Pros: Wonderfully flavored food and specialty cocktails. Â I had a fresh strawberry/vodka cocktail which was out of this world. Husband had tasty draft Belgian beer. Â
Appetizers: Caramelized Pork Belly (among the best appetizers any of us have ever eaten). Â Thick rich brown sugar/molasses type sauce over tender, succulent pork. We were fighting over the last bite. Probably would order two next time. Also loved the light and flavorful summer rolls with shrimp, pea shoots, etc. Â Also delicious dumplings with dipping sauces. If I had to skip one, it would be the dumplings, which, while delicious, are typical of all Asian restaurants, although not at all greasy.
Entrees: Spiced tea chicken with green beans--Had this several years ago and remember it being more succulent. Â Was not overly impressed with this dish except for the green beans with an amazing sauce, which I loved. Â Husband had Seafood hotpot--highlights were the lobster dumplings (amazing!) and the blue crab. Â Daughter had (HUGE!) pork chop, which she loved.
Dessert: 3 of us shared a banana ice cream sundae with caramel and fresh cream accompanied by peanut brittle. Fantastic.
Cons: Â When it gets dark, the tables only have two tiny candles and it is much too dark. I would not want to come in the winter evening, because you could barely see the menu. Â We went at 7:30 in the summer so enjoyed the lovely window area table in the daylight. Â
Very indifferent waiter. I was truly surprised. He did not engage with us at all, never smiled and seemed to care not one iota about his job. He needs to be let go IMHO. Â The other wait staff were delightful.
Price: It is exorbitantly priced, Â If I were to go again, I think I would order multiple appetizers, wonderful cocktail and one dessert and sit on the patio (which I have not seen, but I believe would be the place where you could just have appetizers and drinks). Â That would still probably cost you $60 without tip for 2 people, but still wonderful food and drink. It may be just me, but I liked the appetizers, cocktail and dessert better than the main course.
Hands down the best restaurant in Chapel Hill and probably the Triangle. I can't say enough good things about the Lantern, from making reservations to the ambience, to the succulent dishes, to dessert, to waitstaff, to drinks. This place has it all.
If you're thinking about a special occasion dinner, do yourself a favor and go here.
My favorite restaurant in the world. Â I recently had a shoot in Greensboro, which is about an hour away. Â But I stayed in Chapel Hill so could eat at Lantern every night. Â
There has not been one selection here that didn't make my taste buds dance. Â But no matter what you order, make sure...you absolutely...without question...order the Chaat appetizer. Â I would drive 10 hours from my home in CT just to eat that. Â Service, decor, drink selection, everything. Â It doesn't get any better than Lantern. Â It's just one of those classic restaurants where every note rings beautifully true.
Overall, our last visit described here was delicious with great service. Â My only quibble was that a glass of wine here is a much smaller pour than most other places. The soft shell appetizer was perfectly prepared with a garlicky sauce, and it quickly made up for my disappointment that the salt and pepper shrimp were not on the menu. Â The Vietnamese fish had a nice flavor (heat, spices), and my husband ordered dumplings and tea-infused chicken. Â All were stellar.
Review Source:I've eaten here twice and think the food is good to very good, but not over the top good as the critics would lead you to believe. I'm not a pan asian-fusion fan, preferring to eat the real deal whenever I can. Â I had the whole flounder and it was wonderful. Â The wait staff is helpful and eager. Â Nice ambiance, although not as upscale as maybe a few competitors across/down the street. Â I would recommend Lantern as one of many good foodie alternatives in Chapel Hill, but I am not a rabid fan.
Review Source:Our grand daughter gave us a very nice gift certificate for this #1 rated restaurant in Chapel Hill. First off, the napkins we were given seemed like they had been stored very close to old sesame nuts, or old Crisco.  Appetizers were great, entree's were average.  My Artic Char was not cooked, maybe it is supposed to be that way.  My wife's NC catfish was swimming broth.  Rice very good, veggies sautéed in vinegar.  Don't think I would go back for $130.00  Wine pour is very small.
Review Source:It's lovely. Â Very, very lovely, but... I ended up being underwhelmed.
I'd love to give them 5 full stars, but based on my one and only experience I just can't. Â In fact, I almost gave only 3 stars, but since i couldn't put my finger on exactly what it was that didn't impress me, I went w/ just what I thought of the food- thus the 4 rating, if i was giving it based on service alone, it would have been 5 stars. Â
We went here for an early valentine dinner since I was going to be out of the country over the holiday itself. Â Normally, we don't even celebrate valentine's day. Â However, we wanted to do something special. Â I specifically told the person I talked to for a reservation about our plans and requested something nice. Â She suggested glasses of sparkling wine on the table when we arrived so I agreed. When we were seated though, they weren't there. Â The server brought them over later and proceeded to provide fantastic service for the rest of the evening. Â
Appetizers: Â We started w/ spring rolls and dumplings. Â The spring rolls were delicious and the dumplings were... just good. Â We've had similar or better at local Chinese restaurants (ie, David's noodles).
For entrees, I ordered the tea smoked chicken and my husband ordered the Pot on fire w/ beef. Â Both were good. Different and sometimes delicious, but not WOW. Â The chicken seemed a little dry and my husband noted that he' just prefer pho from our local Vietnamese place instead of his dish again. We both enjoyed our meal, but frankly for the price, I expected to be blown away.
The saving grace of the meal was our dessert- I had a hard time chosing actually. Â And we went with something I hadn't had before- the steamed persimmon pudding. Â This is what I expected of the whole meal- local/regional ingredients that are elevated to new heights! Â I wish the whole meal was as lovely.
We went to the Lantern for husband's birthday on a busy Saturday night. It was group of six, reservations for weeks and were so excited to try Lantern after all the wonderful reviews on Yelp.
We got there right on time for our reservation, but it wasn't quite ready so we headed to the bar, which was totally fine. I had this delicious little concoction called a Junebug. The bar was dark and cozy with a funky vibe. It is separate from the restaurant up a little flight of stairs.
The server came to tell us our table was ready, we sat down, he gave us the specials (they were out of a few things, but it was later in the evening so I understand that happens). We ordered the spring rolls, salt and pepper shrimp and the fried chicken for appetizers. The fried chicken was amazing - the skin was so thick and crispy I could have eaten that alone for dinner! Shrimp was really tasty, spring rolls were good.
Dinner - and this is why I'm giving three stars instead of four of five. The food is good. It's really good. But it is over priced. I don't mind at all paying $30+ per plate when the food is simply amazing. But it wasn't. Again, it was good but not mind blowing. Some of the dishes we had - tea-smoked chicken, duck, pork chop, and the whole fried fish special.
The decor is great, the atmosphere is cool, the service was wonderful. I think I'd like to go back and reevaluate on a not-so-busy night with an earlier reservation to see if things might be different.
This restaurant is perhaps the 2nd best experience I've had while in the triangle area. Â
Decision to go here: It was our anniversary and it had some great endorsements. Â
It was so good, that even though I don't remember what we had exactly anymore, it was awesome. Â Anyway, what I do remember is that we got the pork belly, which was fantastic. Â Pork belly made right. Â Melted in your mouth. Â Just the right seasoning. Â What else can I say? Â totally worth it. Â Then we also had the whole fried fish. Â Crispy on the outside, delicious steamy goodness on the inside. Â Can't complain. Â
Kind of a lame review as the experience was a while ago, but I still dream big about this place. Â Definitely want to go back to experience the back bar that I've heard so much about.
OK, my wife and I were finally able to make it to this touted local Triangle foodie destination and it didn't disappoint.
What can I say that hasn't already been stated about this place?
What I think separates this place from other "Asian Fusion" restaurants is the devotion to local ingredients being the attraction that just happen to be prepared Asian style. Â Stated another way, it's not "Chinese Wok Fried Noodles with mushrooms" that you're coming for. Â The showcase is fantastic locally grown mushrooms served with wok fried noodles fried Chinese style. Â If you don't already know this let me re-state yet another way: locally grown food is indeed better! Â
Drinks, first course, main and desert were all great. Â I won't go into details but suffice to say I think there is something tasty looking if you're in the mood for fish, chicken, duck, pork, beef or vegetarian. Â Nothing to overwhelm you; yes it's just one page menu that changes nightly. Â Just go with what ingredient you think will make your palate happy and try it!
This place has a really nice vibe. I checked out the reviews and had to try it. Unfortunatley, the night I came, they didnt have the one dish I was really looking forward to.. the cod..
So I had another item which wasnt the greatest, but it was ok. The service was really nice. They have a bar in the back with tables and chairs in addition to the front room.
Nice service, nice decor.
Pure foodie heaven! Everything we had was sublime. Starting with cocktails to dessert. The food is asian fusion with an emphasis on local and seasonal.
Stand outs were the duck soup ( wow!) tender, tasty duck leg simmering in a beautiful broth with mushrooms, bok choy and fresh noodles. Our guest enjoyed the pork chop. The short ribs with kimchee were outstanding-really great kimchee.
I would imagine everything on this menu is great based on our selections.
I will dream fondly of this food and wish they were in Phoenix as I would be there often.
Ambiance in the bar is great-low lights. intimate but you don't feel crowded.
What an incredibly pleasant and unexpected gem this place is. Â The accolades of the restaurant and executive chef are apropros, and I'm glad that I got to experience this place on my most recent visit to the Raleigh area. Â Onwards!
Location: 4 out of 5
I don't know a lot of places around the Chapel Hill campus area since I'm not from there originally nor did I attend UNC CC, but I know where the Carolina Brewery is. Â Not to sound stupid, but Lantern is right across the street from CB, and there's a nifty little lot that you can park in next door that is free past a certain hour of the evening. Â Maybe 8pm? Â All I remember is that I didn't have to pay to park. Â I imagine that any earlier than 8, it would be difficult to find parking in the area with the very densely populated restaurant offerings, so do keep that in mind as you plan your trip. Â
Service: 4.5 out of 5
We did not have a reservation for the Wednesday that we visited, but were seated promptly by the maitre d', who was also performing duties as a server and regular host. Â The service that we experienced here was top of the line. Â It was the right proportion of southern charm and hospitality mixed with an almost-but-not-quite Michelin 1-star sense of urgency and efficiency. Â Our waitress was fast, efficient, and unpretentiously friendly even though both of us might have been slightly underdressed. Â More on this in a bit. Â
Décor and Ambiance: 4.5 out of 5
Sound levels are quiet in this restaurant, and the space is tastefully decorated. Â Acoustic panels are about 3 - 4 feet above the dining tables themselves, and the wall on one side is adorned with a multi-paneled canvas on which sleek lines grace. Â The lighting is dim, but not so much that you'll need to use the LED flashlight function of your smartphone. Â Let me be clear - this is a nice place and in full disclosure - there was a guy sitting at one of the tables wearing a thermal shirt with mardi gras-esque beads on, so my jeans and BMW Motorcycles t-shirt with wool coat weren't atrociously out of place. Â Had I realized that this place was as nice as it was, I would have at least thrown on a dress shirt. Â This is not a pedestrian place that you would eat at on a Monday night; instead, most of our fellow diners were celebrating special events or occasions.
Selection of locally sourced items: 4.5 out of 5
An eclectic Asian fusion menu with locally sourced ingredients was a high point of the menu. Â Local meat, produce, and dairy products are a highlight. Â Incredibly, they also offer whole fried NC fish (the type escapes me). Â On the particular evening that we went in mid November of 2012, I think we opted to sample "dim sum" style (all apps, no entrees): Â the pork and chive dumplings, the braised Korean style shortribs, Korean style honey touched fried chicken drumsticks, the NC crab and local pork spring rolls, and the charcuterie. Â
Quality and taste of food: 4.5 out of 5
Amazingly parity throughout the entire set of options that we had. Â While pork and chive dumplings aren't by any means high class food, the taste of the pork was creamy and delicate. Â The braised shortribs were perhaps the weak link of the evening, but not bad by any means. Â Rather - I felt like I could have been eating the short ribs at any number of restaurants. Â However, the honey touched fried chicken drumsticks were skillfully assembled with just the right amount of crisp and the right amount of sweetness. Â The NC crab and local pork spring rolls were by far the most memorable, and I can say unequivocally that although I've eaten a lot of crab and pork spring rolls in the past, the ones at Lantern far exceeded my expectations as well as anything I've ever eaten. Â The charcuterie platter was in the top 15 - 20% of what I've had across all experiences, so a big nod to that offering. Â
Price: 3 out of 5
Probably the least exciting part of the meal. Â With the food listed above and 4 total drinks between two people, the bill came to about 130 including tax and tip. Â For a nice night out on vacation, I thought that this price was quite reasonable. Â
Overall: Â 4 out of 5
Incredibly strong 4 star restaurant, and I'd happily return any day of the week.
Recently dined here on my wife's birthday. Â Started at the bar in the back with a great and unique cocktail - a bit of a play on an old fashioned. Â Later tried a cocktail with lemongrass and gin and that was delicious but a bit girly.
We started with the tastiest fried oysters we've ever had and we order those everywhere. Â Then we got the crispy spring rolls with crab and pork and they did NOT skimp on the crab. Â These too were amazing.
My wife had a delicious piece of fish that I tried and I had the crispy duck soup. Â A bit odd to have a full dug leg in your soup but the taste was out of this world. Â
Apps were probably the highlight but hands down one of the best dinners from start to finish I have ever had.
My husband and I enjoyed a lovely dinner at Lantern last night. Â The atmosphere makes it feel like a special occasion, even if it isn't. Â Food-wise, there were some outstanding hits, and an equal number of misses.
We started out with the pork & chive dumplings that so many have raved about, and a special--the mixed seafood salad with thai coconut dressing. Â The dumplings were good, but they won't haunt me in my dreams. Â I've had equally well executed dumplings at decent Chinese restaurants in the area. Â And, I cannot tell a lie...high quality frozen dumplings, properly prepared, might equal these. Â Next time, I'll pass on the dumplings. Â Lantern offers much more exciting options coming out of its kitchen.
Like the seafood salad, for instance. Â A delectable mixture of fresh shrimp, crab and the *most* tender scallops I've ever encountered, tossed in a light coconut dressing, with a few micro greens, a little fresh tarragon (unexpected flavor surprise!) & slivered red pepper for accent. Â Pricey for a small appetizer at $15, but worth the cost nonetheless.
Our entrees were the japanese pot on fire and another of the evening's specials: Â cherry-wood smoked miso-glazed black cod, black sticky rice with edamame, sauteed bok choi, braised shiitakes, and a sake-miso beurre blanc-like sauce. Â My husband thought his Japanese hot pot was "good for what it was"--a beef soup with cubed potatoes in a decent broth with some forgettable veggies (carrots, onions, etc). In spite of having assorted cuts of beef (sirloin, spare ribs, etc), it was kind of a bore flavor-wise. Â When I tasted it, I didn't think it tasted Asian in any way. Â For a $29 dollar bowl of soup, we were expecting a little more pizazz and creativity.
Unfortunately for my husband, all the entree pizazz was on my plate. Â While my entree was very similar to one of the menu's mainstays (kind of defeats the purpose of a 'special', no?), it blew me away in the flavor department. Â The cod was buttery & smokey, with an amazing balance of bitter and sweet notes and a luscious texture. Â The rice was a little gummy, but had a nice sweet flavor to counter the fish. Â The bok choi was not flavorful in any way, but did offer a resting place for my palette amid all the flavors. Â The shiitakes were okay, but amazingly devoid of flavor. Â Surprising for a mushroom whose distinct flavor usually steals the show. Made me think that braising (or whatever they did) was not the right way to treat that ingredient. Â Then there was the sauce...dear god, that sauce....I wanted to swim in it, bathe in it, and then take a gallon of it home to drink later. Â Definitely pulled the whole dish together. Â
For dessert, we rounded things out with the steamed persimmon pudding and the
banana caramel sundae that many yelpers adore. Â My husband's persimmon pudding was delicious and tender, with notes of cardamom and orange peel. Â Truly more of a pudding than the steamed dessert I grew up eating, but a dessert that is fit for Autumn. Â My sundae was good, but lacked something it needed to make it a very memorable finish. Â The ice cream was good, the cream was soft and creamy, the peanut brittle was good but average, and the caramel was not in a sufficient quantity to be noticeable. Â A $9 dessert? Not really.
The atmosphere is sexy & austere, with dim lighting fit for gazing across a table, neutral tones, and just a few spare lanterns as a decorative focal point. Â Service was great. Â Our server was a real pro, and we found him to be very friendly and attentive.
When we've got the cash to spend, we'll definitely be back. Â And next time, I think we'll be able to make some better choices, and steer away from the types of dishes that aren't bound to knock our socks off.
I was excited to try this restaurant as Reusing was named a James Beard Award winner and the restaurant came with tons of published praise. Â Yelp seemed to agree.
I have to say that it was a very average experience. Â Flavors were tasty, but nothing particularly exciting. Â
I do think that I am probably a much more tougher critic when it comes to Asian Fusion, as I'm asian myself and look to be surprised by the combination of flavors but it was quite unimaginative for me. Â I have found that ever other asian person I've talked to about this restaurant have been equally disappointed.
For entrees, we got the steamed black cod and seafood hotpot. Â Both, unfortunately, came out cold to lukewarm, which probably didn't help me with my view of the dishes.
5 of us students splurged here on a fancy dinner to wrap up our senior year. While the server was professionally polite, he was curt and likely displeased to be serving presumably broke college kids. This vibe was obvious and embarrassing.
I'm not a big fan of Asian food, but my mushroom dumplings were delicious and my friends all raved about their food as well. Our same group ate at Tao in Las Vegas, an Asian fusion restaurant of similar cuisine and quality, and they are definitely comparable in most aspects.
There are maybe three vegetarian options on the menu, one of which is a few pieces of lettuce on a plate for $8. I wouldn't suggest it to vegetarians or vegans.
Really cool restaurant space. Friendly service. A good size menu (not overwhelming and not limited).
Had a reservation, so we were seated right away in the front restaurant area (still need to scope out the amazing back bar space). We quickly settled on the pork dumplings, soft shell crab (special appetizer), the seafood hotpot and the flounder. SOOOOOOO good. The dumpling wrappers were tender and the filling perfectly cooked and spiced. The soft shell crab tempura was tender and delicious in the mayo sauce. The seafood hotpot had plenty of seafood and a great broth base. The flounder was whole fish, which helped us to slowly savor the delicious medley of spices and flavors.
For dessert, we ordered the yuzu pudding, described to us as a citrusy bread pudding. Spot on! Great sour flavor and soaked cake texture.
About twice or maybe even three times what I'd like to spend on dinner for two, but for  a special occasion, it's a really great place.
I absolutely love love love this place. There are two areas to sit. The front restaurant area, which i find a bit stiff and stagnant and then the back bar. Oh the back bar. The same menu is available in both areas but the ambiance in the back is superb. Very cozy with red lantern lighting, a few tables and bar seating are available. It's a bit noisier but it's worth it.
The food at the lantern never fails to disappoint. Their take on asian fusion pleases the palate. However, mixed with the lovely ambiance at the back bar, there's no better place in Chapel Hill to eat on a Friday night.
Started with a hibiscus vodka and thai basil cocktail that was unexpectedly summer in a glass.
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We had 3 different appetizers (chicken lettuce wraps, flash fried peppers, and pork dumplings). Â The Flash Fried peppers were the stand out - they were sweet and salty and we could not stop munching on them. Â Sadly they stole the show from the other apps.
My husband had the flat iron steak special which he loved and I had the steak from the menu. Â The steak was cooked perfectly and the green tea rice was especially delicious. I would order this meal again.
For dessert, husband had choc cake with strawberry ice cream that was flavorful. I had a lemony cake with blue and black berries - Â I wanted to lick the bowl it was so delicious.
Highly recommended.
Love Love Love the back cocktail bar.
Think if Mad Men had an Asian cocktail lounge, about like that. The drinks here are guaranteed to make you a cocktail fan, which I am normally not so much. I've even tried replicating a few at home over the past year since my last visit, my fav being the "Strange Acquaintance".
Amazing atmosphere, including dim lantern light/ red leather walls, and the service has been very fun to talk to as well.
A must stop place in your night out in Chapel Hill!
I was really excited to eat at the Lantern because of all of the five star Yelp reviews. I believe that the Lantern is way hyped up.
I ordered the Poulet Rouge. Honestly it tasted like rotisserie chicken from Kroger. It was SUPER salty and none of the flavors or garnishes were extraordinary. It was served with rice and beans with some sort of sauce. The sauce wasn't anything special and salty. One reason I ordered this dish was because the server said it was one of their signature dishes. I really don't see how someone could love that dish....
My boyfriend had the Pork Butt which he thought was very average. The server hyped it up saying how the pork was local from the creamery, etc., etc....again, very "average." My Aunt had the halibut and my Uncle ordered two appetizers, the spiced crab cakes and spring rolls. I really wish I would've ordered two appetizers. His appetizers looked delicious.
Another downside is that the plates are pretty small for the price. I think our dishes were just under $30. We never would've eaten here at this price, but my Aunt was taking us out to eat. I felt guilty ordering anything else, but I was still hungry.
We got dessert. My Aunt had the banana ice cream and I had the chocolate lava cake. The desserts are the only reason I gave the Lantern 3/5 instead of 2/5.
The decor is nice, minimalist style. The wine was pretty good....should've ordered a speciality cocktail because they did look yummy.
Only eat here if you have deep pockets and a small stomach.
My wife and I ate here for her birthday a few nights ago. Overall, this restaurant is carefully conceived and executed. The rest depends on your personal taste.
We arrived at a good time with no reservation, and there was a table in the bar area open. The bar area soon became pretty crowded, so we considered ourselves lucky. The bar area was a little dimmer and louder than the front section, which felt more quiet and restaurant-y
We started with drinks, and ordered some cocktails: the Hibiscus Petal and the Junebug. The former was very strong and tasty, the latter was very sweet and snuck up on you.
We then moved to appetizers: crab cakes (special) and salt and pepper shrimp. The catch with the shrimp is they leave the shells on, which no one is used to, and I don't think I could ever get used to. I understand that the shell is meant to stay on for texture, and the seasonings crusted to the shell better for added flavor, but I did not enjoy laboring through shrimp shells very much. The fried jalapeno was good and the fried cilantro was fascinating and mild. The crab cakes with pickled veggies with a very good red sauce was much much better.
For our entrees my wife ordered seafood hotpot, which she thoroughly enjoyed, and I ordered the pork shoulder, which was also very, very good. The only catch to the meal was that I had to prepare my own herbs, e.g. the basil, mint and cilantro on top of preparing my own pork shoulder salad wrap. This made the meal a bit of a chore and slowed me down a little, which is okay, as I am an incredibly fast eater. Just know that if you are getting the pork shoulder you will have to earn your meal and it's a little messy.
We ended up sharing the chocolate cake with strawberry ice cream, which was divine, both hot and cold. It may have been the best thing about the meal.
Our service was very, very good as well. This is just a great restaurant, and I can understand that it is rated very highly. Everything is well-thought and every flavor of the meal is carefully balanced and considered. The lack of 5 stars for me is probably due to the fact that Asion fusion simply isn't my taste. But I know you won't let lil' ol' me stop you. ;)
absolutely love this place! My boyfriend and I have eaten here twice and had 2 delicious meals. Expect to pay a lot for dinner and drinks but its well worth it. You can tell that they put a lot of thought into the dishes. I'm all about asian fusion and they hit the nail on the head. I will continue to go back at least once a month.
Haven't eaten at the bar yet which I'm told is a gem, I'll review that once I've gone.
I think the food here is superb, but pricey. Â Perhaps my favorite thing here is to have dinner and drinks in their schwanky bar area. Â My very favorite drink in Chapel Hill is their June Bug. Â A really refreshing, minty, cucumber, Pimm's drink. Â Awesome! Â Although i will say the service in their bar is not great. Â It's not on par with the atmosphere, prices and excellent food.
When we don't want to spend $100+ on dinner, but want knock your socks off Asian food, we go down the street to Gourmet Kingdom, he hands down best Chinese restaurant around. Â You cannot compare the two because they are so different, but if you like the flavors at Lantern, love Chinese food, Â and don't mind the casual atmosphere, that place is a winner. Â If you are in the mood for fine dining, cool atmosphere, fresh ingredients and awesome flavors, Lantern is it.
Of the many different types of Asian restaurants that I have eaten at, this one may be my favorite. It combines elegance and the farm-to-table approach in to an upscale experience that I've never seen before. Usually I'm what I consider to be an "earthy eater", in other words, someone who values the ingredients and care that go into food rather than the price or location. But this was absolutely lovely with the dim lanterns and stone chopstick rests.
And then there was the food. We started with the pork and chive dumplings and the kabocha squash salad with paneer (a special of the day), which was very fresh with watercress greens. Our main courses were the wok-seared rice noodles, the tea and spice smoked chicken, and the steamed bass. Th noodles were perfectly done and slightly crispy on the edges. Despite my best intentions, I couldn't help but eat the whole bowl. I got a bite each of the fish and chicken. Both were wonderfully seasoned and moist.
We of course couldn't have the full experience without dessert. To share, we ordered the hot chocolate cake, which was a decadent lava cake with a subtle chestnut ice cream, and a modern take on s'mores with a homemade graham cracker and marshmallow along with some ice cream, which was bursting with vanilla flavor.
Overall, a wonderful experience. Next time there is a special occasion, I will definitely suggest this restaurant.
I went to Lantern recently for a special occasion and had a great dinner! Â Although we had a reservation, we chose to sit at the back bar because the atmosphere is cooler and the tables are not spaced as closely together. Â Let the stodgy old professors have the front half. Â
Food: Â duck spring rolls, salt and pepper shrimp, and chaat are all wonderful. Â They also had a whole fish entree special on that night that was great (and I'm not even a big fish person) and a shrimp and rice soup that was delicious. Â Both the Junebug and the Homeward Angel cocktails were great as well. Â
Overall, expect a pricey meal if you get drinks and apps but it's well worth it.
I recently ate here with my family and none of us were terribly impressed despite the numerous positive reviews for Lantern.
The service was adequate. We had a server named Homick, who was polite even though I questioned the restaurant's choice of using industrialized nori. I'm Asian and have Korean friends that make homemade nori and the texture and taste is completely different in comparison to what they order in bulk.
The food however is debatable as far as quality and freshness. I was surprised when I tasted the shrimp and pork fried rice seeing that it resembled Uncle Ben's instant rice because it was watery and soggy. The rest food was just all right. I suppose its not right to expect the food to meet Asian standards seeing that there were hardly any Asian customers.
The presentation was pretty decent consider that Lantern is considered one of the top 50 gourmet restaurants in the entire nation.
I wouldn't recommend this place to a friend unless I knew my friend had low standards.
Lantern has a genius somewhere in the kitchen.
It's a small place. Â The bar was closed the night that I was there, so I sat in the somewhat boxy and bland restaurant area.
I started with the assortment of local pickles. Â Tiny beets, parsnips, and turnips lightly pickled and artfully presented. Â I followed that with a broiled fish presented atop noodles and lightly steamed greens with a fermented bean broth. Â
Everyone around me had something different and brilliant on their plates. Â Everyone seemed enthralled with their food. Â Finally, the restaurant staff *enabled* a great dinner - picking the right moment to offer more wine, a look at desserts, and so on.
Pricy, and totally worth it.
If money is no object, and you're required to eat in Chapel Hill, this place would be tied with La Residence, in my opinion. If you're in the mood for "Asian fusion," though, this is the only game in town.
Came here the night before Thanksgiving with DH--we had received a $100 gift certificate to Lantern as a wedding present. (Really nice idea for a gift!) Even so, we ended up spending about $10, and we didn't have drinks or dessert.
I started with the crab and pork spring rolls, and DH got the chaat (chickpeas and potatoes), both of which were outstanding. Our entrees were the smoked chicken with pork and shrimp fried rice and braised local greens, and the coconut braised pork with shallots, spicy green papaya salad, and jasmine rice. Again, both entrees were interesting, presented well, and very tasty. Portions were just right--not too big, not too small. We were pleasantly full.
The service was slow, but friendly and professional when it came around. It wasn't particularly busy when we arrived, but it was full by the time we left. Reservations are strongly recommended.
The environment is very NYC--low lighting, closely placed tables, industrial decor. It wasn't as noisy as it could have been, which I appreciated.
The only reason I don't give Lantern 5 stars is because of the slow service and relatively high prices. (It also helps tremendously if you like fish.) La Res gives them a run for the money in Chapel Hill, but for me, the place to beat for fine dining is still Magnolia Grill over in Durham.
Hands down the best fine dining in the area. Â Each time I visit I can't believe I don't frequent Lantern more often, I don't mean once a week or month, but hey, at least twice a year. Â It's been far too long since I dined here but I'm happy to report nothing has changed. Â Still a focus on Asian flavors with a Southern/North Carolina flair. Â All the ingredients are locally sourced and you'll find a wonderful, ever-changing seasonal menu.
I love the atmosphere as well, its a small space but they utilize it well and their sound traps keep the noise at a low level. Â It's very dimly lit which brings the normal, "can I get a flash light with my water" comment.
Definitely get reservations in advance. Â We had a 6:30 reservation over the weekend and saw people getting turned away constantly. Â That said, some reappeared for a later seating, so they will probably be able to work you in. Â If you're visiting the area, celebrating a special occasion, or simply want a great dining experience definitely check out Lantern. Â Also, stop by their bar behind the restaurant for some more great atmosphere and late night bevs.
This place gets two big thumbs WAY up. I went there with my family recently to celebrate my Mom's birthday. We've lived in Chapel Hill over 20 years but had not yet had a chance to visit Lantern.
After looking at the menu, and reading its reviews from fellow Yelpers, I was really excited to eat here and let me tell you, Lantern did not disappoint.
Very cozy atmosphere, although I didn't find it overly crowded or damaging to my overall dining experience. Thanks to suggestions from previous posts we got four different appetizers and split them all up family style. Crab cakes (the nightly special, heavenly), Korean fried chicken (think fried Chicken's flavor-filled, high class Asian cousin), Pork and chive dumplings and spicy beets.
For my entree I got the duck soup which was delicious. Great broth, not too overpowering, cabbage, other veggies, big hunks of mushroom and a crispy on the outside-tender on the inside duck leg. Awesome.
At this point I found myself thinking, "There is no way this can get any better." The dessert menu quickly put that assumption to shame. Let me make a shameless plug for the banana ice cream, with homemade whip cream and NC peanut brittle. Oh yeah, it's as good as it sounds.
The Rundown: Lots of amazing flavors from start to finish. An incredible culinary experience. Prepare to drop some serious $ but it is a worthwhile splurge.
Good, if expensive, upscale food in Chapel Hill.
I went with friends on a recent visit to Chapel Hill, and we had a pleasant meal. Â The breakdown of the dishes at our table:
Pink Trout Bento Box - this was a really good dish, and in the end, I wish I had gotten it as my appetizer. Â The trout went well on their nori strips with all the other condiments on the box, which included a type of cabbage slaw.
The flatiron steak with miso/marrow dressing - this was the weakest dish in my opinion. Â The cut was not the best, and the steak turned out more chewy than tender. Â On top of that, the miso/marrow preparation on top was very salty and overpowering, to such an extent that it really clashed with the meat. Â The dish had a couple neat features, like the duck-fat fried potatoes and the roasted garlic, but it also had a bunch of sauteed uncut scallions, with which I couldn't really do anything. Â overall, this dish looked great on paper, but didn't come through at all.
Chinese 7-spice scallop sashimi - this was a very interesting dish. Â The spice combo was well done, and complimented the scallops, which were served sliced thin and under some greens. Â They had a buttery texture that I suppose you could attribute partially to the spice mixture, which was contained in an oil-based dressing. Â it's not a dish I really think I'll be pining for in the future but it was interesting.
Potstickers - these were chicken based and quite tasty, but they weren't better than the mandoo I got all the time at the Korean restaurants near where I grew up, and those were/are far cheaper.
Chaat - This was a "play" or twist on the indian dish. Â It was tasty, but again, not any more tasty than you would get at a good indian restaurant. Â I would have preferred a plate of chaat at Woodlands in Charlotte or at any one of dozens of joints in Chicago.
As for the atmosphere, the restaurant is gorgeous. Â It's really a special place in that respect. Â I was especially impressed by the back room, which has a bar and a few tables for dining. Â The back room has a speakeasy feel to it, and I would go back for a beer any time.
Anyway, bottom line on the place foodwise was that  they put out some good dishes (and the rest of the dishes on the menu might very well have been the real standouts), but for the money, I didn't think it was really special.
Walking in, I was actually quite surprised at the small size of this restaurant! Â First impression was that it was very intimate yet had that modern feel that I love. Â
We walked in and were seated immediately in the corner - which to me, was the perfect place as it gave the opportunity to people watch and get a full look at the room around me (as well as operations).
The wait staff was very courteous, and made it a point to talk to the both of us directly while going over the wine list and what would go well with the selections we made for dinner. Â Nothing gets me looking forward to having a piece of striped bass than a full description of the wine I've just selected (which happened to be what he would have recommended...yum!). Â
Our entrees were put together very well, and holy moly, was that some seriously tasty Pad Thai! Â The bass was also put together very well, but my only complaint on that was the soy based sauce at the bottom of the dish was way too overpowering. Â I had to be very careful not to dip the fish in the sauce, or it would blow away the yumminess that was coming from the main course. Â The jasmine rice was done to perfection, and I've got to say that I always love me some bok choy. Â
Overall, a very solid experience, and I'd definitely go back or recommend.
The Lantern might possibly be the best place to breakup with someone because they can' t possibly throw a fit here when eating deliciousness! Â
Note: I have not done any breaking up with anyone at Lantern, nor do I plan to at this time.
I have been going here since the place opened, and it is possibly the most reliably consistently good place around, especially considering their commitment to using as much local food sources as possible. For people that say they want to support local farms this is one of the best places to eat out (Panzanella and Crook's Corner being other places). Yes you pay a little more maybe, but the taste and quality is worth it and the power of your dollar spent is threefold which in turn is cheaper for you in the long run.
I do have a few tips .. if you order a fish, it may come with a head. Â The flesh on a fish's head is possibly one of the best bits so don't be a prude or complain about it. Â Also this place isn't about being rushed, it's about having a pleasant experience and enjoying your food and drinks. Â If you need food or drinks quickly, go somewhere else. Â Lantern gets very busy on the weekends, so I advise going here during the week. Â Finally, especially to newbies on a date, Â there is no need to act pretentious or 'put on aires'. Â Listen to your servers recommendations, they know what they are talking about and you cannot hope to 'one up them' or 'impress' without sounding like a douchebag. Â Shut up, enjoy the experience, and let them take you on a lantern journey. Â Oh I almost forgot - do not act condescending to the bar and waitstaff, of I might punch you in the face myself.
Thank you Lantern for many years of happy memories and meals.
My favorite place to eat in Chapel Hill, hands down. I've been blown away by a few of their dishes and very pleased with the rest. Don't expect Cheesecake Factory-sized plates here; the portions are sensible ("small" if you're my father or my boyfriend), but I think this is a good thing because when the food is this delicious we should be forced to slow down and savor it instead of inhaling a meal.
Andrea, the chef, is consistently voted best in the Triangle in the Indy. And her innovation and skill have led Lantern to hit national restaurant rankings and reviews (not bad for small-town Chapel Hill!). I love that she uses seasonal and local ingredients to prepare the dishes. And this means the menu switches up pretty regularly, which is always nice.
The dining space is teeny, so make sure to make reservations if you're bringing a group or if you want to avoid a wait on a weekend. They have a dark, intimate bar space down the hallway and to the left in the back corner; it's also teeny, but one of my favorite spots for date drinks. The cocktails are an investment (I'm not quite ready for NYC-like prices, even if they are trendy and have ground ginger or organic cherries), so you might want to stick with sake or highballs.
I highly recommend the Lantern -- one of the can't-miss dining opportunities locally.
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