Puffy’s Magic Dragon

 Recently, in Carolina Beach, my wife and I stumbled upon a real gem of a restaurant and partook in one of the best meals of our life! We know good food, with both of us having eaten at many fine dining and even Michelin Star level restaurants, and although we expected a solid meal from the reviews, Puffy’s Magic Dragon exceded any expectations by miles. When you enter, you cannot help but take note of the eccentric interior design, with dragon decorations everywhere. IIt was unique with a vibe of self authenticity, and was an interesting aesthetic that had us taking note of the highly intricate details until we recieved our first course. We loved it!

The gyoza and rangoon were killer appetizers. The chicken gyoza had a savory dumpling surrounding a flavorful chicken filling. It was accompanied with the perfect pairing of vegetables and an incredible sweet and savory sauce. When it comes to the crab rangoons, this was by far the best quality Crab Rangoon I’ve ever seen or had. The crab rangoon was packed with a generous amount of crab meat and the flavor was off the chain. It was fried to a beautiful golden and the crunch was immaculate. We were relishing in the flavor of the appetizers, and then the entrees came out.

Perfectly cooked filet and chicken for the wifey and I enjoyed wonderfully flavorful Mongolian Peppered Steak which was filet cooked with the perfect spice blend, peppers, and all in a sauce over a bed of rice. The hibachi chicken and filet was a simple dish executed in a way that emphasized what the best in every industry know—the best execute the fundamentals exceptionally well. The Mongolian Peppered Steak had just the right level of spice to make you want the next bite, and the depth of flavor made enjoying the dish a whole sensory experience.

Chatting with the waitress about how perfect the rice and lo mein texture was we discovered the reason everything was SO good as she described how many noodles they tested as they were opening. It’s a clear dedication to excellence and attention to detail here. That is clear from tedious ingredient selection, a well thought out menu, perfectly executed simple dishes, and bringing that same level of execution to dishes with rich layers of flavor. Great vibe, great food! This is NOT your standard casual restaurant for Japanese food. Sure, the vibe is casual, you can stop in wearing your beach clothes, but the food is nothing short of world classs. Seriously a must stop location for any foodie coming up the East coast!