Standing out as the highlight of the newly-opened Marketplace at Lake Boone is an enchanting new restaurant called 618 Bistro.  Created by local Chef Alex Azzam, who many of you know from Ciao! Osteria in Apex and Bentley's American Grill in Cary, this upscale yet accessible bistro offers simple luxury and a provocative flair.  Soon to be a favorite of romantics and foodies throughout the Triangle, 618 Bistro is raising the bar for decadent dining out.

Quite often restaurants become fixated on design and stylish décor, and these can even become far more important elements in the dining experience than the food itself.  This is certainly not the case with 618 Bistro. While the stunningly modern and dramatic space grabs your attention the moment you enter, the seductive aromas from the open kitchen assure you there is so much more to delight and excite here.  Elegant, creative and flavorful food is certainly the focus, yet it is carefully balanced with the entire dining experience.  The sultry atmosphere and hip music are hardly an imposition, but rather a subtle complement to your evening out.

Also enhancing are the staff, who deliver exactly the style of service you’d want from such a smart venue.  From the host to the bartenders to the wait staff, everyone is inviting, genial and eagerly accommodating. Your waiter will be surprisingly non-judgmental and knowledgeable, so you can feel free to ask for suggestions and ideas.

As for the food, 618 offers an innovative and original menu with impressive plate presentation.  In ambitious dishes such as the Grilled Salmon heaped with colorful roasted peppers or the melt-in-your-mouth seared Ahi Tuna, you will see various influences, not simply or easily described, accented by Italian, French and Mediterranean inspiration.  Sublime flavors predominate, as with the pumpkin pasta, which imparts just the slightest hint of sweetness and spice.  You may expect gratifying portions, but no heavy sauces or mere butter masking the delectable flavors of your dish.  It is clear Chef Azzam adheres to the “less is more” philosophy when it comes to preparation. These are delicate flavors designed to surprise and subtly delight you.

The elegant 618 Bistro is a must-try restaurant.  Although it is a tad expensive for an everyday meal, if your parents are in town, or you’re trying to impress a client or a date, this is going to be the perfect spot.   It will also become an understated yet swank scene for the sophisticated over 30 crowd to rival the excitement that has been brewing at North Hills the past few years.  This summer both the seductive bar and the expansive patio should be sizzling.

Forget about merely “eating” out.  618 Bistro is defining the ideal of dining out.  In Raleigh there is no longer any need to settle.

618 Bistro
4035 Lake Boone Trail
Suite 113 Raleigh , NC 27607
919-787-9100
www.618bistro.com