10/04/17
First of all, no, I did not select the wrong pic for this review, the crab fried rice is actually encapsulated in a dome of egg crepe. You know when you get generic fried rice, they have those rubbery overcooked egg pieces scattered throughout? No such tomfoolery here, this dish is a masterpiece.
Inside, you get this soft fried rice, with strands of crab integrated throughout, with the classic flavors of southeast Asia throughout. Lemongrass and ginger let you know that this is authentic real food. There's a really assertive flavor that takes you on a journey, but not in an obnoxious way. You get to choose how much egg crepe you take with each bite. It's light and airy, cooked perfectly soft. If you're like me, it's never enough.
Brewery Bhavana is one of those places that you have to go. On the Bon Appetit Hot 10 list for 2017, it's a destination place when visiting NC. Laotian food is hard to define, but it fits right in the middle of the China-Thailand-Vietnam southeast Asia flavor profile. And when you go, you have to have this dish, along with other offerings, washed down with a beer selection that you won't find anywhere else. The atmosphere is one of the best, you just want to be there. It's not a crowded dark restaurant, it's a open breezy space where you just feel good enjoying the delicious offerings. Go for lunch, where the open glass ceilings bring in light. And they have one of the friendliest and happiest staffs I have seen at any restaurant, period.