Asian Restaurants

Wilmington, NC’s best sushi restaurant is located at The Forum, an upscale shopping and dining destination that is close to Wrightsville Beach and easily reached from downtown too. The Bento Box is located in a space with a design as inviting as the food. The Bento Box has a full bar as well as a full kitchen, and numerous dishes from throughout Asia are on the menu too. Any type of sushi you might crave, all prepared with great skill and care from the highest-quality ingredients, is available. Save room for a Chocolate Potsticker after your meal: it is Belgium chocolate wrapped inside a homemade wonton that is cooked just until the chocolate melts, then served in a puddle of delicious caramel. You can order just one, but why would you? The restaurant is open Monday through Wednesday from 11:30 until 9:00 p.m. and Thursday and Friday from 11:30 until 10:00 p.m. The restaurant is open on Saturday evening from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m., but is closed on Sunday to allow Chef Lee, the owner, and his staff to spend quality time with the family.

Sixteen sakes, an extensive wine list and a large number of special drinks such as a Pomegranate ginger mojito are found at YoSake, located on the second floor of the historic Roundabush building on Front Street in Historic Downtown Wilmington. The restaurant has a full pan-Asain menu as well as all types of sushi available nightly from 5:00 p.m. Some of the favorite entrees are a Thai-style bone in pork chop served with wasabi potato cake and marinated asparagus, carmelized jumbo shrimp served with vegetable tempura and a warm soba salad and spicy braised coconut chicken served with fresh fennel, fresh chilis, tomatoes, spinach and rice. Don’t pass up dessert either: fresh mango cheesecake or scrumptious coconut banana ice cream are available.