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    Saap

    4.4 (148 reviews)
    Closed • 4:30 pm - 9:00 PM

    Saap Photos

    SAAP ATMOSPHERE

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    Trendy
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Saap

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    Seafood Curry
    Peter V.

    SAAP is a fantastic addition to downtown Cary. The location is hard to beat! It's right by Downtown Cary Park, making it the perfect spot to grab dinner and then take a walk afterward. I ordered the seafood curry, and it was unlike anything I've had before! It came loaded with fried soft-shell crab, scallops, and shrimp, creating a rich, flavorful dish that felt indulgent. We also shared the drunken noodles, which were equally delicious with great flavor (beware, this came very spicy and was too much for my wife) The prices are a little on the higher side, but the quality and creativity made it worthwhile. The seafood curry alone is something I'd happily order again. Between the excellent food and unbeatable location, SAAP is absolutely worth a visit.

    Pork belly
    Crisanta S.

    The food was amazingggg. Patio had nice vibes and they had a mini fan which was nice. The waiters had such knowledge on the cuisine.

    Green Seafood Curry
    Kellie D.

    Sat on the patio. Were immediately brought a carafe of water. Big menu. I decided to go with the green seafood curry which was phenomenal. Food came out extremely fast. Did not order a drink so I can't speak to those. Would definitely return.

    Khapoon Soup
    Drew S.

    One of, if not, the best meals I've had in the area. Everything was delicious. The Khapoon Soup was a 10/10. Absolute must visit.

    Thai iced tea
    Hayley P.

    My partner surprised me with a birthday dinner at Saap. I had been wanting to try here because I had been hearing so many good things so I was really excited. This restaurant is located in downtown Cary close to the downtown park. We did not have any issues with parking when we visited at 7pm on Saturday. There is a parking deck and lot close to the restaurant. It is a small, intimate restaurant. I would definitely recommend grabbing a reservation. They were very busy when we went in. Our server was amazing. She was so kind and helpful. We started off with drinks. I got their version of an old fashioned. It was good but I realize now how odd of a pairing that is with Laotian cuisine. We also ordered for appetizers the cucumber and vermicelli rice salad and spring rolls. While we waited for our food and drinks, they brought us fish chips. These were so light and had the best texture. So good! The cucumber salad has such a beautiful presentation in addition to being a refreshing combination with the more savory entrees at Saap. For my meal, I ordered the Pad Lao and my partner had the Pepper Beef. We were both blown away by how good our food was. And so much of it! These type of noodles are, in my mind, the best type of noodles. Then for dessert we tried the Winter Trio. Honestly, these were some of the most unique desserts I have ever had. They're so cool. All very good too! I can't recommend enough how you should stop in and give Saap a try.

    Nina S.

    5 stars, easily one of the most memorable meals I've had in the area. The menu is full of unique combinations that you don't come across often, but everything feels intentional and incredibly well executed. It's the kind of place where you can tell a lot of thought goes into how each dish is built. Every bite had so much flavor and nothing felt repetitive or expected. What stood out just as much as the food was the service. Our server was extremely knowledgeable and took the time to walk us through the menu, explain different dishes, and help us decide what to try. The ambiance ties it all together. It strikes that perfect balance of being elevated but still relaxed. It feels like a place you can come to wind down at the end of the day, but also somewhere you'd confidently bring friends who are visiting and want to show them a great spot. This is definitely a place I'll be coming back to. There are so many other dishes I already want to try, which is always the best sign.

    Weekly special: Roasted Ginger Chicken Platter
    Kierstyn M.

    SAAP is an absolute gem in Cary! Conveniently located right next to Downtown Cary Park, it's the perfect spot to grab a meal before or after exploring the park or visiting the nearby dog park. There's also a parking deck just a short walk away, which makes getting there incredibly easy. We ordered the crispy pork belly soup and the Peking chicken, and both dishes were outstanding. The flavors were bold, comforting, and perfectly balanced. The crispy pork belly soup was incredibly satisfying, and the Peking chicken was crispy, flavorful, and cooked to perfection. Based on our experience, it's hard to imagine ordering something that wouldn't be delicious. The restaurant itself is spotless, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The service was quick, attentive, and friendly, with the staff making sure we had everything we needed throughout our meal. If you're looking to try delicious Laotian cuisine or simply want an incredible meal in Cary, I highly recommend giving SAAP a visit. We'll definitely be back to try more of the menu!

    Pork Belly, Coconut, & Egg Drop Soup
    Anna Scott N.

    The food was incredible and the ambience is great! The sausage appetizer was mind blowing and a flavor bomb. We had the kindest waitress as well. She felt like she didn't give us enough attention as she normally would (we didn't feel that way) and gave us a dessert on the house. It was great. Will definitely be back!

    Crackers (so addictive)
    Sneha P.

    It's been a while since we went to Sao but it's high time I complete the review. We tried Saap because we love Bida manda and heard the chef opened his own place. We did get a bunch of apps, mains, drinks and dessert. Their noodle with tofu was the best dish we had, the braised pork was very mediocre and the beef was a bit chewy and under seasoned. Their drinks were very potent especially the Ube cocktail. Our server was lovely, very efficient and friendly. The ambience was nice but a little loud but that just means everyone's having a good time. Overall the food didn't slap or maybe it was an off night for them, but it hasn't motivated us to try it again.

    Drunken Noodles, Basil Crispy Chicken Stir Fry
    Lindsay S.

    We went here for a date night and everything was perfect. The food was SO good, service was excellent and mocktails / beer were delicious. We got the coconut rice lettuce wraps, tiger shrimp and a crispy chicken dumpling special to start. Then the drunken noodles and crispy chicken basil garlic stir fry for entrees. The portions were well worth the cost, and they were all amazing. I will be dreaming about this food for a while. We can't wait to come again. Highly recommend!!

    Mee Ka Tee, Shrimp Chips, and Ube Colada
    Tim C.

    I came on a Sunday evening and made a reservation for 5:30 pm online and we were seated promptly. Since it was such a nice day outside, we opted to sit outside, which they graciously accommodated. Our waiter immediately brought out some water and shrimp chips to munch on while looking through the menu, which was much appreciated. I started with an Ube Colada, which was basically an ube-flavored (think taro with some coconut) pina colada. It looked kind of gimmicky, but it actually tasted pretty good. I'm a big fan of Ube, so I enjoyed the drink. For my entree, I ended up ordering the Mee Ka Tee, which was a coconut curry flavored noodle soup with pork belly, soft-boiled egg, bean sprouts, and red cabbage. The spice level was moderate, and they brought me some extra chili powder to increase the spice level as I needed. The flavors in the broth were tasty, the pork belly was crispy and delicious, but the texture of the noodles were a bit on the mushy side. Overall, it was a satisfying dish. My wife ordered the Fried Flounder, which had a dill marinade flavor to it, and came with papaya salad and sticky rice. Her fish was fried well, and maintained a moist interior, but it didn't seem all that special - the dill was a unique flavor to pair with the fried fish, but nothing extraordinary. The papaya salad was tasty - not overbearingly acidic or salty with the right amount of crunch. The service was very friendly in answering all of our questions. The food came out really quickly - almost too quickly. I guess the noodle soup is pretty easy to prepare and assemble, but I would have expected more time would be needed for the fried fish if it were being freshly fried. The outdoor seating option was nice, especially getting to people-watch by Downtown Cary Park. Parking is convenient in the parking deck, and we were able to go for a nice stroll around Downtown Cary Park afterwards, so it's a very nice and accessible location. It's hard not to compare this place to Bida Manda, but I think the accessibility of convenient parking, the fact that reservations were easy (I made them the day before) and we didn't have to wait to be seated and the service was quick and attentive, and the proximity to a clean and walk-able Downtown Cary Park all make Saap a better alternative to Bida Manda. (Take that for what it's worth coming from a true middle-aged suburban Cary-ite)

    Thom khem
    Julia W.

    We came to SAAP for a nice holiday family get together, there were 4 of us at a table. Initial service was great, but we were soon forgotten about by our server midway through our meal. We had to wait about 20 minutes after finishing our food to ask our server for the check - and that was only because we saw her and asked her to come to our table. I mention this solely because of the price of the food - you pay for the food and the experience. The food was good, but I feel like I should've ordered something else. I ordered the Thom Khem-- the fatty pork belly parts were great, but the ribs were very tough and hard to bite through. I don't think I would come back again unfortunately.

    Lettuce wraps
    Katie S.

    Saap is such a great restaurant. Cary is lucky to have it! The servers are always attentive and kind, the food is consistently good and the restaurant is bright and beautiful. I am usually here for lunch, and have tried to eat everything on the menu at least once. I think my favorite items are the Lao Salad, the Bahn Mi, and the Pad Lao. It is tough to pick though as everything is super fresh and flavorful. They also have lots of options for gluten and dairy allergies and take such allergies very seriously, which I appreciate! No cross contamination here. Lastly, parking is easy to find as there is a deck on the same block. Highly recommend.

    Lao Beef Jerky

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Great food, great ambience, great service we will be back. I rarely give five stars and this place deserves a ten!

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    The food was exceptional. Server was great too. Loved the pad Thai with pork belly. But it was all great. Restaurant very noisy though.

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    2 years ago

    We waited for 30 minutes and no one came to even take the order. We left without even getting water.

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Great food, great atmosphere, and great service (thank you Noel). We will go back again.

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    3 years ago

    Both the food and service were wonderful. We look forward to going back. The view of the new Cary park is fun.

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    2 years ago

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    Page 4 of 4

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    Ask the Community - Saap

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    3.8(122 reviews)
    7.5 mi•Glenwood South

    Flour & Barrel has an amazing Monday special. They do "industry night" where a select small plate…read morepasta dish is only $5. Beer and wine is also half priced. I've been a couple of Mondays - one where the special was the fusilli, and another where it was the mafaldine. Hands down, the mafaldine was my favorite. It was so creamy, so flavorful, and the chef that night cooked it perfectly. For extra substance, I typically order the chicken parm on the side, and it's good, just a bit pricey for $20 since it's just chicken and sauce (with a small side of salad). I feel it's a good Monday night spot though since you can keep coming and keep trying the different pastas on special, and it's a fun moody vibe inside.

    Stopped by Flour & Barrel for a quick dinner. When you arrive parking can be difficult in this…read morearea. It may be worth just walking a few blocks to avoid circling for a parking spot. Walking in you'll feel like you've been transported to a rustic, lively, and romantic vibe. The menu consists of small plates which I enjoy as you can try several different dishes. To start I ordered the love of the stranger (west coast ipa) and the raspberry sour. Fun fact flour & barrel also brews their own beer. By far my favorite was the raspberry sour. For entrees we ordered the Mafaldine pasta (creamy pesto / lemon / panko breadcrumbs / dill) which was excellent. The pasta was fresh and piping hot and delicious. We also wanted a protein source so we also ordered the Chicken Parm (crispy crunchy panko / marinara / mozzarella) which was cooked perfectly, and wasn't dry. Definitely check flour & barrel out if you are in the Glenwood south area looking for good Italian food.

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    Barcelona Wine Bar - Wild Mushroom Montadito with lemon ricotta

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    4.6(52 reviews)
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    I am a tapas hater... I reluctantly came to this restaurant because it seemed like the only true…read morenon-chain restaurant on Franklin, and we wanted to be within walking distance of our hotel. Omg, am I a reformed tapas lover? Or perhaps just a Proximo lover? I think... yes. We weren't super hungry, so we only ordered 5 plates total for the two of us, and we still left delicious food on the table. We sat at the bar, which overlooked the immaculately clean kitchen, and got to chat with the expo chef, Ben, who was conversational and personal but also left plenty of room for my date and me to feel private. Ryan, our waiter, recommended a fabulous albariño, which more than made up for not having cocktails on the menu. The biggest takeaway: the chef in charge was kind and communicative with all staff. It was truly a pleasure to watch this kitchen operate. If you leave the restaurant without trying the tuna ceviche, consider yourself unlucky. Holy smokes -- I would order 5 helpings of that every single time. We're out-of-towners but will be back, and we'll be telling our friends all about this lovely establishment. Congrats to all on an amazing new restaurant, and best of luck. Anyone looking for something better than bar food on Franklin -- GO HERE!

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    Bida Manda - Crispy Rice Lettuce Wrap Dinner

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    4.5(1.9k reviews)
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    Ambiance is beautiful low lights with natural wood and brick and a beautiful lounge area …read more Bar has a beautiful bamboo surrounded setting that takes you to the natural setting of Laos. For the food, the crispy pork belly soup was unbelievably delicious . We had the whole baked Red Snapper and that was in a league of its own. The perfect compliment was the dad's fried rice. The drinks were phenomenal as well we had a multiple of them. Come experience it for yourself you won't be disappointed What's the downside? If I had give a critique, the food may have been a bit salty, but that's not unexpected with some of the sauces used. The service was amazing! I highly recommend it and would come back again

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