I have been in search of a good pho spot in North Carolina for a while and I think I have finally…read morefound it. This restaurant is authentic and the broth here really hit the spot for me. The also has all the side condiments you would want to go with your pho which is hard to find around here. The service was also amazing, they sat us down quickly, took our orders almost right away, and the food came out in about 10-15 minutes. The restaurant itself was well decorated, bright, and clean. I will 100% be coming back when I am in the area.

The food was fresh, fast, and piping hot. I especially loved the summer rolls with grilled chicken…read moreand peanut sauce. The service was prompt, polite, and no frills, which I appreciated. Even on a 93° day it was busy and the majority of tables were occupied with people who wanted the delicious pho for lunch. It's not a fancy atmosphere but everything was still clean and the natural light makes for a nice ambiance.

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!

I have not been to Bida Manda in years. It is a classic in downtown Raleigh and highly regarded as…read morethe predecessor to Brewery Bhavana. We came in with some friends on a Monday to celebrate a birthday. My friend has a gluten and dairy allergy, which was actually no problem here. So if that is a dietary concern for you or a loved one - this is a great spot to bring them! We were all able to enjoy a majority of the food. My partner and I both enjoyed a mocktail version of the roselle freezy - it was amazing! Either as a mocktail or a cocktail, you should try this drink. For starters, we had the crispy chicken wings, spring rolls with veggies, and the lettuce wraps. We all enjoyed the chicken wings so much that we got a second order of them. I enjoyed the spring rolls much more than the lettuce wraps as they had more flavor to them. For dinner, we shared an order of the Manda Amphone's Curry and the chicken pad thai. I originally did not expect to be blown away by the pad thai - boy, was I wrong. This is hands down the best pad thai I have ever had. If you love pad thai, you need to try theirs. I also thoroughly enjoyed the curry. Both dishes were rich and flavorful and came with enough to share between 4 adults. Overall, not having been to Bida Manda in 10+ years, I was impressed and will definitely return.

This restaurant has been on my list to visit for a couple of years. I was finally able to go. It…read morewas fine. Nothing spectacular. The reason I gave it 4 stars was because the dumplings were disappointing. They were not warm and the dumpling dough was thick. We got the David's dumplings and the crispy spicy wontons. The wontons were better. I liked the crispy dough but they weren't spicy at all. The entree meals were better. I had the Malaysian curry soup which had a nice kick and was steaming hot. It had lots of different toppings in it which was nice. My husband got the fried rice. It was also really good. The Chinese sausage complimented the rice well and there were plenty shrimp in it too. If I went back I would forgo the dumplings and just go straight to having the entree.

First of all, I love the ambiance there. The exposed bricks are so pretty to me! They also have…read moresuch a huge space. They even have a private event room as well! Secondly, the food!!! We ordered a lot of food (2 appetizers and 3 entrees ) and our eyes were not bigger than our stomachs because we finished all the food We are proud big backs lol What we tried and how we'd rank them: David's Original Half Fried Dumplings Malaysian Curry Noodle Soup Open Top Pork and Shrimp Siu Mai Dumplings Sautéed Green Beans David's Fried Rice with Chinese Sausage Make sure to ask them for their house made chili oil! It's spicy but a little sweet. We were both fans. My friend even asked if they sell it

You can order Dimsum items from the kiosk or grab a large bowl and fill it up with raw meats,…read moreseafood, noodles, soy products, and veggies. Then choose a broth and they'll make a bowl of hot soup for you with all your handpicked ingredients. Large enough space and usually no wait.

I recently checked out Fun DipPot with a friend, and it was my first time trying malatang! I'm more…read morefamiliar with hot pot where you cook everything yourself, so it was a nice change to just pick out what I wanted and have the staff cook it for me. There was a wide selection of ingredients to choose from, and you can customize the broth flavor and spice level however you like. I really liked how you can grab exactly what you want in the quantity you want--no worrying about ordering too much or too little like with hot pot. The service was friendly and fast, and there was plenty of seating inside. There isn't a dedicated parking lot, but we found a paid lot just a short walk away, so it wasn't too bad. Overall, it was a fun and tasty experience--I'll definitely come back to try out more ingredient combinations next time!

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.

I used to love this restaurant and was a loyal customer for years, which makes this experience…read moreespecially disappointing. I ordered the lo mein, bamboo flounder fish, and a side of fried rice. Unfortunately, the lo mein was extremely greasy, the fried rice was overly salty, and the shrimp was hard, overcooked and not fresh. When I informed the waiter that I would not be eating the lo mein due to its condition, I was told that I would still have to pay for it and that it did not matter whether I liked it or not. He initially refused to remove the dish from my bill. After eventually taking it off, he told me that he never wanted to see my face again as I was leaving. What disappoints me most is that I genuinely enjoyed this restaurant and had been a repeat customer. The decline in food quality combined with the way my concerns were handled has left a very negative impression. Unfortunately, I will be taking my business elsewhere.

A new Indian restaurant in Raleigh! Soul Flavorscape had some amazing food and a lot of options to…read morechoose from. We got a lot of food to try out! For apps we got Gobi Manchurian and the Afghani paneer and tikka masala paneer as well. The Gobi Manchurian was good had a bit of a BBQ sauce flavor to it but the spice was good and the Afghani paneer was delicious! For entrees we got the punjabi palak paneer and the malai kofta and paneer tikka and various naans and rotis. Everything was off the chain delicious. I do wish some dishes were a bit spicier but overall it was great. The service was amazing I loved that they had water bottles on the tables and you fill it up as you please. It is a fairly formal place! Parking is right beside the restaurant!

If you're looking for Indian food in Raleigh that delivers on both flavor and overall experience,…read moreSoul Flavorscapes of India is an easy recommendation. This is a 5-star restaurant, but not in a formal, special-occasion sense. It's a more approachable kind of 5: thoughtful, well-executed, and genuinely enjoyable. The kind of place you can go for a relaxed dinner or to host friends from out of town, and still feel confident in the quality of the experience. I went with my husband and a family friend who was visiting, and it was a great setting for catching up. The ambiance strikes a nice balance between polished and comfortable. I especially liked the rich blue tones inside and the overhead lanterns, which give the space a warm, inviting feel. There's also a outdoor patio, though at 96 degrees, we opted to sit inside. I'll admit I didn't do a great job capturing photos, but everything we ordered was excellent. We started with samosas, veg pakora, and beet cutlets (which my husband hadn't had since moving to the U.S. for grad school over a decade ago). We also ordered a mango lassi, the bread basket, malai kofta, balti chicken, and lamb biryani. A few highlights: Portions are generous The spice levels are accurate "medium" and "medium hot" both had a noticeable level of heat, which isn't always the case locally The lamb biryani stood out (my husband said it's the best biriyani he's had in North Carolina) Service was also great. The owner stopped by our table multiple times and was warm and engaging. She even shared how to make a strawberry lassi with our friend, which was a thoughtful touch. One practical note: the restaurant is downtown, and there's a surface parking lot directly next to it that uses ParkMobile, which makes parking straightforward. We're already planning to return.

Wow, I was so surprised after trying Brewery Bhavana when we first moved here. When you arrive…read moreparking can be difficult in this area as the restaurant backs up to Moore Square. I'd recommend parking a few blocks away and walking if you are unable to find parking nearby. Walking into the restaurant you'll be transported to a modern brewery, bookstore, and flower shop. It feels chic, Belgian inspired, and upscale. To start I ordered a Vase IPA which was excellent. I then switched to cocktails and ordered the Black Sesame Old Fashioned (bourbon, black sesame, black walnut bitters), the Dionysus (pinot noir, raspberry lemon shrub, chambord, amaretto, lemon, rhubarb bitters), and an aviation (hendricks, luxardo, creme de violette, lemon). By far the Black Sesame Old Fashioned was my favorite and what a nice touch with cracker on top of the dish. For food we ordered the Gai Lan (Stir-fried Chinese broccoli with garlic and oyster sauce), the Peking Duck (Whole, barbecued, free-range duck served with steamed bao buns, cucumber, scallions, and hoisin-honey sauce), Sweet Soy Chicken (Scallions, bell peppers, and caramelized in our ginger soy sauce. Served with jasmine rice), the Lo Mein Noodles (Stir-fried noodles with julienned shiitake mushrooms, choy sum greens, soy sauce, and shrimp), seafood dumplings (Lobster, shrimp, and scallop dumplings served in garlic and black mushroom sauce with fried Youtiao doughnuts), Chicken Curry Bao (Steamed buns filled with spicy yellow chicken and vegetable curry), the Beef with Longhorn Peopers (Sautéed beef, ginger, and longhorn peppers with Shaoxing wine sauce. Served with jasmine rice), the Xiao Long Bao (Steamed crab and ground pork soup dumplings), Nasi Goreng Crab Fried Rice (Traditional Indonesian Chinese fried rice with blue crab meat, Nam Pla fish sauce, house made Nasi Goreng sauce, served in an egg crêpe), and the General Tso's Chicken (Crunchy, sweet, and tangy, Bhavana's General Tso comes with your choice of chicken or tofu tossed in our house-made General sauce and topped with sesame seeds. Served with jasmine rice). By far our favorite food items were the seafood dumplings (excellent flavor, Chinese donuts were so good, along with the flavor from the broth), and the shrimp lo mein noodles (cooked perfectly and the sauce was perfectly distributed). Definitely check out brewery bhavana if you are looking for excellent Chinese food in the Raleigh area. This is by far one of my favorite restaurants in the area.

Wow! This was one of the best meals I've ever had! My husband dined here several years ago, and…read moreevery time Raleigh comes up in conversation, he hyped this local gem up to me and said it was a must-visit whenever we had the chance. Well, I finally got to try Brewery Bhavana and it was indeed incredible. Definitely worth the hype. We met my coworker and her partner here for dinner, and I was grateful we had a reservation because this spot was poppin' on a Monday night! The dining room is huge, but the decor breaks things up a bit and makes your meal feel intimate. Everything is shareable, so I highly recommend visiting with fellow foodies who want to try a little bit of everything. Honestly the entire menu sounded amazing, and it was hard to choose! Thankfully our servers provided some excellent recommendations. The Pork Bao was probably my favorite bite of the night, and may very well have been the best Bao I've ever had. The Lap Cheung Fried Rice was also delicious, and I'm usually not a fried rice person! Also worth mentioning is the Lo Mein, which we ordered with chicken. We didn't stay for dessert, but all of their sweet offerings sounded incredible as well. I did try one of the beers they brew on-site, the Sow. It was light and sippable, and I appreciate their diverse beer and cocktail offerings. I can't wait to visit Raleigh again because this will be my first stop!

It has wonderful food and service! I don't have to wait to long for my order and it was cooked to…read moreperfection.

I was in the mood for oxtails on a week night after the snow in Raleigh. Placed that were open late…read moreand considering the weather were far and few between but Hady's was open. We made the trek from the north side of town over and it was worth it. The place is immaculately clean and the menu is an extensive list of cuisine from all over the world. From Jamaica to Ghana and place in between. I know this could be a difficult balance to strike, but it was done well. I ordered the oxtails with rice and peace and plantains. The order was a nice size but I do feel the oxtails portion could have been bigger. Lots of sauce but not a lot of meat. The seasoning on it was very well done. Spicy but not too spicy. Well balanced. I enjoyed it along with my well portioned sides. The person with me got jollof rice and chicken. They said the rice was good and the grilled onion on top of the chicken was perfect. The chicken wasn't to their personal taste but looked well portioned and prepared. They also had a variety of bottled drinks to choose from like mango and hibiscus drinks. I would go back.