Buku in Raleigh



For dinner last night, Jessica and I tried Buku (http://bukuraleigh.com/buku/) in downtown Raleigh.  I had eaten dinner there once before, as well as brunch and lunch, but this was my first focused look at the former Fins chef's new effort.  We simplified the process by settling in at the bar rather than getting a table and enjoyed a great meal filled with such great variety and flavor.



Buku starters

To start, we sampled their world breads with three dipping sauces (cilantro chutney, mango habanero salsa, and raita) as well as their crunch tuna roll and Cambodia roll.  The breads were fantastic; they had Indian naan with thinly sliced onion as well as a pita type bread and something similar to a burrito shell but more hearty.  The supply was ample and everything came hot, seemingly straight from the oven.  I was not a fan of our chutney (cilantro is not my thing) but the raita and salsa were both excellent.  The raita was cool, smooth, thick, and refreshing while the salsa had a good fruit flavor and heat as an after taste that worked very well.

The rolls were good as well, although both could probably use a little tweaking to match my tastes.  I enjoyed the crunchy tuna roll very much but would next time favor the spicy tuna roll; I didn't like the roll being warm and while the tempura offered a crunchy texture, I don't think it was worth compromising the refreshing nature of cool sushi.  The Cambodia roll was filled with shrimp and a variety of vegetables; I felt it was exceptionally fresh, crunchy, and when paired with its spicy peanut dipping sauce, quite flavorful.  However, for me, I think spicing the shrimp or replacing it with marinated chicken (Jessica's idea!) could bring it to an even higher place.

Short ribs

Thankfully, Jessica and I ordered our meal as we went; at one point we planned to order far more food than we actually did but the portions were large and filling so we geared down.  After really enjoying our appetizers, we moved on to our main dishes.  Jessica ordered the sake-braised short ribs and I went with the cochinita pibil, which was essentially pork tacos with pickled onion and habanero salsa.  The short ribs were, without question, the highlight of our excellent meal.  The beef was beyond tender, with the fat truly melting into the meat to form a single consistency.  The sake and black sesame flavoring adding a sweetness to the beef, which is always my favorite combination with short ribs.  The tacos, while good, did not quite match the short ribs.  The pulled pork was tender and the corn tortillas were soft and fresh; I simply found that the habanero salsa could have been included slightly more.  In the bites where I had the sauce, pork, and onion together, I was very impressed.

Jessica had Buku's tiramisu for dessert; it came in a fancy glass and had the chocolate sauce poured down through the layers with fancy handy work from the server.  She immediately proclaimed it one of the best versions she's had, matching that at Il Palio in Chapel Hill.

On top of the wonderful food, our service at the Buku bar was excellent.  The bartender consistently provided us with great recommendations and ultimately shaped the meal we had.  She steered us to the short ribs, the tacos, the breads, and their sauces, probably the four highlights of the meal.

Every aspect of our Buku experience was top-notch; we loved the food, the atmosphere, and the service.  It is the rare restaurant, because of the small plates concept, that allows the diner to sample so many different world flavors to truly have a unique meal.  Going back, we could select a completely different menu and I suspect still be wildly satisfied.  For those who like international food, or those looking to expand their palate, few places could offer what Buku does.