5 out of 5 stars

Peking Garden was a great find- I daresay a hidden gem. Though it lies on the corner of a not-so-savory strip mall, the interior has a kind of log-cabin vibe with a pretty koi pond. It would be a great date location.

It was hard to choose what to order because Peking Garden offers a large menu, including the recent addition of a few Thai dishes and a nice selection of vegetarian items. I ordered Kung Pao Chicken, my usual order at my local place. Mom tried some Hunan chicken. My chicken was velvet-tender, with water chestnuts, peanuts, fresh zucchini and celery. Sprinkled within were two types of peppers, the dried red ones and sliced jalapenos. The chicken is not coated and fried like other places, it was lightly sauteed in a flavorful sauce. My lips were quite warm enjoying what I normally have gotten as the mild version.

Kung Pao Chicken

I ordered hubby some Mala tofu and some hot and sour soup to take home. He enjoyed both and found them quite spicy! So if they tell you something is spicy, don’t doubt it, but you can certainly order it mild like my mom did. Both the brown and white rice were an ideal consistency, slightly sticky and not dry at all.

I look forward to my next meal here- I’d love to try one of the specialties. News and Observer recommends many of the dishes, including the sweet Peking Shredded Pork.

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4 out of 5 stars

Stopped here for lunch with co-workers – the caveat is that I ate at the buffet, which we all know is not something you should judge a place on. While the decor is somewhat typical – mismatched pastels and randomness, service was brisk.

What I liked about Fortune Palace was that they have a different take on the classic entrees, it has a more authentic feel (what am I, an expert?) and was fresher tasting. The dumplings were better than many I’ve had here, but that doesn’t say much because the selection of chinese in Raleigh is pathetic.

A random selection of comments from table mates would include – spring rolls were too greasy, hot and sour soup was just ok (a usual occurrence around here as well), love the fried green beans. We loved the basil beef in the buffet, as well as the other options which were less memorable but the meat was tender and the veggies were varied and tasty, not wilty and damp like you often see.

I’d go back, for sure, and am giving them the benefit of the doubt because of the buffet handicap. Brad tells us that dinners are delightful and they make an art form out of carved veggies on your plate. He also often sees people roping off the front section for asian banquets, which has to be a good sign.

Fortune Palace Chinese Restaurant
2815 Brentwood Rd
Raleigh, NC 27604
(919) 850-0086

4 out of 5 stars

This is the best of the Raleigh area Thai I’ve had so far, but admittedly that doesn’t mean much since I’ve only been to one other place. However once I managed to find my way to this tiny little place in a neglected strip mall, I was impressed by the bright decor and the very fast speed with which the entrees arrived. I ordered pad thai and was very happy with it, the ingredients were extremely fresh. The steamed dumplings were also tasty, with a bit of a crunch to them. I can’t wait to go back and try some of the other dishes.

Sawasdee Thai
3601 Capital Blvd Ste 107
Raleigh, NC 27604
(919) 878-0049