Eighty8 Asian Bistro – Cary, NC

We had a return visit with chef Dai at one of our favorites.  Eighty 8 Asian Bistro packs so many great flavor options into their menu.  The food is great but this is only part of what makes them such a special spot.  We were greeted by their familiar fish tank upon entering. We also saw a lively baby shower taking place.  They had used one of the restaurants meeting spaces as the backdrop for a very classy event. They had a fun time throughout our stay and clearly chose a perfect spot for this occasion.  There is other private event space available and also a great general dining area that is well lit and exudes classiness. The sushi bar is a perfect fit for the restaurant and is tastefully decorated.  Classical renditions of pop favorites balance the background making this an ideal setting for a date night or other special outing.

We’d also like to take a quick moment and point out the service.  We were warmly greeted from the time we arrive and the great service continued through the entire meal.  Even drink refills were addressed with great attention and made the meal that much more special. The food was brought with perfect spacing and the server was attentive at just the right amount all evening.  Not too much and not too little.

We started off with some great appetizers.  We had the Firecracker Shrimp and Cosmic Mussels.  The shrimp are smooth and pack a slight kick. The mussels were very good, presented very nicely with assorted seeds in soy and topped with fine tempura flakes and a fine crunch to them.  We loved the mussels and rank them up there with the Bulgogi egg rolls, another Feasts and Spirits favorite. We ordered the Eighty8 Burger, which we fondly remembered as our a favorite burger coming into the night.  We were not let down. This burger most definitely lived up to our memory and packs so many great flavors into it. We loved the smokiness of the char grill flavor and the sweet counter from the Hawaiian style bun. One thing chef Dai does to perfection is to play textures and flavors with each other to create true masterpieces.  This wagyu burger itself is extremely juicy and the special sauce just makes this incredible. As diverse and exciting as the menu is, we always keep wanting to order this burger! The fries are a great choice and are both seasoned and cooked with precision. Not to forget the plating! The fries were sitting cleanly in a basket with a faux newspaper wrap called ‘The Daily Fry’ celebrating all things french fry. Another special dish we were able to try was the Shrimp n Congee.  This is chef Dai’s twist on shrimp and grits. This has a smooth rice porridge with char xui pork, sauteed shrimp, and bacon. There is a ginger finish on this dish that is just right. Another common theme is present on this dish; the textures of porridge, shrimp, and bacon are just right and make enjoying your meal exciting from a whole different dimension.

As we dined, we learned more about chef Dai’s background and what goes into his great dishes.  One of our favorite things we learned was about his process for making pho. This was inspired through learning lessons from his grandmother.  Many places add msg instead of real broth. At Eighty8, the broth is made from ox tail, beef bones, and marrow creating a beef stock like none other.  It was served to us with a complement of hoisin and sriracha sauces. This pho was really incredible! I recently spent a little time in the Pacific Northwest and thought I had tried some of the best pho out there, but this blew me away.  I’d highly recommend this for any pho lovers looking for a version getting pretty darn close back to the dishes roots.

Chef also impressed us with a one of a kind Feasts and Spirit’s exclusive sushi roll.  This combined kani, shrimp tempura, cucumber, filet mignon, seared american cheese, truffle aioli, fried shallots, and cream cheese.  These flavors all fit together great and really impressed us. We loved the seared american cheese. This roll showed us the great versatility Eighty8 offers up on a nightly basis.

Eighty8 also offers a great full bar to complement their food.  We had a North Carolina craft beer and also a pretty delicious peach sangria to make the meal even better.  They have some great original cocktails, a good beer selection, and can make pretty much whatever favorites of yours you may request.

For dessert, we were presented with the Kay Yow dessert sushi roll.  This is a great dessert and goes towards a great cause. A portion of proceeds from each roll is contributed towards the foundation supporting cancer research.  It was a first for our blog to have a dessert sushi roll and I think this is something we could get used to. This had graham crackers, cream cheese, avocado, almonds, and a nice dot of strawberry jam.  These flavors and textures once again proved to complement themselves like no other dishes in our memory. We loved the textures created by the graham crackers, rice, and jam as we bit into these great treats.  Also a great option as a dessert for two!

Eighty8 has recently added a food truck which we are so excited to try.  Sushi is offered and this makes a great new option for the food truck scene.  A number of the other Eighty8 favorites will also be offered. Most of these dishes can be turned around very quickly, resulting in shorter wait times for their patrons.  We can’t wait to catch them while they’re out.

Eighty8 is the fourth restaurant that chef Dai has redone.  He has looked to improve each time and is taking his quest towards perfection into the food truck scene.  He repeatedly stressed attention to quality while we were there and see this reflected through freshness throughout his foods.  We most definitely appreciate the perspective chef Dai brings to food and we can’t wait to see what he continues to accomplish.

From his varied excellent food, to the amazing restaurant space, we always thoroughly enjoy every moment we spend at Eighty8.  We definitely recommend them highly in the Triangle area. This is a definite must for fans of fine dining!