Korean Garden - Cary, NC

Some of the the most authentic Chinese food is served in the Korean Garden. The real name of the restaurant is TBD; they're so new they haven't even changed the sign. No website, no name, and all sorts of awesome behind the strip mall door of 748 E Chatham St, Ste E in Cary, NC.

Some of their house specials need to be ordered in advance. The Tea-Smoked Duck, for example, takes a long time to make and comes in a limited supply. Reserve one if you can; this dish is hard to find in general, and theirs is, without a doubt, the best. The duck is dark and woody, chewy skin with foggy hints of steeping, salty-savory tea. The meat turns tender, and the tea-and-smoke combination draws out the gamier undertones of the duck. 

The Sweet and Sour Fish requires a call-in as well. Lukshon, whose chef ranks among LA's best, tried to make this dish, but this flawless creation beats them ten times over. The beautiful cubed filet must have taken hours to accomplish, and the batter is a thin, even coat fried to a golden crisp. The sweet n' sour sauce plays with the palate, a viscous but flowing coat that tingles with sour and soothes with sweet.

The Fish Ball Soup may look like a bland bowl, but their balls are made in-house, and these are some brass ones. The texture is softer than the rubbery freezer-aisle nubs from all the Asian markets, and you can taste the individual shred of fish meat when they melt in your mouth. 

The Lamb Chops were an afterthought, just an extra dish that looked good, and WOW. They sizzle on a skillet plate, and the juicy meat burns with the pleasurable wrath of chilies with cilantro.

I live in SoCal, and no one cooks better than my grandma. I never thought Cary could impress me with authentic Chinese food, but here we are. New-Korean- Garden/no-name Chinese restaurant, call yourself whatever you want, I'll just call you brilliant and I'll definitely call ahead next time I come back to Cary.