Sushi Archives ~ NC Triangle Dining Food Blog

July 16, 2013 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

Retake: Sono Sushi for Eclectic Japanese and Ramen?

Neon sign at Sono, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

A while back I had written up Sono as one of the better Japanese restaurants in the Triangle and over the last year or two, that opinion hasn’t changed! I’ve done a chef’s dinner and also a Competition in the Triangle dinner with Chef Michael Lee. My most recent visit to Sono was for their Sunday ramen special and it was worth the wait! If you haven’t had real Japanese ramen you’re in for a surprise. Just a LITTLE bit better than what you get out of a plastic wrapped brick, 5 for a $1.00!

Interior at Sono, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Inside the decor at Sono hasn’t changed much, I think they should probably consider freshening the place up a bit to keep things up to date. Sitting at the bar, I go for the chuuka manjuu appetizer and of course, the tonkotsu ramen! The chuuku manjuu is a little sandwich made from a steamed bun with some braised pork belly, pickled carrots and hoisin. As usual the presentation at Sono is great, it shows up in a small steamer with a nice lettuce garnish. And yum, it’s a tasty treat! Soft, steamed bun around a luscious slice of pork belly with some spice on the side. This app is really similar to what you might get in Chinese cuisine (steamed bun, peking duck, hoisin) and I’m enjoying this version at Sono.

Pork belly buns at Sono, Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

The ramen is next and I am excited! I got turned on to good Japanese ramen at Ippudo in NYC which was recently named one of the top 100 restaurants in the US by the Daily Meal. It’s a serious Japanese ramen chain with only one location in the US so it’s the real deal. My bowl of ramen at Sono looks fancy! Complex broth with depth and richness, a small poached egg, several slices of braised pork, and some other veggies (ear mushroom, bamboo shoots, scallions). I sip the broth first and it’s quite good, smoky and coats the tongue well. As I dig into the noodles at the bottom, I find them a bit soft and start working through the pork and veggies. There’s a lot going in this bowl of ramen! The savory pork, textured mushroom, crunchy bamboo shoots contrasted against the rich egg yolk. Overall I liked and enjoyed it but I have to say I was spoiled by Ippudo. Couple of things I would change: add a bit more noodles and make em more al dente. Serve the broth a bit warmer, it was a bit luke-warm. And I would have simplified the meat and veggie combo, I’d go with a softer braised pork rather than the seared version in this bowl. But hey it was still good and I was glad to have stopped by.

Sono is still doing a great job and I know they can push the envelope with their food given what I’ve tried. The menu at Sono is more mainstream but still takes a lot of chances in its offerings. And between the flavor profile, textures and presentation I’m pretty sure you’ll consistently have a good meal here. So thanks Chef Lee for the ramen and I’ll definitely be back to try it again…

Sono

319 Fayetteville Street, #101

Raleigh, NC 27601

919.521.5328

Menu at Sono

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September 7, 2013 by Ron Wen 2 Comments

First Take: Sushi-Thai, Cary an Asian Mix That Works Well…

Front of Sushi-Thai, Cary- NC Triangle Dining

As a long-time lover of spicy Thai food I confess to being suspicious of any restaurant that dabbles in multiple ethnic cuisines. Sushi-Thai would fall into that category. While it may be super-popular in Cary, I prefer to go to a place that focuses on one cuisine because it’s usually hard enough to just excel there. But the only way I’ll know for sure is eating at Sushi-Thai, eh? Located off of Kilmayne Road, Sushi-Thai is actually behind a Taco Bell off of Kildaire. From the outside the plain white brick front is deceiving. Inside Sushi-Thai is bustling with lots of dark woods and greens, the sushi bar is front and center so I grab a seat. Sadly I’m focused on Thai food today so all the great, fresh fish in front of me is going to have to wait for another visit!

Sushi bar at Sushi-Thai, Cary- NC Triangle Dining

Sushi-Thai has a bunch of lunch specials but I go with my Thai standard, pad kee mao with chicken. As I wait for my meal I scan the crowd and it’s a professional lunch bunch, very busy at 12:30 or so. The constant flow of people attest to the popularity of the place. When my plate finally arrives, it’s steaming hot. A large portion of flat noodles mixed with sauteed chicken, basil, peppers, tomatoes, onions and string beans. Pad kee mao is a colorful and spicy dish, great to get your appetite going. Sushi-Thai’s version is decent but the noodles are a bit over-cooked and soft. The spiciness toned down a bit from what I’m used to. But it’s an ok lunch and good portion size for the price, half of my pad kee mao is going home for dinner!

Service at Sushi-Thai is very good, they must do a volume business here. The staff at the sushi bar is busy making rolls the whole time I’m there and they looked ok just a bit sloppy. Definitely not at the level of presentation of Sono or Yuri Japanese which is right down the street. What can I say, Sushi-Thai serves up decent food but it still hasn’t convinced me that I’m wrong about restaurants that try to do multiple ethnic cuisines. Expect good and not great and you’ll be fine here at Sushi-Thai! Good Asian food with very good service works out perfectly for lunch…

Sushi-Thai

106 Kilmayne Drive

Cary, NC 27511

919.467.5747

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April 19, 2013 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

First Take: Cuisine Malaya for Flavorful and Spicy Asian Fare

Front of Cuisine Malaya, Charlotte- NC Triangle Dining

I’m visiting Charlotte for work and need to find a tasty and casual dinner. Yelp and some reviews bring me over to 5Church but after a beer, I just realize this place is NOT for me. Way too many suits and ties, I’ve often found restaurants in the Financial district of any city to be ok and over-priced. So I check my iPhone and there you go, Cuisine Malaya! It’s way across downtown Charlotte but I’m willing to walk if it’s worth it. From the outside the place looks a bit bare and there are four doors on the outside, three of which are locked. I finally find the real door and step inside Cuisine Malaya. The space is big and casual, with a long back bar for cocktails and sushi-making. I grab a table for one and it’s time to eat!

Roti canai at Cuisine Malaya, Charlotte- NC Triangle Dining

A quick scan of the menu and I know I’m going to focus on the Malaysian eats. Service is quick, I immediately get a glass of water and free glass of wine courtesy of a Yelp check-in and put in my order for some roti canai and golden tasty shrimp. About 10 minutes later, my roti app comes out and it’s a winner. One large, folded roti with a tender interior, slightly crisp exterior and not greasy at all. The small cup of red curry and potatoes is well spiced and makes a perfect foil for the carbs.

My main of shrimp is not quite golden, it’s more like 12 or so large shrimp stir-fried in a chili sauce with onions, string beans and basil. The shrimp are cooked just to tender as well as the vegetables. It’s a slightly spicy dish which needs the cup of white rice to take down the heat a bit, perfect! It’s a simple dish but done well. After all this food, I can’t resist and go for a Malaysian dessert.

The final act of the meal is Cuisine Malaya’s peanut pancake! Take that same roti and put some brown sugar and peanuts inside, pan-fry it and serve quickly! It sorta looks like a rectangle quesadilla and brings a nice blend of sweet, salty, crunchy and soft, a very nice finishing touch. Although I admit some honey drizzled on top would make it even more awesome if not authentic. Service all night was very good, the young man who took care of my table was on point all night and I asked him for some recommendations which were helpful. Overall I really do like this place, Cuisine Malaya! Once you can find the right door, you’re stepping into a great, authentic Asian meal. Whenever I go to a restaurant that’s mixed cuisines, I tend to go for the less popular side (Malaysian in this case) cause it’s usually the tastier option. And yes, no surprise but Malaysian is what you should be eating at this place, bon appetit!

Cuisine Malaya

1411 Elizabeth Avenue

Charlotte, NC 28204

704.372.0766

Menu at Cuisine Malaya

Location on Google maps

September 19, 2015 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

First Take: Wasabi in Cary Dishes Out Good Food But Not Enough Spice

Front of Wasabi in Cary, NC Triangle Dining

Over in Mac Gregor Village you’ll find a handful of restaurants set off of 64 in a plaza. Cilantro, Tribute Pizza, Tony’s Oyster Bar, Jimmy V’s and also the lesser-known, Wasabi! With a mixed Japanese-Thai menu, Wasabi mimics the more popular Sushi-Thai with its offerings spanning the Asian continent. And after my second visit, I think it’s a decent choice but just doesn’t quite rock the house for me. Here’s why…

Dining area at Wasabi in Cary, NC Triangle Dining

Inside Wasabi opens up to a large dining room with a busy bar area full of Japanese decorations. In my head it looks more like typical Japanese restaurant that added Thai as opposed to Thai-Sushi which feels like it went the other way around. The menu spans the usual culprits, sushi, tempura, teriyaki, Thai noodles and curries along with a smattering of house specials. I order up the pad thai with chicken for lunch which comes with soup and salad for a reasonable $8. The living room is a bit busy with the Cary crowd which is nice to see.

Pad thai with chicken at Wasabi in Cary, NC Triangle Dining

It only takes 10 minutes or so for our food which is great for an abbreviated lunch period. The salad with ginger dressing looks basic but fine, the miso soup falls in the same category: ok! My main shows up and it’s a generous portion of flat noodles with bits of egg, nice slices of white meat chicken along with nice bits of scrambled egg and scallions. A nice sprinkle of crushed peanuts on top completes the dish! While all the parts of Wasabi’s pad thai was decently cooked (tender noodles, stir-fried chicken and good egg), the dish just came off a bit flat for me. As if an ingredient or two was missing in the pad thai. There’s a long ingredient list for pad thai which is why I’d rather just order it when dining out. But maybe the tamarind sauce? The dish was just missing that sweet and sour element you usually get in Thai food. I wrapped up half the dish to bring home, thankfully the portion size was solid!

Service at Wasabi was good and you’re able to get in and out for lunch pretty quickly, woohoo! But I did eat my leftovers that night and it didn’t get any better after sitting around so I stand by my original assessment. Wasabi, you’re doing a decent job but just missing the flava that I usually associate with good Thai eats. Or maybe I just chose off the wrong side of the menu, I guess I’ll have to try Japanese for my next visit, bon appetit!

Wasabi

107 Edinburgh S Drive

Cary, NC 27511

919.460.7980

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January 5, 2015 by Ron Wen 4 Comments

Ajisai Japanese Fusion in Cameron Village, Raleigh

Front of Ajisai Japanese in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Located in busy Cameron Village, Ajisai brings very hip and urban sense to sushi for the area! Dining at Cameron Village can be a bit hit or miss but things are definitely looking up with the arrival of Ajisai along with the great eats at Tazza Kitchen. And what’s great about Ajisai is that it shows quite a bit of style in addition to serving up great food. Are you curious? Then read on, friend…

Cool sushi bar at Ajisai Japanese in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

If you’re looking for Ajisai in Cameron Village just head on over to the section where you’ve got the ABC store and Piccolo Italia. Ajisai sits in the old space that used to be Sushi Gami. From the outside you’ll notice the sidewalk seating and the discrete sign but inside, things start to brighten up. You’ll notice the sleek sushi bar backed by ornate chrome panels and blue LED lighting (which can be color-changed from what I’ve been told). Japanese characters and script decorate the bar-wall and you’ve got a purple interior paint spiced up with some large prints of some lovely Japanese ladies. I grabbed a seat at the booth and took a look at the menu. Prices about standard in the area for sushi, Ajisai does lunch specials from Monday to Saturday from 11am to 4pm but I chose to visit on a Sunday lunch, boo! I order up some tempura along with a sushi combo of three rolls (yellowtail jalapeno roll, spicy tuna roll and crunchy salmon roll). It’s time to hang loose and waits for mah food!

Tempura app at Ajisai Japanese in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

It’s pretty quiet at Ajisai at noon time but people start floating in about 12:30 pm or so. My miso soup shows up and it’s a bit different. Spiked with bits of green onion, mung beans and small bits of tofu, the cloudy miso portion separates readily from the broth and it’s quite good. My tempura app shows up and it looks great. Five pieces of perfectly fried shrimp, sweet potato, broccoli and something else. I can never figure out all the veggies that they use in tempura! The coating is crisp and crunchy, definitely recommend trying the tempura out as an appetizer.

Sushi plate at Ajisai Japanese in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

And then my sushi main shows up: six pieces of each roll, they are small and tightly wound. I’ll confess that I’m not a sushi expert and still got the training wheels on so I ordered some basics. But I can tell you that rice is quite good on these rolls and the fish melted in my mouth. The yellowtail roll wrapped in nori with the jalapeno kick was my favorite. But overall a good taste experience but I think I filled up a bit too much on the tempura!

Cool interior at Ajisai Japanese in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Service at Ajisai was decent but seemed a bit stilted. The staff on the front of the house seemed a bit young to me but maybe that was just because it was a Sunday afternoon and not a prime time service period. But it was fine and the food was good at Ajisai. I’ll have to come back and try out a bit more off the menu but I could walk over here so I’m sure I’ll re-visit soon. So yes, welcome to Cameron Village Ajisai and you’re off to a great, foodie start!

Ajisai Japanese Fusion

427 Woodburn Road

Raleigh, NC 27605

919.831.9907

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Retake: Sono Sushi for Eclectic Japanese and Ramen?