Bida Manda Restaurant and BarWell Done, Again!What a pleasant time we had at Bida Manda on a Monday night. The staff accommodated us well (even after changing the reservation a bit) and were kind and attentive to detail. Food was very good, well prepared, and unique! I love the little extras they throw in at your meal. So special and thoughtful! Keep up the great work Bida Manda!!5/13/2013 12:00:00 AMmy new favorite!Outstanding food with careful attention to fresh ingredients and magnificent blend of flavors. I had lunch there first which was so good my lunch bunch begged the next hostess for a repeat. Unheard of with this group! If noise is annoying do go for lunch! Great waite staff that are genuinely proud of their food and anxious to please. Dinner was equally delicious a bit more noisy. Only wish is that their chairs were more comfortable. Bravo all in all! See you at lunch soon.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMFabulous Food, Fabulous serviceInteresting, wonderful food. If you like spicy, even better, although they will prepare your dish with whatever heat that you like.
Service is also outstanding.
A must dine in Raleigh!5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMHaving dined at Bida MandaHaving dined at Bida Manda 4 times now, I can report that the quality of food and service are consistently excellent. What a treat to have a Laotian restaurant in downtown Raleigh. It’s a great opportunity to show off the local dining scene to visitors as I have yet to find anyone who has been to a Laotian restaurant! Vansana and Vanvisa Nolintha are always welcoming and manage the logistics superbly. Every dish has been terrific. Favorites include Duck Larb, Pork Belly Soup, and the Saffron Crepe with shrimp and bacon. Bida Manda is truly a local treasure!5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMGood all around and a lotGood all around and a lot of fun. Highly recommend.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMamazingI saw this place while walking to another restaurant for brunch. I took my sis there for her birthday and it was more amazing than I could have imagined!5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMRaleigh is lucky to have Bida MandaBida Manda is the kind of place you expect to find in a much larger city, deep within a "Little Laos" neighborhood. This is much more than generic "Thai food" available anywhere. The variety, quality and care for every detail provides the essence of the best from this brother/sister teams own family. Try something you have never had (that will be easy) and enjoy the result. A great place for lunch now as well.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMExceptional food and service.Exceptional food and service. One of our new favorites.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstanding!We were totally impressed with the food, the variety, and the personal attention we received. The owner visited our table several times. Presentation was lovely, but the servings were also generous. I have already told some friends about this very nice experience.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMVery good, fun new cuisineThis was our first time at Bida Manda and we really enjoyed the food. We had never tried either larb or papaya salad, and we liked them both very much. We also enjoyed sharing the crispy rice lettuce wraps and the stuffed pepper. There were so many other things that interested us on the menu that I am sure we'll be back.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMexcellentreally good food and attentive service. would go back again and again and again. can seem a bit crowded if seated at an actual table in the bar area, but well worth the inconvenience. loved the pad thai - not overly sweet like the thai versions. they will make food as hot as requested, which is great for those of us who want heat off the menu scale. would recommend to anyone who is interested in something different. but, even the meat and potatoes person in our group enjoyed his meal.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMA Real FindWe had heard so much about Bida Manda that we went in with great skepticism. However, we were not disappointed. The scene is casual and relaxed, and the staff is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. We had crispy rice lettuce wraps for an appetizer, papaya salad with lemongrass chicken, and beef larb. All was outstanding and very fresh. We also loved the small Laotian baskets that held sticky rice. This is a real find for Raleigh. Maybe it will further revitalize the Moore Square area. We definitely will come back -- and bring friends with us!5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing food and serviceThe overall experience at Bida Manda is fantastic! We greatly enjoyed the soft shell crab appetizer, pork belly soup (must try) and the chicken curry. The service is excellent and the owners presence is warmly felt in the restaurant. This will definitely be our go to restaurant in downtown Raleigh.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMinspired, authentic foodfish wrapped in banana leaves- yum, crunchy, sticky rice served in small bamboo steamers- awesome!, lettuce wraps- crunchy and delicious-
One time, server was way over-busy, but second time better- only complaint, wine-pour was less than half a glass (server said that was right, but subsequent glasses fuller)5/2/2013 12:00:00 AMWill come back!The food was delicious- really wonderful flavors. Highly recommend the catfish entree. Great service and knowledgable waitstaff5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMNever Disapoints!Bida Manda is my favorite restaurant in Raleigh - truly wonderful food, people, and expierence!5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMWill Go Back AgainOnly got to try two new things, but will go back again to make my way through the other items that I didn't get to try. Everything tastes fresh and is beautifully presented.4/29/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat evening out!The food was terrific, especially the ginger pork ribs. I loved the pineapple-infused sugar cube in my champagne cocktail. Great service, our waiter was eager to please. Great new place for the Raleigh scene4/29/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat addition to the RaleighGreat addition to the Raleigh dining scene. Great food, great service, nice view over the park. Thumbs up!4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMEvery aspect of Bida MandaEvery aspect of Bida Manda is top rate. The cocktail, wine and beer lists are all very fine with novel choices and savvy choices. Although small the bar and restuarant are far from cramped. The food menu has something for everyone but beware the "Lao hot" spice option. We'll certainly be returning.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMCan't recommend this restaurantCan't recommend this restaurant enough. So, so good!4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful food and serviceWonderful food, great service, nice quaint restaurant.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMFlavorful Asian-Laos food DowntownGreat Moore Square location in the heart of Downtown Raleigh! Asian-infused food from Laos was delicious! For the foodies, try the Green Papaya Salad or Shrimp Crepes, actually so many unique flavors on this menu to pleasure the palate, we cannot wait to go back and try more! Refreshing complimentary drink is served at the end to cleanse the palate... what a pleasant surprise and delight! We didn't try the desert offerings, but we will next time. The bar offered wine assortment, seasonal cocktails, surprising ginger liquor, traditional drinks variety, and the ability to mix special requests as well. Nice atmosphere for a Romantic date, hip location in Downtown overlooking Moore Square, flavorful food & cocktails! This is a winner!4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMThis place was great. We wereThis place was great. We were out celebrating my girlfriends new job. Her parents were there and some of her best friends and we couldn't have picked a better place. Everything was excellent. Food, service, and ambiance. It was perfect.4/24/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food. Our first timeGreat food. Our first time there. Definitely going back.4/22/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was wonderful, soThe food was wonderful, so was the service. We shared the summer rolls with pork. The sweet sauce that came with them was a great complement. I had the green papaya salad (mildly spiced) and chose the grilled duck as my meat (which arrive medium rare, as requested). The combination of flavors, cool, fresh papapya julienned like noodles, with lime and fish sauce, and the warm duck, was well-balanced and flavorful. Our waitress was so lovely, and took the time to explain how to make a sticky rice paddy with my fingers as part of assembling each bite of my dish. My husband had the saffron crepe, also yummy. The dessert trio was equally satisfying. The lime digestif that arrived with the bill was a lovely suprise. We will definitely return!4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMLaotian cuisine is similarLaotian cuisine is similar to Thai but not quite the same. We had pumpkin curry and larb, both very interesting and tasty. Enjoyed the meal, including dessert. Hot and spicy, although they can adjust the heat to your taste.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMFood is great! The lettuceFood is great!
The lettuce wrap, Beef Larm, and ribs were all fantastic!!4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMLove Bida MandaLove love love this place! The food, the atmosphere, the service, and the decor are all stellar. Do not miss the vanilla macaroon for dessert.4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMFantastic Restaurant!Dinner was fantastic! We had a group of 7 people who all ordered different things and every single item was cooked to perfection. I could not have been happier with the experience.4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing evening experience!!It is really a good experience, the food is very authentic and drives you to meet the culture of Laos. The service was very customized and courteous. Great place.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMSuper healthy, and super delicious.Super healthy, and super delicious. Very clean, and crisp tastes. I don't even have the words for how delicious and wonderful this place is. I can't wait to go back.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMA wonderful addition to theA wonderful addition to the dining scene in Raleigh. Our group of five enjoyed every dish.4/8/2013 12:00:00 AMI saw all the other greatI saw all the other great reviews and thought it might be worth checking out. My boyfriend got the ginger pork ribs and I got the beef larb. Both were excellent. I was so glad that when I told the server I wanted my larb medium spicy, it actually was spicy, not the watered down version of spicy. Thank you! I really have no complaints and I hope to come back again soon.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMFirst visit to this restaurantFirst visit to this restaurant and we were very pleased. The food was excellent and was very reasonably priced. We will definitely be back.3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMPerfection!This is our favorite restaurant in Raleigh! I can't say enough about how amazing everything was. The food was superb, the service was outstanding, the prices were reasonable, and the ambience was warm and inviting. The entrees are original and creative. The specialty cocktails are artfully mixed and refreshing. Really, for a perfect evening go to Bada Minda!3/27/2013 12:00:00 AMCreative, fresh menu, excellentCreative, fresh menu, excellent customer service, urban hip atmosphere.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMA group of 4 tried Bida MandaA group of 4 tried Bida Manda on a Saturday night. Reservation was at 8:15, we were sat by 8:25. This was perfectly fine, we had time to enjoy a drink while we were waiting. The drink menu has some interesting concoctions, all were very good.
For appetizers, we had the lettuce wraps, summer rolls and the softshell crab. All were very good, but the softshell crab was the standout. Perfectly fried with a wonderful spicy sauce.
For entrees we had the pork belly soup, herb salad with shrimp, duck larb and the chicken curry. Again all were outstanding - be warned, if you order it Lao spicy, it will be SPICY (good for me, but if you are not a spicy food fan, order mild)! The trio of desserts was also very good! We will be back often!3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMI've been here twice now.I've been here twice now. I think it's my new favorite restaurant downtown. The first time I went I ordered the Beef Larb - it wasn't my favorite because it had an overwhelming taste of parsley and cilantro (my two least favorite herbs). The next time, however, I had the caramelized ginger pork ribs. It might actually be the best meal I've ever eaten. The flavor was awesome but the meat was so tender. Delicious. My boyfriend, who is a vegetarian, had the papaya salad and loved it (there are MANY veggie options). He and I go to the IMAX a lot, and we will certainly add this restaurant to our IMAX evenings as it's so close to the theater. Their cocktail menu is pretty great too!3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMI'd returnI thought it was good but it was so hyped that I think my expectations were too high. I also think I ordered the wrong dish. I'll go back and order something else.I recommend it though. The food was good and it was a great dining atmosphere.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMLettuce wraps were amazing.Lettuce wraps were amazing. Was not expecting them to completely blow away PF Changs lettuce wraps, but they did. Food was great and staff was very helpful and fun to talk to. Can't wait to go back!3/14/2013 12:00:00 AMLGreat dining experience. Very courteous folks. Owners were extremely friendly and engaged. Hunter, our server, was very knowledgeable regarding the offerings and guided us well. Their Soft Spring Rolls were good and tight but I am used to my wife's that have more sprouts and also have peanuts. a I was a little apprehensive about ordering Papaya Salad having had but was assured that it was good. Ordered the salad with duck and the meat was done just right and the dessert was great and the two of us shared one after the meal and taste matched the presentation. Bravo.3/14/2013 12:00:00 AMA real treat. The very hospitableA real treat. The very hospitable owners of this unique restaurant make you feel like you are eating are their home. Food was terrific (wonderful soft shell crabs and a very aromatic chicken curry among the dishes we sampled. A great addition to the Raleigh food scene.2/16/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat hospitality. Van alwaysGreat hospitality. Van always makes you feel welcome here. Everything is wonderful everytime we've been here. The food is fresh and offers traditional dishes as well as some more adventurous selections.2/11/2013 12:00:00 AM