Five Star: ( 4.5 / 5 )
The best Chinese restaurant in the Triangle, Five Star, just got better.
We recently had dinner there and was surprised to see that the menu was very different (note: the menu on the website is old). It used to be very minimalist (especially when compared with other Chinese restaurants) and fit on a 5x12 piece of paper. They've migrated to a more traditional 8x10 menu with much higher-end entrees.
If you're looking for your old favorites, most of them are under small plates at the top of the menu. As described, the portions are smaller than previously. However, they've added a bunch of new items including lettuce wraps (warning: these did not sit well in my stomach), scallops, and duck rolls.
They have a whole section of noodle bowls that have a number of options for customizing your dish. I don't like inventing my own food, so I didn't venture into this portion of the menu.
The entrees look awesome. They are all a little more "gourmet" than the appetizers and are not your typical Chinese restaurant entrees. As expected, they are more expensive ( > $15 ). We had the duck with blueberry-lychee sauce. The duck was very tender while the sauce was flavorful and not too sweet.
Kid-factor: Our kids have always loved it here. Our son's favorite dish is the Five Star General's Chicken. Now that it's a small plate, the portion is far more appropriate (although less to share for us).
My rating: 4.5 / 5
Still the best Chinese option available in the Triangle and the new menu items are fantastic. The only reason I didn't rate it a perfect 5 was the decor. I'm not sure what audience they're targeting, but the decor and art were boring.
posted by Todd Olson @ 10:01 PM
1 comments
1 Comments:
Definitely the best Chinese in the Triangle. It's not your typical Chinese, it's much healthier and more creative.
If you haven't been before, it's an interesting place that is a restaurant during normal hours and a nightclub after dark. In fact, they are one of the few restaurants in the area that actually stays open until 2:00 AM.
I love the new menu. It makes it so much easier to try multiple items without over ordering. We ordered a few small plates and 1 entree to share. It was the first time we have left the restaurant without a take-home box. I agree with everything that was said about the food - including the lettuce wraps. Usually, I have a strong stomach, but these may have been a little too greasy for me. They were delicious, I just wouldn't order them again.
The service has always been great here as well. The wait staff is typically friendly, helpful & knowledgeable.
The only thing that just doesn't work for me is the decor. It used to be very vivid and trendy with exciting art and/or lighting. There used to be red walls which they later painted green. The new paint job is even more subdued and the art just doesn't stand out anymore. Boring.
One last thing, for those of you that get cold - bring a sweater. It's typically freezing there!
My rating: 4/5
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