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    Bowlba Cafe

    4.5 (66 reviews)
    ModerateThai, Bubble Tea, Noodles
    Closed 1:00 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

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    Pad thai, boba, chicken
    Sonam S.

    I got the chicken pad thai and it was so fresh, I would definitely come back and get this again. I always try brown sugar bobas wherever I go and this was pretty good.

    Tom kha kai ramen
    Sydney H.

    We've been here before for drinks and love their oreo milk tea slush and yuzu matcha. we decided to get food and ordered the tonkatsu ramen and tom kha kai ramen. Compared to other ramen restaurants in the area, i would say the portion is a little smaller. I was disappointed that neither ramens came with an egg and seaweed, as that's usually one of my favorite parts of ramen. also there were only 3 thin pieces of pork for the tonkatsu. Not sure if the meal was worth $17 a bowl. otherwise, the ramen was ok but not sure if we would come back for their food. However, we got a yuzu matcha on the way out and it was delicious as always! Highly recommend their drinks.

    Fried rice with chicken
    Barbara B.

    We ordered takeout for the first time. I had Bowlba ramen noodles which had pork slices, egg, seaweed and a tasty broth. My husband liked the Thai fried rice with chicken. We will come back. Notice that tbe "front" door is on the courtyard side of the shopping center and not on the street side where I would have expected it to be.

    Tonkotsu ramen

    Very great atmosphere, amazing food, very quality service, I was definitely pleased with my first visit!!

    Very cute spot.
    Charlotte B.

    I was searching for either ramen or boba tea and Bowlba popped up - I had no idea it was there! I know there have been a few businesses come and go in this semi hidden area; I hope they do well! It's a quick service style, order then sit down. Very cute, Instagramable for sure. I ordered the Tonkotsu Ramen, Goyza and a Taiwanese Milk Tea with boba. The ramen was quite good! I didn't find it overly salty nor bland. The noodles were well cooked, fresh sprouts and kikurage mushrooms. The goyza was also good, steamed and served with sauce. My friend ordered the Pad Thai and said it was very good. Everything was enjoyable, food came out quick and it's just overall fun. Saw many teens and young ones come in just for a tea. They do offer some soft drinks in cans as well. Even though it's order then sit down, the staff was attentive and kind. Was clean, easily found parking. Certainly worth a visit!

    a man sitting at the counter
    Kathy W.

    I'm not impressed. Presentation is all good. But to me personally. it way too salty. I don't think I will come back. I order the Bowlba noodles - presentation is great - with the pork on top, and seaweed sheets - but the soup itself was super salty, w/o noodles i would not be able to eat it. My hubby's and my son's entrees were also very salty.

    Thai fried rice with chicken
    Ming Y.

    Stumbled upon this place while running errands bits tucked away but the food was fantastic. It's quaint and appears to run by a family. I got the Thai fried rice with chicken and my wife got the chicken pad Thai. The taste reminds me of something our parents would cook at home. I also got the lychee sparkling drink and it was one of the best sodas I've ever had in flavor and carbonation. I would definitely come back and even drive to eat here again(and it's about 25 minutes away)

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Love it here. Food is amazing. Staff is so nice. Great atmosphere. Clean. The basil tofu is delish.

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Excellent Pad Thai and PHO. Thai boba tea good. Thai fried rice decent. Will be a regular here.

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    2 years ago

    Tonight was our first trip to this restaurant. The food and staff were wonderful; we will likely return soon!

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    3 years ago

    Diamond in the rough. Hidden away but quaint and friendly serving best Boba, Pho and Thai I've had anywhere in Raleigh.

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Best Thai food in North Raleigh. Friendly staff and really well decorated. Great addition to the growing neighborhood.

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    3 years ago

    Nice place, good food and relaxing atmosphere. Plan to stop in again to try out their soup and noddles.

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Unfortunately, ramen was mediocre and portion was small for the price. Staffs were not the friendliest.

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    3 years ago

    Super quiet spot w great service. The Pad Thai is amazing and for a drink, definitely should try the Mango Green tea.

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    3 years ago

    Really good food, great service, and the staff was really helpful and explaining different ingredients.

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Ordered Red curry with shrimp, beef pad Thai, and garlic shrimp. All delicious! Portions on the smaller size.

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    Noodle Boulevard

    Noodle Boulevard

    4.5
    (1k reviews)
    15.4 mi
    $$

    Delicious!! This was…read moremy first time having ramen, and my friend suggested we go here, and I'm so glad we did! Noodle Blvd is located in a spot that you could easily miss, but it's easy to get back on track. I pulled into the gas station parking lot beside the restaurant, then just turned right into the restaurant parking lot. The parking lot is fairly small, so be warned about that. My friend was there when I arrived, and he sat at the bar. When I walked in the door, I was greeted with smiles and waves. It was very inviting, which is fitting for a ramen restaurant. My friend ordered us Lychee Margaritas, and oh my goodness, it was so good! We decided to visit right at opening on a Saturday, so the bartender was still preparing some of the ingredients needed for the margarita. The bartender informed us that it's usually better once a key ingredient sits for a while, but I loved the drink regardless. I ordered edamame for an appetizer, which came quickly and was good! Since I've never had ramen before, I asked our server what he recommended, and he told me about some of their most popular dishes. He told me the N9. Chicken Curry Ramen was a favorite of his and the patrons, so I decided to order that. It came quickly, and I was immediately in HEAVEN upon my first bite. I loved every bite after! I decided to play it safe with the spice and got level 2, but I can definitely go up a level or 2 since I love spicy. Highly recommend, and I will be back! Worth the drive from Clayton, where I live.

    The service was good, waitress was pleasant, no issues there…read more A busy weekday night, a loud group at the big table in the middle didn't bother me as I was at the bar. The short rib ramen was good, but the noodles were short, like they were cut or made short on purpose. The shrimp shumai was disappointing. Small bite sized portions, but they were soft. After cutting into one, I found out that they use rice as a filler with a bit of shrimp. I've never seen rice used in shumai, unless it's Shanghai sticky rice shumai. Also got a unagi don togo, it was good, just a bit small on the portion of eel, but it's hard to mess up an unagi don.

    Photos
    Inside restaurant
    Inside restaurant
    Black Garlic Miso Ramen (spice level 4, on a scale of 1 to 6)
    Black Garlic Miso Ramen (spice level 4, on a scale of 1 to 6)
    Vegetarian Ramen

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    Vegetarian Ramen
    Chuan Cafe

    Chuan Cafe

    4.2
    (270 reviews)
    10.7 mi
    $$

    I used to love this restaurant and was a loyal customer for years, which makes this experience…read moreespecially disappointing. I ordered the lo mein, bamboo flounder fish, and a side of fried rice. Unfortunately, the lo mein was extremely greasy, the fried rice was overly salty, and the shrimp was hard, overcooked and not fresh. When I informed the waiter that I would not be eating the lo mein due to its condition, I was told that I would still have to pay for it and that it did not matter whether I liked it or not. He initially refused to remove the dish from my bill. After eventually taking it off, he told me that he never wanted to see my face again as I was leaving. What disappoints me most is that I genuinely enjoyed this restaurant and had been a repeat customer. The decline in food quality combined with the way my concerns were handled has left a very negative impression. Unfortunately, I will be taking my business elsewhere.

    Chuan cafe is a cozy hidden gem in North Raleigh. The shopping center it's in is definitely in an…read moreunassuming strip mall, but trust me the food and the service are worth It! I came right before a show at the Alamo Drafthouse around the corner, which makes it the perfect night out for dinner and show. It looks like a lot of people order takeout here, but they have ample tables and do offer an excellent dine in service. I loved their green beans and eggplant. All their food felt more authentic and homestyle than your typical run of the mill Chinese place. The food had flavor, and it wasn't overly greasy either! I'll definitely come back next time in near north Raleigh.

    Photos
    Chuan Cafe
    P1. Dry Fried Eggplant @Cereus_eats
    P1. Dry Fried Eggplant @Cereus_eats
    Toothpick Lamb

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    Toothpick Lamb
    Miss Chang An

    Miss Chang An

    4.6
    (36 reviews)
    18.1 mi

    This is easy walking from two hotels and a medical center. It has seating for about 5 people in…read moreclose quarters , so consider takeout rather than eat-in. The food was excellent! They next time we're at the Choice Hotel, we'll definitely come here again!

    Yum! Service is friendly and it's easy to order your food on the touch screen. They primarily do…read moretakeout and the restaurant is absolutely tiny. Room for probably 3 diff groups of people to eat. There were tables to seat 4, two tall stool seats by the window facing the parking lot, and a tucked away spot with a folding chair beside it and had cups of utensils on it. I ordered the cold flour noodle with sesame sauce and the shaanxi mutton soak buns. Both were tasty and the cold noodles were refreshing. The employee described the mutton soak buns dish as a soup soaked pancake which is pretty accurate. It reminds me of a rice porridge but with chopped dough instead of rice. The restroom is in the back through the kitchen which is kinda cool because you can see them rolling out all the round flat bread that they use for the dishes. I'm guessing it's what they use for the rougamo (I've seen it at other Chinese restaurants described as a Chinese hamburger) and the shaanxi soak buns. It almost has a gnocchi type of consistency. It isn't your average fried rice and stir fry type of Chinese restaurant so if you're looking for something like that it might not meet your expectations. I would definitely come back to try other menu items. Also, get the plum juice. It's delicious!

    Photos
    Front desk kiosk
    Front desk kiosk
    Braised Chicken served with rice
    Braised Chicken served with rice
    Xi'An Flour Cold Noodle with cucumber, wheat gluten & 3 sauces- garlic, vinegar & chili oil

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    Xi'An Flour Cold Noodle with cucumber, wheat gluten & 3 sauces- garlic, vinegar & chili oil
    David's Dumpling & Noodle Bar

    David's Dumpling & Noodle Bar

    3.9
    (677 reviews)
    11.3 mi
    $$

    This restaurant has been on my list to visit for a couple of years. I was finally able to go. It…read morewas fine. Nothing spectacular. The reason I gave it 4 stars was because the dumplings were disappointing. They were not warm and the dumpling dough was thick. We got the David's dumplings and the crispy spicy wontons. The wontons were better. I liked the crispy dough but they weren't spicy at all. The entree meals were better. I had the Malaysian curry soup which had a nice kick and was steaming hot. It had lots of different toppings in it which was nice. My husband got the fried rice. It was also really good. The Chinese sausage complimented the rice well and there were plenty shrimp in it too. If I went back I would forgo the dumplings and just go straight to having the entree.

    First of all, I love the ambiance there. The exposed bricks are so pretty to me! They also have…read moresuch a huge space. They even have a private event room as well! Secondly, the food!!! We ordered a lot of food (2 appetizers and 3 entrees ) and our eyes were not bigger than our stomachs because we finished all the food We are proud big backs lol What we tried and how we'd rank them: David's Original Half Fried Dumplings Malaysian Curry Noodle Soup Open Top Pork and Shrimp Siu Mai Dumplings Sautéed Green Beans David's Fried Rice with Chinese Sausage Make sure to ask them for their house made chili oil! It's spicy but a little sweet. We were both fans. My friend even asked if they sell it

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    David's Dumpling & Noodle Bar
    David's Dumpling & Noodle Bar
    David's Dumpling & Noodle Bar

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    Bowlba Cafe - thai - Updated August 2026

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