I spent four glorious years in Chapel Hill – not nearly long
enough. During my time there, my meals consisted of delicious sorority house
cooking, and brunches at Elmo’s and Sutton’s Drug Store. Though I’ve always been
a foodie, I didn’t exactly have $30 to spend on an entrée at Lantern, but the
restaurant’s reputation always intrigued me. Executive Chef Andrea Reusing is
the 2011 winner of the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southeast. The James Beard Awards are the Oscars of the food world. In addition, the restaurant has
been featured in numerous publications, including Southern Living and Gourmet Magazine. When an opportunity to dine at Lantern finally presented itself last
week, I couldn’t have been more thrilled.
The only reservation
time available on a Tuesday was at 5:30pm. When you’re in NYC, dinner isn’t
until 9 or 10pm, but down South, I’m totally fine being an early bird. By the
time we left, each table was full. Minimalistic décor and Chinese lanterns (how
appropo) adorn the quaint restaurant. The back bar is dark, romantic and cozy.
There’s even a small stone garden outside, perfect for meditating, or settling
into your food coma. In a Wall Street Journal article published last year,
Reusing said “Fusion became a stand-in for confusion,” so she makes a point to
stay true to Asian flavors, and doesn’t “Americanize” her menu.
Our server was very well-versed in dinner specials and
prices. I began my Lantern experience with the Cunning Kimono, a crisp and
refreshing cocktail consisting of jasmine flower vodka, fresh lemon and honey.
It was garnished with a lemon curl, and tasted earthy, in a good way.
I had extremely high expectations for Lantern, and for the
most part, they were met. It’s been open for 10 years, so it’s not a secret
anymore – this place (and Chef Reusing) have quite the reputation now. And we
should all be proud to have a James Beard winner so close to home.
I feel that your review of this restaurant is a little innaccurate if not a flat out lie. I would like to know who is paying you for this review of such a shotty restuarant.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you had a different experience than I did. I'm not getting paid for this blog, it's recreational.
ReplyDelete