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March 8, 2020 by Ron Wen

KoKyu Southpoint, Durham: A Fun Eatery for Casual Asian-Fusion Fare Loaded with Flavor

Front of KoKyu Southpoint in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Front of KoKyu Southpoint in Durham – nctriangledining.com

Way, way back in the day when the food scene was just ramping up in the Triangle, the big foodie novelty at the time (maybe 10 years ago) was food trucks! Offering up some unusual eats that you usually wouldn’t find in sit-down restaurants, food trucks blazed the trail for a lot of the more eclectic food offerings in the Triangle. The one food truck that stood out way back then was KoKyu.

The original KoKyu food truck in Durham - nctriangledining.com
The original KoKyu food truck in Durham – nctriangledining.com

A mash-up of Mexican and Asian flavors, KoKyu would be a great option after a day of drinking at popular breweries like Big Boss and Fullsteam. And like many successful food trucks, KoKyu made the move to bricks and mortar but with a twist. Kokyu’s first storefront KoKyu Na’mean, focused on Asian-style sandwiches (banh mi) and there was little menu overlap with the food truck menu. Wut?! The food was still good but there was a bit of a hole given it was missing some of my favorite, food truck items. Fast forward another 4 years and guess what? KoKyu is opening up its second bricks and mortar restaurant and it’s going back to its roots with the newer KoKyu Southpoint!

Order counter at KoKyu Southpoint in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Order counter at KoKyu Southpoint in Durham – nctriangledining.com
Dining space at KoKyu Southpoint in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Dining space at KoKyu Southpoint in Durham – nctriangledining.com

Inside KoKyu Southpoint you’ll find a bright blue and cheery space with a modern, funky feel. Polished concrete floors, spherical paper and tin washtub lamps overhead, along with a very interesting, blue triangular table in the corner. One wall has some graffiti on it in homage to their original food truck origins and design. Given their quick-serve origins as a food truck, all of the KoKyu restaurants are counter-service to keep things moving along. There are a couple of LED panels overhead with a very simple menu consisting of wings, quesadillas, tacos, bowls, salads and sliders, maybe 20 or so items including their customer favorite: duck fat tots. Once you order you’re given a playing card on a stand as your number and the food is brought to your table. KoKyu Southpoint also has a self-serve beer wall (you’ll need a wristband to use it) along with a small refrigerated case of beers to enjoy with your meal. Don’t miss checking out their restroom which has a beautiful and colorful floral stencil on the walls!

Menu and prices at KoKyu Southpoint in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Menu and prices at KoKyu Southpoint in Durham – nctriangledining.com
Menu and prices at KoKyu Southpoint in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Menu and prices at KoKyu Southpoint in Durham – nctriangledining.com
Short-rib sliders at KoKyu Southpoint in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Short-rib sliders at KoKyu Southpoint in Durham – nctriangledining.com

Over the course of a couple of visits I’ve had a chance to work through the KoKyu Southpoint menu and enjoy some of my long-time favorites. The short rib sliders and duck fat tots combination is still irresistible. The sliders are served on sweet buns and loaded with braised beef, topped with quick pickles (for acid), strips of red onion and sprinkled with sesame seeds. It’s a very Asian take on braised beef and delicious. The classic KoKyu duck fat tots are super crisp, sprinkled with herbs (rosemary) and served up with a sriracha-aioli type dip for your pleasure!

Duck fat tots at KoKyu Southpoint in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Duck fat tots at KoKyu Southpoint in Durham – nctriangledining.com
Short-rib quesadilla at KoKyu Southpoint in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Short-rib quesadilla at KoKyu Southpoint in Durham – nctriangledining.com

Another long-time favorite is the KoKyu short-rib quesadilla stuffed with more short-rib beef and gorgonzola cheese, a melty delight! Dabbed with some spicy sauce and topped with cilantro, the quesadilla is packed with flavor and filling. The bulkogi tacos are also wonderful, served on larger 6″ tortillas and loaded with fresh lettuce, tender beef, spicy cheese sauce and thin shards of red pepper. A nice Latin-American spin on a Korean-flavored classic, dee-lish! The quality of ingredients and produce used by KoKyu is always top-notch and appreciated.

Bulkogi tacos at KoKyu Southpoint in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Bulkogi tacos at KoKyu Southpoint in Durham – nctriangledining.com
Beer wall at KoKyu Southpoint in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Beer wall at KoKyu Southpoint in Durham – nctriangledining.com
Hand stenciled bathroom wall at KoKyu Southpoint in Durham - nctriangledining.com
Hand stenciled bathroom wall at KoKyu Southpoint in Durham – nctriangledining.com

Overall as a long-time fan of KoKyu it’s been fun to see them evolve and expand over the years. They’ve stayed true to the eclectic flavors of Mexican-Asian eats and it’s really nice to have their classic dishes in a more comfortable and stylish setting. We’re talking street eats with heat and air conditioning, woo-hoo! There’s even a vintage boom box up by the counter, in homage to their food truck origins when music would be blaring out the back of their truck. So a round of applause for a Durham classic, KoKyu. Keep on keeping it on and dishing out those great casual eats for the S. Durham crowds!

 

KoKyu Southpoint

245 E, NC-54 Ste 105

Durham, NC 27713

919.251.9017

Location on Google maps

Filed Under: Durham, Featured, Restaurant & Bar Reviews Tagged With: Asian Restaurants, Restaurants Near Southpoint Mall

August 15, 2014 by Ron Wen 1 Comment

Harvest 18 in South Durham Does Southern Right

Front of Harvest 18, Durham- NC Triangle Dining
Front of Harvest 18, Durham- NC Triangle Dining

 Southern is as Southern does and I’m not sure what the heck that means but I love me some Forrest Gump!  Harvest 18 is the latest offering from Chef Jason Smith who also operates Seaboard 18 and Cantina 18 in Raleigh.  Reviews on Yelp were really strong so I was excited to try out this new restaurant located on Renaissance Parkway in Durham.  Located near the very popular Southpoint Mall, is Harvest 18 worth the ride for a Raleighite like me?  Read on, my friend!

Inside of Harvest 18, Durham- NC Triangle Dining
Inside of Harvest 18, Durham- NC Triangle Dining

From the outside, Harvest 18 looks huge with a large brick front and tower overshadowing a sidewalk patio.  But step inside and Harvest 18 feels very tidy and familiar.  Modern and classic with a clean look and feel, Harvest 18 sports a bar on the left-hand side and has a very open feel to the place.  We order up the pimiento cheese and tortilla chips app to start off with.  It’s a spin on queso and chips, nicely done but doesn’t quite stand out for me.  Harvest 18 has a pretty short menu that looks familiar to those who have dined at Seaboard 18.  I go with the grilled meatloaf with mashed potatoes and collards at $12.  Overall the prices at Harvest 18 are really reasonable.  Outside of a $25 ribeye steak, all entrees here are comfortably under $20 and very accessible.

Pimiento cheese app at Harvest 18, Durham- NC Triangle Dining
Pimiento cheese app at Harvest 18, Durham- NC Triangle Dining

When my plate arrives, it seems like an awful lot of food.  A large, cross-hatched 1 1/2″ thick slice of meatloaf which fills the plate atop a large pile of mashies with collards underneath.  And Harvest 18 does a good meatloaf, tasty and the mashed potatoes were nicely laced with the cheese flavor.  It’s an excellent choice if you’re in the mood for some comfort food.  Just be prepared to unloosen your belt a bit!

Meatloaf at Harvest 18, Durham- NC Triangle Dining
Meatloaf at Harvest 18, Durham- NC Triangle Dining

Service at Harvest 18 was excellent.  The young lady waiting our table was well-trained, kept our glasses full and handled the meal perfectly.  In all honesty, that’s the one area I expected Harvest 18 to shine given Chef Smith’s other restaurants.  Looking around the dining room I did notice that the patrons were definitely on the mature side, similar again to 18 Seaboard.  So in the end, my opinion of Harvest 18 is very similar to what I’d have for 18 Seaboard, it’s a great and safe place to bring your parents!  Which means you’re talking about a place with basic dishes, prepared well and served up professionally.  And in an environment that’s more subdued and conducive to conversation. And if that’s what you’re looking for, Harvest 18 fits the bill perfectly.  My tastes run more towards ethnic and flavorful but I very much respect what they’re doing at Harvest 18.  Even if it may not totally be my cup of tea, at its price-points and for what it delivers, Harvest 18 does an excellent job!  So cheers to Harvest 18 moving out and delivering solid Southern fare to the Southpoint area…

 

Harvest 18

8128 Renaissance Parkway, Suite 114

Durham, NC 27713

919.316.1818

Harvest 18 menu

Location on Google maps

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Filed Under: Durham, Restaurant & Bar Reviews Tagged With: Patio, Restaurants Near Southpoint Mall

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