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ãn
Categories: Restaurants Asian Fusion Restaurants Sushi Bars Asian Fusion, Sushi Bars [Edit]
2800 Renaissance Park PlCary, NC 27513
(919) 677-9229
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 2:30 pm
Mon-Thu 5 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Classy, Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Julia B. said: "Ok, it seems the management at Orchid has read their reviews and made some changes. I like it. Way to respond so well to criticisms! What have they done? They've altered the menu so that you can do things like make your own special…" read more »
85 reviews for ãn
Review Highlights
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"Oh yeah, and the panna cotta was made with vanilla extract..." In 3 reviews -
"This restaurant definitely lives up to its Asian fusion..." In 3 reviews -
"...spring rolls, squid salad, crab cakes, sashimi, and summer..." In 4 reviews
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85 reviews in English
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Review from Shannon P.
Raleigh, NC
1/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
Best sushi in Raleigh
I've been here a couple of times and have always been incredibly impressed. The menu truly offers something for everyone, so if you're not a sushi eater - no worries because there are plenty of Land options to try.
Last night we decided to dine at the sushi bar. This was a really nice change of atmosphere - we love watching them make the sushi yet still appreciate the high quality of service. Some places have you fill out a sushi form with a pencil and hand it over to the sushi chef (when at the bar)...not here. You still get the same professional service via water/wine steward while at the bar. Speaking of the wine steward, Charles is excellent. He's a new addition to the An team. High profile sommelier Hy, whom was written up in Wine Spectator magazine as one of the most notable up and coming sommelier's in Raleigh has moved on to The Umstead....note to self to dine here in the near future. At any rate, Charles is fantastic. We picked his brain for a recommendation for a very slightly off dry white wine to pair with our sushi. He suggested a couple of options and we ultimately went with the Poet's Leap Reisling from Columbia Valley, WA. It was EXACTLY what I was looking for - not sweet, but not dry. It was a perfect compliment to the sushi.
We tried something a little 'different' for us...we got the sushi/sashimi dinner for $38. Essentially the sushi chef selects 6-8 pieces of sashimi (fish - no rice) and 6-8 pieces of nigiri (fish over rice). I only take this route when I'm at a place that I KNOW has great sushi! Our selection last night for sashimi was: salmon, snapper, albacore, shrimp, and escolar. For nigiri: salmon, big eye tuna, and himachi. We also started with a himachi platter - paper thin hamachi with a sweet soy sauce and thinly sliced jalapenos. SO good. We also went with a white dragon roll (I think that was the name). It was okay - had crab cake and escolar. Rich loved it...me, not so much.
For dessert we shared a sauternes and the apple tarte tatin. Amazing dinner. It's a little steep in price but well worth it on occasion!Listed in: Date Night!
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Review from John D.
Chapel Hill, NC
5/2/2012
If you make less than $50k a year than this review is for you. There are better asian fusion dining experiences in the area for less money. This resturaunt is super stuffy, from the drab decor, to the rigid wait staff. I've got no problems with dropping 100$ on dinner, but I want to be happy about it when it's over. An just left me feeling empty and confused. Why is this food so expensive?
I ordered the Sichuan Pot for my entree (spelling might be off). It was various seafood thrown into a bucket with a broth of undistinguishable taste. Nothing is classier than reaching into your boiling hot bucket to pull the tails of your shrimp. A 30$ dollar entree I will never remember. My partner ordered some kind of pork which definitly resonated more than my bucket of chum. Yes, the pork was tasty; but I wasn't eating it, so who cares? For desert we shared a goat-cheese cheese cake topped with pistachio ice cream. The desert's excellence could be measured by my anger when my girlfriend swiftly pluked the last piece off of the plate. That was my last piece of cheese cake.
So why am I giving this place 2/5 stars when 2/3 items of food were outstanding? Simply put, I hate places like this. As I said earlier in my review, this place is not for people who make less than $50k a year. It's fine for the lawyers and bank managers of Cary, but I expect so much more from a 100$ meal. Go to Jujube in Chapel Hill if you want Asian fusion that resonates after the table has been cleared. An was truly "An" unremarkable experience. ZING! -
Review from Cara R.
Chapel Hill, NC
3/7/2012
Best sushi in Cary. Fun place for a date night and make sure to try the crab cakes.
I recently went here with my husband and my in-laws and really enjoyed the experience. We started with drinks and I had the ginger mojito-very well made and included a stick of fresh ginger.
We shared an appetizer platter and the sashimi was very nice, the crab cakes were amazing, and the spring rolls were perfect.
We shared several sushi rolls and they were all amazing. I can't wait to go back just for the sushi.
The wine list passed my father-in-law's inspection and we topped the night off with a decadent chocolate dessert.
Service was very nice and accommodating.
The only thing keeping me from giving this five stars was the lack of vegetarian options, but I guess that's what you get at an Asian fusion restaurant. -
Review from Romin B.
1/15/2012
For our 3 year anniversary, I deferred to my lovely lady for pick of restaurant and her choice was An. On final analysis, I was quite happy with the decision. An has a very nice ambiance and definitely fits the bill for a fine dining experience. Hostess took our jackets when we sat down, waiter offered to give my date a black napkin because she was wearing a black dress, all the little touches. I wasn't dressed casually by any means, but I was a little embarrassed I didn't formal it up more after walking in and seeing half the men in dress shirts and blazers.
Okay, onto the important stuff: the food. I wanted to try as much of the menu as possible, so I was eager to try the appetizer sampler ($19 pp). In that same vein, I also asked if I could order the tasting menu while my girlfriend ordered another dish. I realize that's the policy at some other places as well, but I was disappointed to learn they would only allow the tasting menu if the entire party orders it. Kind of flies in the face of my goal of trying as much as possible since we'd just get double portions of the same 5 dishes. Alas, we picked the street noodles and miso sea bass instead, which seemed like their 2 staples.
The appetizer sampler was delicious. First was 6-8 pieces of sashimi, which were thick cut and very fresh. It also included spring rolls, tuna tartare, shrimp and pork egg rolls and crab cakes. Both the spring rolls and egg rolls were good, but didn't exactly seem so much greater than a quality roll at your standard asian sit-down. The spring roll did come with a yummy peanut sauce. Tartare was tasty, but the crab cakes were the star. Best crab cake I've ever had with an equally delicious wasabi tartar sauce. Almost worth the appetizer sampler alone. We also separately ordered a sushi roll with spicy tuna, but it definitely seemed unnecessarily pricy for what it was. Definitely fresher than average, but by no means amazing.
For munchies, we got a ridiculous amount of edamame, as well as bread which I used to finish off the yummy peanut and wasabi sauces. Before the entrees was a pina colada sorbet palate cleanser which was incredible. Both my girlfriend and I loved it, and I don't even like pina coladas.
Both the entrees were definitely good, although stopped short of particularly memorable. I did think the chef found a great balance with maple syrup and miso for the sea bass glaze. I was worried it'd be overpowering, but it had a nice subtlety. As the most expensive dish on the menu and the entree most highly recommended, maybe I expected life-altering? The noodles were good as well, with shrimp and steak, but I didn't think they justified 3x the cost of a similar dish at 9n9.
For dessert, we ordered the lemon cheesecake and chocolate trio. I am a chocolate fiend, so the chocolate trio sounded like my dream dessert, with a chocolate sorbet, peanut butter chocolate tart, and molten chocolate cake. All 3 were delicious. The lemon cheesecake had an orange sorbet, and both were good, but not as much my cup of tea (I mean, come on, zero chocolate). The meal was capped with some chocolate-dipped fortune cookies which were certainly fine as a freebie.
I'd be remiss to not mention the service, which was outstanding. Our server was so friendly and funny, cracking jokes while being very attentive and offering good insight into the menu. The nicest touch was when he brought 2 extra pina colada sorbets after we finished dessert since my girlfriend kept raving about it.
All in all, it was a great and memorable experience. Not 5 stars because I don't think the dishes quite justified the high price tag. I spent $35 more here than Magnolia Grill even though one of our appetizers was comped for our anniversary. That being said, I did enjoy it significantly more than Magnolia. Could definitely see myself returning for a special occasion. I told my waiter as much and he said it doesn't need to be a special occasion. I guess he thought I might be the world's youngest neurosurgeon. -
Review from Narin N.
Boston, MA
5/7/2012
I was in Raleigh NC for a site visit since my dept is moving there, this was on the list of suggested restaurants, we went here since it was close to the umstead where we were staying. Coming from Boston, i didn't expect much and thats what I got, not much at all. 5 rolls and an appetizer, ~$159 and they didn't even have blue fin tuna, what a joke. Rolls were mediocre and the $45 app was a bento box...wtf. I guess ignorance is bliss, don't get sushi in the south.
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Review from Jeff S.
12/31/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I've been here twice, once with work folks and again on a date with the missus.
Both times my table-mates praised the awesomeness of the sea bass. I'm not a fish person myself, but I can attest that 3 people ate every single bite of a $35 fish dish, and proclaimed they WOULD get it again.
The table service is excellent and fitting, although I could do with less menus. One for the meal, one for the wine and sake, one for the cocktails, but this is a very small thing.
We had drinks, including a bottle fo sake, meal, and shared a dessert for $135 before tip. I thought that was a pretty good deal and worth the price,
I had a vegetarian noodle dish that I asked the server to make 'spicy.' She checked back after I started on it to see if it was OK, and it was indeed very good and spicy, although not anything close to a Thai hot.
I would recommend getting a reservation...or you could take a date to their bar for a classy place to start a fun night out. -
Review from tom B.
Wake Forest, NC
1/7/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I've been here both in event type dinners where the food was picked out for you or you had a limited selection to choose from or a full menu. I'm not as impressed as the rest of the people. The sushi is good, but it's more expensive for the same thing you can get at regular sushi houses that don't try to fusion it up.
I've had cooked dinners and sushi dinners here, and while it wasn't horrible food or anything I didn't appreciate the price (even though I didn't pay for it with my money, I took a customer here) or the quality of food charged for that price. I got Waigu beef one time and it was sliced in small strips for you and darned if I could tell why it was a big deal and I love steak and meat in general and can tell the difference between aged and high end grades of beef.
Best Sushi in raleigh as some of the other reviews state is a bit of a stretch, maybe in a 500 ft radius but I've had as good or better for lower prices elsewhere. -
Review from Matt C.
Cary, NC
12/4/2011
You will have a better experience if you can act pretentious. Stick your chest out (males and females), wear something that looks fashionable, and be a little rude. Act like you own the place and the waitstaff will treat you like a valued patron. In some ways it is a dose of big city right here in Cary.
Overall, the food is 4 star and the service, depending on the aforementioned point, can range from 1 to 5 stars. The setting is classy and sophisticated. Call for a reservation whenever possible, no matter the day. Better yet, have someone else call to make a reservation for you, and inform the wait staff that Mr. or Ms./Mrs. [your name here] desires to dine. -
Review from Tom K.
Durham, NC
3/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
Had lunch there yesterday. Was turned off by having to wait for over 10 minutes to be seated although the restaurant was less than half full. Our server Brandon did a good job, but the food wasn't all that great. For this price range I was expecting perfection and it was far from that. I'm being a little generous with the 3 star rating. Probably won't try this one again.
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Review from Christina R.
Brooklyn, NY
12/31/2011
Visiting my sister in North Carolina from NY, my husband & I decided we needed some real food after being forced to eat fast food while on the road. In search of sushi, this restaurant came highly recommended on yelp.
We walked in without a reservation. I had a back up restaurant in mind if we were turned away. We were told we could sit at the bar area or the sushi table and wait an hour for a seat. I reluctantly chose to sit in the bar area. (I'm not one for high chairs, I'm a grown woman). We ordered drinks that were very impressive. The waitress was kind enough to move us to a larger bar table with a little more privacy.
It was my sister's first time having sushi/sashimi so we ordered a sampler of both cooked food and raw food. Although the tastes were very tantalizing to our taste buds, it was a small portion for the price. For dinner my sister & I both ordered the duck and dumplings. Our food was cooked perfectly. The sauce was amazing but I don't think the mixed vegetables do the dish justice. My husband ordered the street noodles. He seemed very satisfied with his entree.
As we sat there, my sister pointed out that all of the tables around us were empty. Weird since it was a Friday night and they said they couldn't seat us at a table. I then went to the restroom on the other side of the restaurant, where I noticed that over half of the tables in the establishment were empty. We were there for almost 3 hours and during that time no one occupied most of the tables there. I DO NOT like being forced to eat at a bar. I understand if it's crowded, but it was 7pm on a Friday and 10pm when we left. At some point we could have received a table.
I give this place 4 stars for the food, drinks and the waitress. I didn't give it 5 because of the hostess' choice of seating (lacking a proper explanation when I inquired). -
Review from Liana L.
Yum yum yum. I'm SO GLAD I got the chance to go here, thanks to a local who graciously drove me and a friend alll the way from Durham. She had been raving about it for a while, and even sent me pictures (magret de canard + confit de canard! chocolate terrine with peppermint ice cream! COMPLIMENTARY macarons?!?!?!) I had huge, huge expectations for this place.
A tiny part of me expected to be disappointed at any moment; after all, could it really live up to the hype (albeit from only one person)? I've been craving French food ever since I got back and she assured me that this would do the trick. Spoiler - it didn't, but I didn't mind. It was incredibly delicious.
An is what it says it is - Asian fusion, and it would be silly to come here for French food. There are some definite French influences (the dessert, especially, the duck, and in the prolific use of butter), but the beauty of the food comes through the wonderful, delicious blend of French and Asian cuisine.
That said, I got the duck - five-spice (Chinese style) and confit de canard (which was delicious and tender, but not terrribly French as I expected). The buttered gai lan was superb, and the noodles were excellent with the sauce. Although it said it was five-spice, they definitely added other stuff. Five-spice is one of my favorite things to use in Chinese cooking, so I enjoyed the way that the dish came together so well. The confit was better than the magret, but no complaints - it was an overall excellent entrée. Oh - I also enjoyed the complimentary edamame and Indian bread with homemade unsalted butter. :D Contrary to other high-end restaurants, this was very filling.
My friend got the Street Vendor Noodles, which I had a bite of. Extremely flavorful and delicious, though very Asian. Haha.
I would say that dessert was the highlight of the dinner, but I can't reeally say that when the whole meal was so superb. But I'm pretty sure we got the best options - tarte tatin with cinnamon ice cream and coconut-banana spring rolls with passionfruit & chocolate fondue. I cannot describe how incredibly delicious both were. We were in raptures over the passionfruit fondue - wow. :) :) My friends reeally liked the cinnamon ice cream. The tarte tatin dessert was just bursting with different flavors and textures - what an excellent choice.
Our main motivation in coming here was the little dish of complimentary macarons before the check, but we got homemade chocolate-dipped fortune cookies instead. Pity. (Luckily, I had brought some macarons home from Ladurée, so we had macarons anyway :D). Despite our overwhelming disappointment, we still enjoyed the cookies. :) And before we knew it, three hours had passed smoothly and flawlessly.
If you're looking for Asian fusion, ãn would definitely hit the spot. It's really gorgeous (pretty bathrooms, classy wood-themed things) and the food is wonderful. I do have to say that the choices were definitely not created equal - some really jump out at you, whereas some seem more normal. Then again, they're probably really good too. :D -
Review from Charlene G.
Cary, NC
3/19/2012
Love the variety of dishes here. Not so excited about prices.
It's a great special occasion place though. Service and decor are top notch. Sushi is wonderful- as are the entrees and desserts. -
Review from Nadia S.
11/30/2011
I would actually give them a 3.5
I thought that the ambiance was really nice, esp. for Cary. Everything leading up to main entree was pretty good. The sushi was very good- but were extremely overpriced. The lobster wagyu roll was def amazing, but not as amazing as the one at Sunda in Chicago!! The entrees were not that memorable... at all. My salmon was way too fishy (quite a shame), but my mom got the shrimp and grits and they were pretty good. Service was good, not great- waitress was awkward lol.
I'll probably go back, but only to try their drinks and for their sushi.... probably wouldn't get any dinner entrees, mainly bc they lack something quite important- TASTE. Sorry An, I want to love you but gdamn yal need to drop your prices for the quality of food u are offering... -
Review from Tom R.
Pittsboro, NC
12/23/2011
Great food and a great waiter. Would be 5 stars except it was a little loud. Holiday parties were probably the issue.
My wife and a guest had duck and both said it was the best they had ever had. I had grouper and it was very good also.
This is my 2nd time and I'll be back! -
Review from Kathryn E.
Durham, NC
10/25/2011
Excellent fine dining experience + Awesome atmosphere= Great night.
Flawless service, didn't miss a beat.
Food was excellent, fresh, beautifully presented. Had lots of fun "extras" including complimentary edamame, bread, sorbet between appetizers and main entree, and macaroons at the end of the meal. We tried the crab appetizer, lamb chops and 2 sushi rolls- all of it was perfect.
Highly recommend this place. Can't wait to go back. -
Review from Michael H.
Raleigh, NC
9/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Another great surprise! It could have been a perfect disaster with the rather high-end looking digs set in one of those slightly-too-cutesy Cary planned villas, but ãn really delivered on the food.
I did the chef's choice sushi on one visit and a tuna dish on another, and both of them were spectacular. The sushi chef knows what he's doing, and whoever is in the kitchen is willing to take some well-calculated chances. Even the desserts showed culinary daring, and it paid off.
ãn isn't a cheap date by any means, but it's well worth it. -
Review from Arry Y.
9/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Very pretty restaurant with uptight older people left and right. Older meaning 45+. The servers all say sir and ma'am - which I found a little unsettling.
We ordered their Imperial Rolls to start with - which btw, are fried. They tasted good - but I, for some reason, was imaging those fresh rolls.
I ordered a salad and a couple of handrolls. I ordered a spicy scallop hand roll - one of my favorites, but when it came, it came naked. Buck naked. Just scallops rolled up. No spicy creamy sauce anywhere to be seen. I pointed it out to the server - he brought me a bowl of the sauce that was supposed to mixed with the scallops in the handroll. Dude. That doesn't work. Plus the handroll is very expensive - do it right! I sent it back - and asked for it the way it supposed to be served. Got it sorta done right (sauce spilled into the roll, not redone) - but having experienced that deserves a negative star. You got downgraded from 4 to 3 for that.
My beau ordered the Saigon Street Noodles. He ate everything - and thought it was de-freaking-licious. So I'd say that dish is a winner.
Their cocktails are good. The Panna Cotta was very good too - I'm always a sucker for those desserts - not very "Asian" though. More Italian in my book. *shrug* -
Review from jenny k.
Sherman Oaks, CA
10/26/2011
My bf and I came here to celebrate our 3yr anniversary. I guess he mentioned it when making reservations because the maitre d' and server wished us a happy anniversary. That was a nice touch that started off the evening right.
Getting to the food, I'm a vegetarian and it was surprisingly tough to find an upscale restaurant in the RDU area that had options that weren't just vegetables and mushrooms! Good thing An had plenty of vegetarian friendly entrees and starters.
We ordered the tempura vegetable roll as an appetizer, which was delicious and not too fried. I ordered the Saigon Street Vendor Noodles with tofu and my bf had the Lamb Chops. The combination of rice noodles, ribboned vegetables, and sauteed tofu were good, but not great. It wasn't very flavorful and I found myself reaching over for the polenta cake and roasted beets on my bf's plate. He was happy with his choice and said it was the perfect portion of lamb. We got a complimentary dessert with our meal, and chose a tiered French chocolate cake/pastry. It was also good, but not great. I sort of wish we ordered the Fuji Apple Tart. Next time!
The little freebies with the meal (edamame, sorbet palate cleanser, bread puff) and excellent service will bring me back to An. Thanks for a lovely meal! -
Review from Foodie G.
Raleigh, NC
2/27/2012
Good food but bad customer service. The waitstaff are alright, but the management is no good. Very stuck up.
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Review from Heather B.
Raleigh, NC
Divine Sushi
Visit: December 16
After visiting the Rembrandt in America exhibit, Andy and I were in the mood for Asian (Andy) and sushi (me) and decided to try something new. Yelp to the rescue. An was one of the search results and was only a few miles away from the NC Museum of Art. I was very impressed with the décor as soon as I walked into the restaurant...very chic, clean lines, and visual warmth. The hostess stand made of a deep mahogany wood was beautifully decorated with flowers and candles. We showed up at about 12:15 and there were no tables available until 1:30 pm. Holiday parties or is this place always this busy for lunch? Hmm. BUT there were seats available at the sushi bar. Great! We took them. I was very excited about all the yummy options on the menu....so many delicious sounding choices. I finally decided on the White Dragon Roll and ebi sashimi. Andy ordered the Diablo Chicken. He ordered a cup of coffee while we waited for our meal. He told me he was disappointed in the coffee because it was weak. It took a little while for our food to arrive but I suspect that was because the entire restaurant was full. It was entertaining to watch the chefs prepare the sushi orders. They were like artists...creating yummy masterpieces. (Yea, I was feeling artsy after the museum tour.) I had a feeling my order was up when the sushi chef got out the little torch and fired one of the rolls because the escolar on top of the White Dragon Roll is torched. Yep, it was shortly delivered to me. I was thoroughly impressed with the presentation of the roll and ebi... attractive and appetizing. AND it tasted even better than it looked! Fabulous! The white tuna on top of the roll was the best I have had in the Triangle. The jumbo lump crab stuffing was so good too. Each individual ingredient was high quality and tasted amazing but when the whole combination of ingredients was put together, the roll was divine. Andy told me his chicken was very tender and he really enjoyed the peppers and roasted cashew sauce. While we were eating, the manager stopped by to ask about our meals. Before leaving, I stopped by the restroom. I normally don't comment on bathrooms but this bathroom was clean and handsomely decorated. There were vases of potpourri, nice smelling candles burning, and big fluffy hand napkins. Just nice and elegant. Our waitress, Christina, was attentive, sweet, and efficient. She did charge another's bill to our credit card but she quickly fixed the problem giving us the voided receipt and sincerely and profusely apologized.
The sushi was great and I can't wait to go back. If you like sushi and Asian fusion, I recommend An. -
Review from Nadia K.
Cary, NC
1/16/2012
Just had a great birthday dinner with my girlfriends at An. Great service and yummy food. Had the crab cakes which were delish. Portions are on the small side which is great for girls, might be a bit light for guys. Loved the chocolate trio for dessert. A bit pricy but nice for a snazzy dinner out, lovely ambiance.
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Review from Robert T.
Fairfax, VA
8/27/2011
An has very good food, and is an excellent place for team dinners or corporate events -- especially the private rooms in the back.
Foods that were popular amongst my groups included: Asparagus Basket, Imperial Rolls, Miso Sea Bass, Filet, and Scallops. The sushi is good, too.
I visited 5+ times between 2009 and 2011 and the experience (food, service, fun) was good to excellent each time. -
Review from Gregory M.
Apex, NC
Updated - 11/21/2011
Recently I returned to ãn with a business associate and a visiting manager from Texas. We were looking for an outstanding local place nearby, with a good wine list. While there are several places with fit that bill but we chose ãn given his hotel was also nearby and I knew their menu would provide a wide range of options.
Upon entering he was interested in the decor, the name, and was impressed by the seating staff. As usual, shortly after being seated, the waiter for the evening introduced himself and took our drink orders. I had their out of the world Ginger Mojito, which is one of my favorite cold drinks of all time. I could easily have 3 or 4 of these with a meal there but only if someone else is driving home! They serve the Ginger Mojito with a slice of raw sugar cane as a stir stick so you can chew on the sugar cane if you choose for a little zip of added sugar. These are SO GOOD and smooth! After reviewing the menu, I had their Maine Sea Diver Scallops which are wrapped in bacon and cooked perfectly! The bacon adds a wonderful flavor to the scallops which I slowly cut into small pieces to savor each morsel. The presentation is perfect as the scallops arrive on a colorful bed of puree - you gotta try them! The service here is ALWAYS flawless, on the mark and attentive. Upon leaving, the manger thanked us for choosing such a great location for dinner and I could tell he was impressed.
My only concern at ãn is for the acoustic environment. Being inside the wonderfully designed rooms with high ceilings with lots of glass and hard reflective surfaces, this creates a very LOUD space that makes hearing conversations right across the table difficult - especially when they place is busy. Sometimes when at peak, you have to lean forward or ask the guests to repeat themselves - many times and I know my hearing is exceptional. My suggestions, for ãn, is to do some research and hire an acoustic engineer to analyze the areas and then make recommendations for the placement of many of the styles of decorative silencing acoustic panels, such as are used in upscale home theaters, as needed to quite these rooms by several decibels. This also goes for the private party rooms. I know people with hearing aids will find it impossible to hear the conversations and for a restaurant with such polish, and which consistently ranks in the TOP restaurants in this area, this small change is something entirely viable and doable. I know it would make many people's already good experiences here much more hear-able. It would also be a great way to add outstanding artwork to the hard walls and soften the location. These panels have come a long way in the last few years thanks to the home theater industry where those older solid colored grey or brown panels just would not cut it.
If you don't know what I mean, then hop over here and surf around - http://www.home-theate...
I'm not endorsing this company nor do I have any association with them, nor have I ever done business with them but you can get a feel for what's possible by reviewing their site.
Cheers1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/12/2011
We've eaten at ãn now twice, once on 1/15 and again on 4/20 - both special occasions and were overly… Read more »
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Review from Alex N.
5/15/2011 1 photo
I would be remiss if I failed to check this place out. With a name like "an" it had better be authentically authentic.
I started off at the bar, which is a cool setting, but a little boring. If you're there by yourself for some reason, bring your blackberry or a date. When the fiancee arrived, we made our way into the dining room and ordered up some more drinks and appetizers. As is requisite for us when eating Vietnamese, we ordered the Viet Rolls (aka summer rolls, fresh shrimp rolls, or goi cuon). Even for $8 I expected only 2 rolls at this high-end establishment. Instead we got three cut in half.. and they were spot on. The wrapper wasn't tough and it was tightly wrapped. The dipping sauce could've used a little flair, maybe a little heat to kick it up a notch. The crab napoleon was a little too much appetizer for me. While it was good, it was far too much crab. Not a problem for you crab lovers, but after the rolls, we weren't leaving room for the mains.
I ordered the Saigon Street Noodles, which is a neatly presented bowl of yumminess. The flavors didn't get lost in each other, even with the long list of ingredients. Even the hint of fish sauce and lime wasn't enough to overwhelm. The fiancee got the pork shank, which rated well with her, but fell short of my noodles.
A perfect panna cotta is always on my radar, so when one appeared on the dessert menu, I jumped at the chance to try it. Then, I thought it was an odd menu item (panna cotta lacks Asian-ness). Still, I went through with it and was pleasantly surprised. With a bit of a non-traditional presentation, in a old-fashioned glass layered with chocolate mousse and tapioca pudding. Ah.. the joys of tapioca-- and not that store bought crap. All I can say is that it was super good, if not a little bit heavy after all those layers. Ahh and I nearly forgot to mention the tapioca crisp on top.. almost exactly like the one used in a savory dish at Herons.. fantastic.
Decor is modern with hints of a vintage Asian village look. I'd consider it for home interiors. Bar drinks are on the expensive side (avoid the Rickshaw.. Asian mojito?), but the area is perfect for bar dining.
5 stars. I like the take on Asian food. While a lot of the menu leans toward Vietnamese, there a lot of non-Viet items from everywhere up and down the Asian seaboard. -
Review from Alex N.
Holly Springs, NC
3/7/2011 ROTD 11/8/2011
I took my parents out to ãn for lunch on the 2nd of March.
My stepfather had the Diablo chicken, which was a massive tempura-battered chicken breast that came with a tangy, spicy sauce sprinkled with sesame seeds that he refused to partake of (but mom and I joyfully did, sooo goood). Mom had the flounder fillet with steamed baby bok choy drizzled with what I think was oyster or fish sauce (I am going to ruthlessly filch that idea for my own, oh yes), and I had ãn's take on beef pho.
Their "take" consisted of using filet mignon instead of a cheap cut of meat, adding a mysterious and delicious some-kind-of-chili-pepper-in-oil sauce to the typical lineup of sriracha and hoisin -- by the way, I would have eaten Mysterious Third Sauce with a spoon were it not for the very hot, very slow burn that came with it -- aaaaaaaaand omitting the paper thin slices of yellow onion that usually come with the condiment plate.
Honestly, it was delicious, served properly (condiments on the side, unlike other places in the Triangle that put everything into the frigging broth except for the hoisin and the sriracha), and wasn't skimpy portion-wise at all. I'm not buying it again, though, as some of the things they did here to potentially attract the unadventurous Caryites didn't jive with me.
Filet mignon swoons, clutches its pearls, and loses the will to taste good when menaced by hot liquid that isn't cooking oil or a finishing sauce. The only bites I got out of the meat that tasted like meat were the ones I got right after it was served -- when they were still steak tartare-stage. I ate all of the slices, because, well, I was going to get my money's worth, goddammit, but the heat of the broth cooked the thin, delicate meat instantly, and the flavor of the broth (which was conservatively spiced by the chef) overpowered the slices that I couldn't get to from the start.
As for dessert, my stepdad had the molten chocolate cake, mom got the Vietnamese coffee creme caramel, and I got the ginger-passionfruit panna cotta with tapioca pearls.
Let me say this: I sincerely, sorely regret not going with my first instinct and getting the molten chocolate cake. The two bites my stepdad allowed me to have before jealously guarding the rest of his prize dessert blew me away.
Now, the dessert I had, which was a three-layer dealie consisting of tapioca pearls over ginger-passionfruit gel over panna cotta, would've been good had it been just panna cotta topped with ginger-passionfruit gel, or panna cotta topped with tapioca pearls. The gel and the tapioca wiped the flavor of the panna cotta out completely.
Oh yeah, and the panna cotta was made with vanilla extract/flavoring, not vanilla bean. I don't know if it's some kind of psychosomatic illusion I'm buying into on my part, but to me, there is a difference in taste -- though this wouldn't even have been something I'd cared about had it not been for the other factors making this dessert less than enjoyable.
These were the only real quibbles I had. Everyone else's food was great! My main dish was good, and the dessert was a miss for me.
The service was excellent, and the restaurant itself was lovely.
All that aside, yes, four stars in spite of my criticism. This is definitely a quality restaurant, but everybody has weak points, and I know what menu items I'll be dodging next time around. -
Review from Dae Y.
11/15/2011
i had the equivalent vietnamese bun (boon) dish. it was quite tasty. i think they got the right balance of flavors in the ingredients in the bowl. and then i expected it to be served either cold or room temperature, but i guess folks aren't used to that, so our waiter made sure to say "my favorite way to have it served it at room temperature", and i was thinking "like you would serve it hot??? wtf." and i made sure to ask if the fish sauce was served on the side. because that's how the vietnamese places in seattle serve it. and there are a ton of great viet places in seattle.
the 'fresh rolls' dish is deep fried. we made the mistake of thinking they would be served cold, not-deep fried. but they were still good. the dipping sauce is flavorful and balanced, not overpowering at all. -
Review from Alex W.
Irvine, CA
1/18/2012
My review is for the sushi which was fresh and very good. I ordered the sashimi sampler which had a good selection of fish and was a good value. In addition, I also ordered amaebi and the sea scallops, both of which were excellent. Service was also excellent and they brought many little threats including edamame, good bread and corn bread, as well as the best gourmet fortune cookie I ever had. The place is a little pricey but the quality of the food and the service justify it.
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Review from Melodie S.
Cary, NC
Updated - 2/3/2011
After lackluster pho experiences triangle-wide, I rolled the dice and ordered up the Pho An (take-out), described on the menu as Pho An:
Beef Tenderloin, Shrimp, Rice Noodles, Bean Sprouts, Cinnamon, Cilantro, Jalapeno, Hoisin Sauce, Sriracha. It was all that and more. This is the best pho you will find around here, particularly at lunchtime. Not cheap at $12, but when I want pho, I want it and the price tag is of little consequence. It is really really good, y'all, thought you should know.
And Michael Chuong, please consider my request for you to open a Pho Shop somewhere, anywhere in Raleigh. You would clean up, my friend:)Listed in: So You're Moving to Cary..., Top Restaurants
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5/23/2008
White tuna nigiri from heaven. This place rocks- (in Cary?). It is an asian fusion concept which… Read more »
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Review from Caroline S.
Durham, NC
4/30/2011
An is a beautiful special occasion restaurant in Cary. The food and service is terrific.
Enjoyed the many small complimentary items during dinner: edamame, sorbet between appetizer and main course, puri (bread with butter) and macaroons (with the check).
Tried their appetizer sampler, which for 2 people is more than enough for 4 people. The sampler has spring rolls, squid salad, crab cakes, sashimi, and summer rolls. For a main course I had 2 sushi rolls: Land & Sea (Filet Mignon, Shrimp Tempura, Cucumber, Avocado, Spicy Cream Sauce), for $12 it was a great, filling roll with a nice flavor and the Spicy Tuna Roll (Chopped Tuna, Spicy Mayo, Cucumber, Avocado) which missed the mark...chopped tuna lacked some flavor and texture. Also tried the Saigon Noodles (Beef Sliced Filet Mignon, Grilled Shrimp, Lemongrass, Onions, Imperial Roll, Peanuts, Cucumber, Rice Noodles, Nuoc Cham, Scallion Oil, Pickled Vegetables) for $20 was one of the best values on the menu, both filling and full of great flavor.
The decor and ambiance is fantastic. Heck, walking into the bathroom i like walking into a spa. -
Review from Magie L.
12/4/2010 8 photos
My husband and I finally got a chance to try this restaurant the night before Thanksgiving's Day. We had made reservations, but it probably wasn't necessary for this night because I don't think there were more than 6 tables filled.
The restaurant has a very grand presence. The huge entrance is covered so if it's raining you can keep your clothes pretty. The interior is just as gorgeous as the interior. The decor is well done, and the beautiful floating sculpture at the ceiling was the icing on the cake. We had dressed up nicely, seeing as though we don't get many nights out without the boy, and I think we would have felt under dressed otherwise.
I was surprised when I looked over the menu for 2 reasons. I didn't know much about the cuisine before I arrived, and I thought the items offered were quite diverse. I was also surprised how cheap many of the entrees were, compared to some of the reviews I had read previously. I had gotten the impression all the dishes would be $40+ and I'd be spending an arm and a leg, but there were some very tasty sounding entrees for less than $20.
So many items sounded interesting, but I finally decided on the Lamb & Pad Thai. I like Pad Thai and order it often at Thai restaurants, but I usually order it tofu only. I've never seen it offered with lamb before. My husband ordered the Kakuni Pork Shank, which sounded really good as well.
They brought out 2 free appetizers while we waited for our entrees, some salted edamame and some warm flat bread. The edamame was difficult to eat neatly. One of the little soybeans went flying when I tried to extract it from the pod. I would have preferred them to be out of the pod to begin with so I could eat them nicely. The flat bread was plain but still good, and came with a pot of whipped salted butter.
Our entrees arrived within a fairly quick amount of time, considering how much must have been involved with the preparation. My Pad Thai didn't smell exactly like pad thai normally does. It wasn't a very authentic dish, but it still had a really good taste to it. The lamb was very tasty too, but didn't seem to match the Pad Thai at all. That was, until I started using the chutney. Once I mixed the chutney in, the whole dish was really brought together. It also brought in a fantastic spicy, fruity flavor to the whole thing, getting much spicier than Pad Thai usually gets. I was really impressed with my meal.
My husband's Kakuni pork shank wasn't nearly as good. I tried it, and it was good. Certainly not a terrible disappointment if ordered at any other restaurant. But compared to the hype of this restaurant, and how awesome my entree was, he was a bit let down. He said next time he'd probably go for the Polynesian chicken or Filet Mignon.
The desserts were a bit pricey at $8 each, but since it's so rare for us to get out for a romantic dinner, we decided to each get one. I got the Lemon White Chocolate Terrine, and my husband got the Dulce de Leche Creme Caramel. My dessert was super rich and delicious, and very pretty as well. But on this one my husband won, his dessert was like heaven on a spoon. It had a rich, deep, coffee and caramel flavor and had the most silky texture imaginable.
With two entrees at $24 and $19, and two desserts at $8 each, we ended up spending a lot less than I was thinking when we made the reservation. The atmosphere is really perfect for a romantic evening out and I think if we get a chance for a night like this again, we'll definitely be coming back for the Filet Mignon and Polynesian chicken. -
Review from James S.
Apex, NC
3/23/2011 1 photo
Why three stars for such a well known culinary success? Easy, lack of courtesy for its customers. I decided to visit ãn while family was in town, since we're all suckers for an impeccable meal. We made a reservation well in advance, and arrived on time for check-in. Ultimately we ended up waiting nearly 30 minutes to be seated, and I remind you we HAD a reservation. This is not acceptable unless you're checking into a restaurant at Disney World...it's par for the course there...
Once seated though, the food lived up to the hype. Not spectacular, but creative, and extremely tasty. -
Review from Jane Y.
11/19/2010 Seated via OpenTable 2 Check-ins Here
You come here for the atmosphere. You pay for the atmosphere. You pay for the service. You pay for your waitress looking for you weirdly when you are not being classy. STAY. CLASSY. be forewarned.
I came here for lunch and for the saigon noodle salad. Portion size - classy avg = butt tiny for me. I finished it and could have gotten a big mac. The flavour of it is alright. Don't judge me as someone who can't appreciate fine dining, oh I do. However I'm the anthony bourdain type of foodie, don't confuse that with just a picky snoody eater. They called the fish sauce as scallion oil to make it sound fancy. nah yo, it's fish sauce. ain't no scallion oil in there. I mean...It just wasn't the best rice noodle salad I've had. I can get something THRICE its size at pho far east and still pay less. AGAIN, you pay for the atmosphere.
My lunch mates, one got the shrimp pad thai. That actually looked really good, and wasn't ketchup sauced.
The other one for the tuna 6 ways or something. uhm.....i dunno. It was just 6 dinky pieces of tuna made differently..definitely wasn't enough for lunch.
OH and we got the white tiger roll to share. It was really small..and over-sauced. The flavour was good, but too much sauce!! I like my rolls fishy and plain, to appreciate the natural flavours of the raw fish. I mean what's the point of using A+++++ sashimi grade escolar if you are just gonna soak it in spicy mayo? ..makes no sense to me.
Last time:
You come here for the atmosphere and feeling important. -
Review from Brit B.
Raleigh, NC
10/2/2010
I've had two very separate experiences at An. The first being back in June when my company held a client event in the back room. The service was great. The food was really good - we opted for a hot food table and a cold/sushi table and 4 wines served by their sommelier. I would do this again in a heartbeat. Our guests really enjoyed themselves and we didn't have to spend a fortune.
My other experience is eating at An for lunch with co-workers on several occasions. I don't recommend their sushi for fellow sushi snobs like me. Yesterday, I had a California Roll which they made super thin, about half as thick as what I get at Tokyo House or Waraji. The toro sashimi had a tough gristle inside it which can happen anywhere but certainly didn't help. The sashimi pieces (toro, escolar, salmon) were also pretty small in my opinion.
On the plus side: The french press coffee is the BOMB. Get a large if you want more than 2 small cups out of it. Their salads are usually really good. And my co-workers rave about the bento box lunch special which changes regularly. -
Review from Matthew G.
Durham, NC
2/18/2011
Went to An with my fiancee for Valentine's day based on the fact that their menu was inspiring for the price and that we had never been before. We were amazed at how nice the ambiance of the restaurant is. The noise given our seating location (near the sushi bar) was moderate though not so much that we couldn't hear one another.
Our waiter was very professional and polite. After having looked over the main menu and the Valentine's menu and quizzing our waiter on if we could mix and match, we decided to go with the main menu.
We started with their sampler platter for two which I believe is the first photo in the Yelp photo groups. We felt it was a good deal as you get about 4-5 items each with at least 2 pieces. We really like the fresh sashimi and the offering of dips/chutneys that were provided for the rolls.
After that, we had our main dishes coming. I went with a Vietnamese Street Vendor Noodle dish which was a hodgepodge of items. I didn't see Pho on the menu but would have tried it. My fiancee decided on the Scallops with Pumpkin Puree and Wilted Arugula. She really, really enjoyed it as she never had that combination before.
When the time for dessert came, I was really hoping to try their baked Alaska. Having seen version of it, but never having had it before, we were told that it was being offered and so we settled on that. I must say that it was very tasty, but I guess I was expecting something larger. We enjoyed the tableside flambee though and another plus was that the total was still less than if we had gone the holiday menu route.
In summary, we both really liked our restaurant experience at An. From the food, to the ambiance, to the service, it really was a great experience on a special night out. I'm surprised it doesn't get more press than it does. -
Review from Lily P.
8/19/2010
YUMMMMMM...
you walk in and this place is beautiful, the waitresses were professional and the girl at the bar was dressed sexy but classy.
We got the starter that had EVERYTHING...seafood, amazing crab cakes (even the maryland guys thought so), spring rolls, viet rolls, sashimi, white tuna that melted in your mouth, etc etc etc.
We had a dinner with the 12 of us with beautiful food from rolls, to lamb, i got the salmong, etc. The treats at the end were warm chocolate chip cookies straight from the oven, sorbet...We had french pressed coffee. I loved everything we ate that night and most had a small twist on it..All the meats were perfectly cooked and none of them were too heavy or overpowerfuling seasoning. I would love to go again once I find the time.
Beautiful date place, formal dinner, birthday dinner..worth every penny.
best place in NC ive had. we also catered it at another company event and they had great rolls with soft shelled crab and beautiful displace of avocado being used. -
Review from Mike J.
Cary, NC
7/1/2010 2 photos
Very pleasant dining experience with another couple, 6/29/2010. Efficient, solicitous service, without being intrusive.
I liked absolutely everything I put in my mouth, but I am not possessed of an overly-discriminating palate.
First time at An, and my Crush and I agreed we would return. -
Review from Alec H.
Chicago, IL
11/3/2010
This restaurant definitely lives up to its Asian fusion title. There are a variety of eclectic dishes and beverages, and the dining atmosphere is modern. The location is not downtown, but if you can drive and have exhausted your downtown options it's worth it.
I do meatless Mondays so I had a vegetarian spicy eggplant which was very filling, while I admired the seafood on my colleagues' plates. An has bottles of one of my favorite beers, heineken, and a long list of appetizers (which are pricy compared to the entrees which are more reasonable). However, they have a few starters which are free of charge (at least they were for us) so we didn't miss the appetizers anyway.
If I'm in Raleigh again, I'd come here again if my schedule permits. -
Review from Irene T.
Gold Canyon, AZ
5/11/2009
In Cary area for a short visit with friends, and AN is supposed to be one of the best restaurants around the Triangle. (check out my reviews for Phoenix, if you ever want to dry out.) The entance is simple and nice. The hostess left her smile at home as did our waitress. We were only one of four tables, so they should have been happy to see us. Besides the mediocre food, attitude was our chief complaint.
We both ordered the obento lunch. A small salad was OK except that the dressing was very sweet. The box consisted of rice, green beans, fruit, tempura shrimp and curry beef.
In this class of restaurant, I would expect the fruit to be better. I'd expect sweet, local strawberries. It's May after all, the heart of strawberry season in NC. The berries were just like the ones I bought in the supermarket in Phoenix last week. The cantaloupe & pineapple were OK,
not especially sweet or juicy. The green beans were OK. The curry beef was tasty, soft & had lots of colored peppers in it. The tempura was unlike any tempura or fried shrimp I've ever had. The 1/4 inch thick coating was crisp on the outside and spongy on the inside. Yes, spongy!It came with a sweet sauce.
We didn't stay for dessert. Perhaps the sushi is better. I probably won't return to find out. -
Review from khaos s.
Raleigh, NC
10/21/2011
From all the glowing reviews that I saw about this place, my fiancee and I decided to try it out last week. We are trying to find the best sushi and thai restaurants that RTP has to offer since moving down here in July. The search continues after eating here.
For an appetizer, we shared the seaweed salad. It came with a very miniscule amount of seaweed salad on top of a huge bowl filled with ice. It was at that moment that I knew the prices on the menu were extremely overpriced for the portions we were about to receive.
For the entree (sushi rolls), we decided to get 2 rolls each. Every other restaurant we went to down here, we haven't been able to finish two rolls without an appetizer. At ãn, the rolls are tiny with barely any fish and/or extras. The combinations on the menu are really interesting, but the rolls that we had, I couldn't taste the fish, crab, mango, avocado and other various ingredients that were in our rolls. We were very disappointed. The lack of taste in the rolls and the lack of actual sushi that you receive was insane. The prices are way too high. At the end of my meal, I was actually still hungry, as well as my fiancee (she is 100 lbs, and I'm 170 so it's not like we have freakishly monstrous appetites).
Our waiter was on top of things, but he would only ask me questions or come to me for things. He completely ignored my fiancee the entire time we were there. I think he only acknowledged her to ask her for a drink and her meal order. He was not rude in any means, but we found it to be disrespectful to only communicate through me and disregard her.
Our bill for the evening came to $90, which was absurd for the amount of food we received (and we drank water the whole night). This is the first sushi restaurant that I have vowed to never come back to.
If you're a laid back person, then you probably won't like this place. I read reviews about it being "uppity" and decided to give it a shot anyways. It is very "uppity". The say "Sir" whenever talking to you. He didn't talk to my fiancee, but if he did, we probably would have said "Ma'am". I don't mind paying exorbitant money for good food that is worth it and plentiful, but this was neither. Small portions, VERY expensive compared to the portion you receive. Don't be fooled by their sushi menu. They don't put in enough ingredients in the rolls for you to taste it at all.
I will never return again, which is unfortunate because I have never said that about any restaurant before =( My sushi search continues on.... -
Review from Sheri T.
Wake Forest, NC
2/12/2010
Call me a smitten kitten if you will, but if I could, I would move into An and live there. I'm the kinda girl who's in love with decorative stuff and anything that comes in miniature. An has a sort of simple elegance to their style of decorating...lots of rich woods, tile in the bathroom that resembles bamboo, lots of white dishes, a beautiful patio area outside that has a fireplace and heaters for the chillier evenings, and lots of clean lines....I loved it.
Since I went with a group from work, we naturally started with an appetizer...I have to be honest, since I arrived late with my carpool group and had menu-stalked before arriving for lunch I really didn't look at the menu well enough to know what the name of the appetizer was; however, it was a nice sampler platter of sashimi, spring rolls, crab cakes (out of this world), a type of fried egg roll type thing, the accompanying sauces, and a killer mix between a seaweed salad and a calamari salad (both of which I would fight for on a normal occasion) that was presented in a bowl that was sitting on top of a glass with a LIVE beta fish swimming in it....and for an extra $6 you can eat said beta...craziness!
As for the main dish I thought for sure I'd order sushi or the bento box, but I went with the Pho Ha Noi. I'm a big fan of Pho and have my friend Christina G to thank for that...this one had a delicious consomme; the standard accompaniments of cilantro, basil, lime, jalapenos, and bean sprouts; the meat is the absolute most deliciously tender Filet Mignon I have ever eaten...period.
Now dessert...I wasn't going to have any because frankly, I had so much Pho I was filled to the brim and had to take home a doggie bag. However, we had to get the Belgian Chocolate Macadamia Cookies, which came highly recommended by someone in our group that had eaten there already. Do not pass these up! I don't even like to eat cookies when they're warm, but these were heaven. Served to you in a Chinese takeout box turned on it's side on a white dish, they take 15 minutes to make (fresh from the oven, after all), so make sure to plan ahead on this one.Listed in: Asian Restaurants of the…
