into the non-traditional ramen category and is served in a clear broth spiked with shrimp, pork, bean sprouts, jalapenos and topped with crunchy wonton noodles. There’s just enough heat in the broth to catch your attention and the ramen noodles are cooked perfectly. Digging around, you can go for seafood or go for pork. There’s a lot of eating options in the bowl and it’s a very enjoyable meal! Overall I was pretty pleased with Noodle Blvd but just be aware that it’s a bit casual with limited space inside. And while I’m not sure when I’ll be back next given its location, if you do live in the hood, Noodle Blvd is totally worth a slurpy visit…

Tangerine Cafe, Cary for Inexpensive and Tasty Pan-Asian Eats

Juju in Durham for Asian Tapas in a Beautiful Setting

Ko Kyu Na’mean Rolls Into Durham with Great Ethnic Eats