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| It's October 3rd. *I was not in motion when this picture was taken* |
Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let me tell you all about the amazing date night Nate and I had this past Friday night!
Nate and I don't do fancy date nights often, maybe only once a quarter but Friday night seemed like the perfect opportunity. Our 6-year dating anniversary was Thursday night and it was really the first time we've gone out since he's returned from New Mexico.
We met at The Haymaker. This is one of my favorite bars on Fayetteville Street. It is low key, has beautiful décor and is typically empty or close to it. It's a great spot to unwind after a hard day at the office or cozy up with your sweetie in an intimate setting.
They have a fun and unique cocktail menu that changes seasonally, champagne and gin and juice (yeah, you read that right) on tap and punch bowls!
Seriously, if you're ever on the 500 block of Fayetteville stop in for a cocktail and some ambiance.
Bida Manda
Now for the main event -- Bida Manda.
This highly rated Laotian restaurant is located at 222 S Blount Street, Raleigh, NC 27601 and is a true wonder to behold.
Décor: the restaurant is filled with natural elements like handwoven screens around the bar and walls. The lighting is also low and intimate. The restaurant is smaller than it's next-door-neighbor Brewery Bhavana, which is also owned by the Nolintha family. This intimate space only seats about 150 people including the bar space.
Food Appearance: Everything is plated artfully and is a feast for the eyes. Chef Lon Bounsanga certainly runs a tight ship in terms of his kitchen and it is abundantly clear in the food.
Food Taste: After being greeted and settled with our menus, we were given a complimentary basket of Shrimp Chips to enjoy with our drinks. Now, if you've never had shrimp chips, don't knock them 'til you try them! These amazingly crunchy and airy chips are made of tapioca flour and seasoned with shrimp seasoning. They're slightly fishy in flavor but not overpoweringly so.
We opted for two appetizers the Fresh Summer Rolls with Vegetables and the real star of the show -- Crispy Rice Lettuce Wraps. Don't get me wrong, the summer rolls were also delicious! They were filled with fresh, crisp veggies and served with a delicious plum and peanut sauce. But the Crispy Rice Lettuce Wraps, I would return for these specifically. I have no idea what sort of wizardry concocted these crisp and crunchy wraps but they ain't your mama's lettuce wraps.
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| Left: Crispy Rice Lettuce Wraps Right: Fresh Summer Rolls with Vegetables |
For my entrée I had a difficult time narrowing down what I wanted because frankly it was all appetizing and quite a large number of dishes were either vegetarian, vegan or pescitarian friendly! No 2 options for this gal!
Our server finally sold me on the Green Papaya Salad with Dill and Lime Leaf Sea Bass. This dish was not green, cold or a traditional salad so don't let the name fool you. What I was rewarded with for my obvious curiosity was thinly julienned un-ripe papaya marinated in a tangy and spicy sauce housed in a purple cabbage leaf with a side of sticky rice and a giant buttery fillet of Chilean Sea Bass. I have never had Chilean Sea Bass and it has now ruined me for all other fish. It is so buttery and melt-in-your-mouth delicious that I still salivate when I think about it. I would've licked my plate clean had I not been in public. The dill and lime also went exquisitely with the chardonnay our server recommended. I however did not eat this dish in the traditional Laotian way with my hands, which our server also recommended.
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| Thum Mak Houng aka Green Papaya Salad |
Nate ordered the Crispy Pork Belly Soup. It was a giant crock of soup that looked delicious, you know, minus the pork. I'm sure he can fill you in on the specifics.
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| Mee Ka Tee AKA Crispy Pork Belly Soup |
We both cleaned our plates so there was no room for dessert, but we were treated to complimentary non-alcoholic digestifs.
Service: Our server was extremely knowledgeable and great at his job. He had mentioned working for this fantastic restaurant for 4 of the 6 years it's been open and is truly passionate about the food. He described dishes with so much affection and fervor I felt like I could taste them. All the gold stars to this guy! He was also the perfect balance of friendly and attentive without being overbearing.
Cleanliness: Everything in this restaurant just works. Including the cleaning. Dishes were cleared and tables reset with such quickness if you blinked you missed it.
I am eagerly planning a trip back to Bida Manda at the soonest possible moment! I will devour more Crispy Rice Lettuce Wraps and sip more fantastic wine!
Cheers, readers and happy eating!
Sounds delicious. Especially pork belly soup.
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