When G.58 Cuisine opened about six months ago, I made a mental note to check out the first fine dining Chinese restaurant in the Research Triangle area. I think the Universe heard me and thought I was taking too long to make that happen because G.58 reached out to me and invited me over for a feast of a meal. Many thanks to G.58 for hosting me!
I brought along my friend Danae for a Galentine’s Day early lunch date. Upon walking in, we were already impressed by their elegant interior design. The owner Julia and manager Penny Lane gave us a private tour of their beautiful space. I’ll show you one of their two VIP rooms later in this post!
Let’s first go over their meticulously presented and curated menu. Julia brought over her five chefs from China, and they are all highly trained. She mentioned they were all from different regions of China and had different specialties.
Personally, with the recent loss of my dad, I find I get easily overwhelmed making simple decisions these days so I gave over the reins of ordering to Penny Lane. She designed a meal from their dinner menu and I’m so thankful for her selection. It was an amazing tasting! I definitely suggest you eat family-style when you come to G.58 to get the maximum benefit of your fine dining experience.
and Korean Cabbage spring rolls
served with plum sauce; 2 for $5 / 5 for $10
We tried three of their starters. The duck spring rolls, the crispy salmon fillet, and the lotus root stuffed with sweet bread. The spring rolls were solid. The duck filling perfectly seasoned. One of my favorite pleasures in this life is biting into a crispy spring roll. I can hear the sound of the crunch and taste it in my mind as I write this!
Honey-sweetened lotus root stuffed
with sticky rice and sweet-olive flower fragrance; $9
Julia explained to us sweet rice stuffed into lotus root is a traditional dish in China. I’ve never eaten anything like this before. It had a soft texture that reminded me of the texture of boiled potato and the sweetness was mild. Lotus root is often eaten during the Chinese New Year as it symbolizes abundance.
The crispy salmon fillets were so flavorful. The server explained that traditionally it was served cooled to at least room temperature. The size of these bites reminds me of a Vietnamese pastime we call “nhâu.” Which means, snacking and eating leisurely as you drink. These Crispy Salmon Fillets would be a perfect dish to nhâu with.
A tip for your visit: You can get three starters from a choice of five as a sampler platter for $15. Both the Crispy Salmon Fillets and the Lotus were on that list of five options.
Meatball Soup; Jumbo Pork
meatball with savory clear broth; $14
That pork meatball was so delicate and tender in the Braised Shizitou Meatball soup. There were bits of water chestnuts in the meatball. One of my favorite eating experiences is when you eat something you typically would not like and you find yourself liking it! This was true for my friend Danae who normally does not like a water chestnut. The bits of water chestnut in the meatball was finely diced and complimented the tender pork that it did not bother her. I learned that it takes two days to prepare these meatballs and two hours to steam!
asparagus, and chopped carrots; $14
The Crab Meat Chowder was a comforting soup that reminded me of an elevated egg drop soup. I am a huge fan of silky tofu in a soup!
fried red peppers and peanuts; $16
The veal had a nice sear on the outside and was juicy and tender. The fried slices of red pepper were so fun to bite into. It had a nice crunch and kick that complemented the veal. Check out that sugar sculpture in the middle of the dish! I’ve never seen sugar glass accents on a savory dish before. Bravo, G.58!
Penny Lane sent us over some vegetables. It’s as if she knew how badly my body has been deprived of vegetables lately. (Don’t tell mom!) The umami flavor of these sauteed vegetables danced on my tongue and had me going back after each bite. This is unusual behavior for me when it comes to vegetables.
and vegetables in garlic sauce, $36
Remember how biting into a crispy delicious spring roll is one of my favorite simple pleasures in life? Another is cutting into a perfectly cooked scallop with a knife. And of course, also eating perfectly cooked scallops.
eight-ounce fillet pan-seared
Chilean Sea Bass with brandy sauce,
served over scallion noodles; $42
This Chilean Sea Bass is neck and neck for my favorite dish. The fish is perfectly cooked and I appreciate the red peppers on top, giving this dish such a fiery kick. And if you’ve followed me for a short amount of time, you know I’m noodle obsessed. If I took myself out on a solo date to G.58 and only had room for one entrée, I’d order this dish.
lightly breaded and deep fried,
served over a bed of seasoned breadcrumbs; $48
My other top pick from our feast was their Signature Lobster Tail dish which comprised of breaded and fried bites of lobster tail served on top of a bed of seasoned panko breadcrumbs. The seasoning of the crumbs was so flavorful. It had sliced spicy red peppers sprinkled in for heat. Yes, the lobster nuggets were delicately fried and you would just want to pop them in your mouth and let them almost melt on your tongue. But back to those panko breadcrumbs, I’m not sure what G.58 did to them. They magically transformed the crumbs to something you could eat by the spoonful on its own. To transform a supporting ingredient that is often overlooked as filler to something not to be ignored is so impressive. So Pro Tip, if you order this lobster dish and can’t finish the crumbs, take them home. I repurposed what I didn’t eat to add a delicious crust to chicken, and it was a delight.
Then just when we thought we couldn’t eat another bite, dessert was sent out. The sweet yams with berry and orange jam glaze were light. We loved how mild in sweetness the yams were and the glazes were perfect toppings. We were also treated to a pumpkin and coconut custard. It was a unique flavor and texture combination.
I am taking note of venues in the area that have private dining options, and G.58 cuisine has two private VIP rooms that can be turned into one grand room. Each accommodates up to fourteen diners and together they can accommodate up to twenty-eight.
Overall, I’m impressed by G.58 Cuisine and their fine dining experience. I have not come across a Chinese restaurant that is as elegant as them. The ambiance was luxurious without feeling stuffy. The vibe reminded me of the zen-like atmosphere most spas try to achieve. Except instead of massages of the body, it’s pampering for tastebuds and sight. Ha! It achieves both an authentic take on Chinese food as well as a meticulous and creative presentation. And to do all these things and still have an approachable menu is worth commending!
So tell me, friends. When was the last time you treated yourself to a fine dining experience? Where did you go? Tell me in the comments!
G.58 Cuisine
10958 Chapel Hill Rd, Morrisville, NC 27560
(919) 466-8858
g58cuisine.com/
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