Bida Manda mean "father and mother" in Sanskrit. This restaurant was started by siblings (a…read morebrother and a sister), and they named their restaurant to honor their parents. What a great idea! I like to come here for one dish: the squash curry or the pumpkin curry. It's either vegetarian or vegan, so yeah, it's pretty much the highlight of the menu as far as I'm concerned. It's called the Manda Curry or Mom's Curry: Slow-cooked house coconut curry with fresh root vegetables, jasmine rice, and pumpkin. It reminds me of Vientiane Palace's Squash Curry. Upscale ambience!

Wow is mainly what I can say. I am a huge fan of Asian cuisine generally, but Bida Manda has been…read moreone of the more unique experiences I've had with Asian food in quite some time. The two times I went recently, it was a packed house, so reservations are definitely recommended. There's plenty of street parking within a close walk of the restaurant. We ordered the chicken wings, lettuce wraps, and the pork belly soup. All of them were packed full of flavor and prepared to perfection. The chicken wings had an incredible, almost tempura-like batter to them. And the pork belly soup - omg - there's a reason it's the dish they most recommend. I will definitely be back!

Our company held a team dinner at Brewery Bhavana, and it was truly an experience. Right in the…read moreheart of downtown Raleigh, this upscale brewery blends historic brick charm with a stunning custom library and unique touches of elegance at every turn. We enjoyed several small plates, and not a single dish disappointed. Every bite was memorable. The atmosphere makes it the perfect spot for date night, a girls' night out, or even a quick lunch while enjoying a good read. A beautiful space, incredible food, and an unforgettable evening.

This is a one stop shop, brewery, flower shop, library/book store and dim sum restaurant!…read more The food. Really really good dim sum. I stopped in just a they were opening on a Friday and thank goodness I showed up when I did, this place gets packed quick and you should book a reservation to be on the safe side. I was most excited about the duck egg rolls but ended up being my least favorite not because they were slightly on the dry side. Flavor was good, and the hoisin honey sauce really helped! The seafood dumplings were second best, stuffed full. The soup based was amazing and it also came with some bread for dipping in the leftover sauce. The pork and chive shumai were my favorite! A little bit bigger than bit sized but worth the mouth full! Absolutely would recommend. I'll 100% be back for more food. The bar side looked to be more casual, the dinning room was full of high tea attire so I did feel a little under dressed, thought it would be slightly more casual. They have the cutest library with free books to read but only while you dine in. The flower and book shop are in the middle of the space. Super cute, limited options but great for a last minute bouquet!

You know you are going to have a good experience in an Asian restaurant when the majority of the…read morepeople eating are Asian. The servers were very attentive. The place was very clean, nice ambience. The food was outstanding: the mixed fried rice, the sesame chicken, and the General Tso chicken. What can I say? I will definitely come back. A little hidden gem not too far from NC State University.

This place is a mixed bag, they had Korean, Chinese and Thai cuisine. All mixed in one spot! I…read morerecommend this place to anyone that would like to try mixed food items with a large group, we had 6 adults in our party, we all had different kinds of food. The staff were super friendly and the food arrived on time. They were welcoming and I really loved the interior decoration. The reason for a 4 star is that my expectoration for drunken noodles was high, and I feel like I've have better drunken noodles in other places. Asia pot had a unique flavor on their version of drunken noodles, which I was not a big fan of. I guess I'm so used to the standard version or drunken noodles.

Chuan cafe is a cozy hidden gem in North Raleigh. The shopping center it's in is definitely in an…read moreunassuming strip mall, but trust me the food and the service are worth It! I came right before a show at the Alamo Drafthouse around the corner, which makes it the perfect night out for dinner and show. It looks like a lot of people order takeout here, but they have ample tables and do offer an excellent dine in service. I loved their green beans and eggplant. All their food felt more authentic and homestyle than your typical run of the mill Chinese place. The food had flavor, and it wasn't overly greasy either! I'll definitely come back next time in near north Raleigh.

This was my third and last visit…read more The lady who waited on me was impatient, impolite, and irritable. She spent most all of my visit sitting at a back table and reading. The shrimp, beef, & chicken meal would've been okay if the beef hadn't been questionably fresh (I didn't eat any after the first bite) and the tough, overcooked shrimp. I tipped 15% because the service was terrible. Aside from the lady yelling, "It's okay?" from the kitchen, she never checked on me. Usually, I tip between 25-30%. After I paid and left the restaurant, the rude cashier followed me out to my car. Pointing to the receipt & tip, he yelled, "This is it?? %15 tip??" The only positive thing that I can say about Chuan Cafe is that the Diet Coke was good.

Let me tell you the WAYYYSSS I love this place: Quality…read moreSushi & ingredients Delicious appetizers ‍ Friendly staffers who go ABOVE & BEYOND I love sushi, but it can be expensive and spending a lot of money on bad sushi is no bueno! I was having a hard time finding a place in Raleigh that served quality ingredient sushi & was worth the price for the quantity. We found ourselves at O-Ku after a friend recommended this place as her favorite sushi in Raleigh. Immediately was impressed, as we came for my birthday & the staff signed a birthday card for me and gave me a surprise dessert. Excellent service! On my 2 year wedding anniversary we came back again bc we loved the sushi the first time and wanted to have delicious food on our special night. The staff once again surprised us with flowers on the table, a special printed menu that said 2nd year Anniversary & a dessert to go. This place is absolutely stunning inside as well. Beautiful restaurant, they also have an intimate outdoor patio with pretty lights. Highly recommend this place for a special occasion or even just a night out if you're looking for the best sushi in Raleigh! Love ya, O-Ku -- we'll be back!

Great ambience, but…read more.. Venue: great ambience, lively. Food: we ordered gyoza, rock shrimp, toro spoon, various rolls, and some nigiri. insane price for sushi/ nigiri especially uni. If it was great and special, pricing would be understood but not the case here. The toro spoon had old fish taste. Sushi rice was over cooked and very mushy. Sorry but sushi roles reminded me of the ones you get in the grocery store. Duck kushiyaki was recommended and tasted somewhat bland and tough. Came here for family birthday dinner. No body really liked the dishes here. Service: our server was very kind and tried his best to accommodate us. Great ambience but I don't see any of us coming back here for food.

Had a phenomenal experience from start to finish. The interior is darker, decorated with sleek…read morebubble accents that created a romantically modern ambiance. Even the restroom reflected an impressive attention to detail- immaculately maintained and elevated with amenities such as lotion, Q-tips, and climate control. This spot is good for a fancy date night! My husband opted for the lunch special, which included soup, salad, curry, and a side of sushi. He absolutely raved about the curry. I chose the fish wontons alongside the Raleigh roll, which was exceptional; the addition of mango on top was perfect with the lobster tempura for me. I am also always appreciative when a sushi place can accommodate my addiction to add cream cheese to any roll- they made it work! Service was prompt and attentive. The green tea leaned slightly earthy for my taste, but it did little to detract from an otherwise outstanding meal. I would gladly return and recommend this spot to groups seeking high-quality sushi in a polished setting.

I've heard lots about Ajisai and have walked past it many times…read more It was a gorgeous Friday evening. Many were seated outside, but since I was a party of 1, I decided to sit at the bar. Bin was my server, he was great. I started with the grilled scallops, they were small, but were grilled & seasoned perfectly. I then ordered the Alaskan Roll & the Ajisai Roll. Both so fresh and delicious. I enjoyed the experience. There's great ambiance, it's vibrant and modern. There's plenty of seating at the bar. There are plenty of tables inside and several outside.

Absolutely excellent--again…read more Red Pepper Asian continues to deliver. This time I ordered the Kung Pao Chicken dinner with an egg roll, and it was excellent--bold, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. I really like that they use a mix of vegetables beyond the usual carrots and celery, which adds great flavor and texture. I've ordered from here before and it's been great every time. I also really like their Pad See Ew, and this meal was no exception. Pickup was right on time and the staff was friendly, which always makes a difference. Consistently good food and a place I definitely recommend. I'll be back.

I love stopping here to dine in for lunch. I've been coming here for years, the service is always…read moreconsistent and amazing. Everything is always fresh and hot. This Szechuan shrimp is to die for!!! The hours to dine inside is limited, I think from 11am - 2:30 pm I think, but check before coming. Take out is always an option. Not bad for $14.00 right?? Great value

I was a little hesitant to come because of the reviews but I had a really pleasant experience and…read morethe food was solid. I could decide between the beef and kimchi dumplings or the pork and crab egg rolls. The waitress said they were both her go-tos, so I got both. And I'm glad I did. Super crispy egg rolls, the dumplings were spicyyy and super flavorful. The dough on the dumplings were a little thick and chewy but still good. They have BOGO sushi Monday-Thursday so I got the Kungfu crunch and the North Hills they were both awesome, huge servings! Dim, sexy lighting but also casual. Right in North Hills!

So underrated! We found ourselves in the area trying to find dinner. The neighboring restaurants…read morewere either busting with lines or atrociously expensive. We stumbled into CO and had a fabulous experience. The ambiance, music, and vibe was giving fun Saturday night, hip, and romantic. My friend and I got four appetizers to split and it was MORE than enough. Highly recommend the poke pile, crispy salmon, and crab wantons. Our server came very infrequently but was lovely and helpful.

Food was great. Love the creativity. And quick service and great care all around. Lora of visual…read moredecor to take in Will definitely be back.

FOOD-100/10 SERVICE- 100/10…read moreAMBIANCE- Inviting, Trendy, & Calm We picked to eat here before the Bad Omens concert 3/16/26. So absolutely glad we did. The staff, food, & restaurant were amazing! Def will be back in the near future!

I wanted to post their most recent menu. Great selection and consistent execution. Fantastic food.read more

Super cute place with a handful of tables. We were three people and had a comfy table for four…read more Started with Vietnamese coffee, very delicious. Then daughter had pork bahn mi with fries and soup. She loved the flavor and the size was perfect. I had the special vermicelli bowl. It had salad, noodles, shrimp, pork, egg rolls. It was delicious. The combination of hot and cold foods, the fish sauce, the noodles. Yum. Everything worked great together. Sweet efficient server for a winning visit. We will certainly return.