FORTUNE PALACE CHINESE RESTAURANT
(Chinese * Thai * Malaysia Cuisine)
Tel.: 919-850-0086  
2815 Brentwood Road, Raleigh, NC 27604
Stony Brook Shopping Center
(Between Capital Blvd & Brentwood Road)

 www.fortunepalacenc.com

We Deliver Limited Area
 (Minimum $15.00 & 2.00 Delivery Charge)

MAP

Business Hours:
Lunch   Mon-Sun: 11:30am-2:30pm
Dinner  Mon-Sun: 4:30pm-9:30pm
Fri.~Sat.: 4:30pm~10:00pm

    In the 11 years since Fortune Palace first opened its doors, the Triangle's ethnic dinning scene has changed dramatically. The number and variety of options have blossomed into a diverse assortment of cuisines, from Salvadoran to Singaporean.

    Unfortunately, while the number of Chinese restaurants has roughly doubled over the last decade, most of the newcomers have been little more than clones, each serving up the same old Americanized McChinese fodder we know too well. That's why Fortune Palace, which was the best Chinese restaurant in the Triangle when it opened, is even more valuable today.

    Not that the restaurant has changed significantly. The cavernous dinning room, which somehow managed to look well-worn even when Fortune Palace was brand-new , looks pretty much the same as always. From the silk tapestries on the walls to the big round tables outfitted with lazy Susan's for family- style dining, the atmosphere  is reminiscent of a Chinatown eatery in a major city.

    the most notable change in the menu is that the authentic fare has been made more accessible to non-Chinese customers. Once relegated to a separate menu, available to most patrons only by request, the authentic offerings are now appended to the "main" menu of popular Chinese-American dishes. For those unfamiliar with the cuisine, photos of each dish are posted in the entryway.

  I should note for the sake of squeamish that the authentic offerings do include a handful of dishes such as tripe with pepper sauce, and spicy sliced pig's ear. But these account for only a fr4action of the 100 listings.

    More typical is fried calamari with garlic, which according to our server is "the favorite starter of American customers." Or shredded pork with chile pepper, a downright addictive dry stir-fry that emphatically demonstrates how little flavor that gelatinous sauces of Chinese American dishes actually contribute.

    Only a slightly more adventurous palate is required to appreciate baby fish with peanuts, a popular beer-drinking snack in China. Once you've tried the dish, a salty-spicy melange of peanuts, scallions and crisp-fried whole fish barely longer than their companion peanuts, you'll understand its popularity.

    Pork with pickled cabbage soup is a refreshing alternative to the familiar hot and sour. It's served for two, as is a clam and ginger soup that sparkles with the clean, bracing taste of the sea.

    Among entrees, three cup chicken (so named because the original recipe is said to have called for one cup each of soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil) is a must. Featuring bone-in chunks of chicken in a coffee-dark sauce deeply redolent of ginger and anise, this dish comes at you with layer after harmonious layer of flavor.

    In comparison, the brown sauce is undistinguished in an otherwise respectable dish of stir-fried duck with celery.

    Such disappointments are rare and invariably minor, however. You've much more likely to land a keeper like the ambrosially sauced filet of flounder with crispy fin. Or score a bull's-eye with the best beef chow fun this side of New York's Chinatown,

    It's obvious that Choa Hui Chen, who bought Fortune Palace three years ago, knows to leave well enough alone. His only tinkering of note was to supplement the two Chinese chefs with a third from Malaysia, whose native cuisine dominates a supplemental menu of specials. Judging by two of these Malaysian dishes- and appetizer pastry called curry puffs that's reminiscent of Indian samosas, and a musky-spicy stir-fry of Chinese watercress in shrimp paste called kang kung balacan- I'd say that Chen's tinkering hasn't hit a bit.

    I'll confess that to date I've only ordered two items from the Chinese- American menu: crispy and salty whole shrimps, which happen to be among the handful of dishes that appear on both the Chinese-American and traditional Chinese menus, and spring rolls, hands-down the best in the Triangle. Based on that admittedly limited experience. I'd wager that those who come for sesame chicken or sweet and sour pork won't leave disappointed. personally, i find it impossible to pass up the opportunity - still so rare in these parts - to feast on the real thing.

Rating: ***
Prices: $$
Atmosphere: Chinatown, well-wore
Service: eager to please, usually attentive
Recommended: spring rolls, shredded pork with chile pepper, clam and ginger soup, filet of flouder with crispy fin, three cup chicken, beef chow fun.

Open: Lunch and dinner daily. Noodle brunch served Saturday and Sunday.
Reservations: accepted for parties of 8 or more.
Other: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, beer and wine, smoking section; kid-friendly.
          The N&O's critic dines anonymously; the newspaper per pays for all meals. We rank restaurants in five
          categories:
          ****Extraordinary
          ***Exxcellent
          **Good
          *Fair
          Zero stars: Poor

For descriptions and reviews of more restaurant, use the searchable restaurant database at http://triangle.com/
 

Appetizers

1. Vegetable Roll (1) Prepared Same as Egg Roll and Without Meat.	1.35
2. Egg Roll (1) Shredded Cabbage, Carrot, Celery & Ground Pork Wrapped in Flour Crepe.	1.35
3. Shrimp Spring Roll (1) Prepared Similar with Egg Roll Wrapped in a Crispier Rice Crepe with Shrimp & Pork	1.35
4. Crab Rangoon (6) Cream Cheese and Scallion with Crab Meat, Wrapped in a Wonton Skin and Fried to a Golden Brown.	3.95
5. Teriyaki Chicken (3)	4.25
6. Steamed or Fried Dumpling (8 Pcs) Hand Made Flour Wrapped Filled w. Mix. of Pork & Chinese Cabbage Served w. Rice Vinegar Hot Oil.	5.95
7. Barbecued Spare Ribs (4) or Boneless Spare Ribs Oven Roast Pork Spare Ribs Marinated in a Chinese Barbecue Sauce.	5.95
8. Fried Calamari w. Garlic	5.95
9. Seaweed Salads (Cold Dish)	5.95
10. Malaysia Curry Puff (4 pcs) Pastry Dough Stuffed w. Chicken, Onion, Potato and Curry Paste.	5.95
11. Fried Chicken Wings (4 pcs)	(4pcs)  4.95    (6pcs) 5.95
12. Hot & Spicy Chicken Wings Spicy Chicken Wings are Tossed in a Red Chili and Honey Brown Sauce.	(4pcs)  4.95     (6pcs) 5.95

 

Soup  (w. Crispy Noodles) Red color mean hot and spicy

	16 oz.                         32 oz.
S01.  Egg Drop Soup	1.75                           3.25
S02.  Wonton Soup	1.75                           3.25
S03   Hot & Sour Soup	1.75                           3.25
S04.  Chicken & Corn Soup (For Two)	4.95
S05.  Spinach & Tofu Soup (For Two)	4.95
S06. House Special Soup (For Two)         A combination of chicken and shrimp, beef and mix           vegetable in chicken based broth.	5.95
S07. Snow White Soup (For Two)	7.95
S08 Seafood Tom Yam Soup (For Two)        Thai style spicy hot & Sour w. seafood, mushrooms,        lemon & lime juice	7.95

	16oz	32oz
C1.  Curry Chicken	5.50	8.95
C2.  Hunan Chicken         Sliced chicken sauteed w. mushroom, waterchesnuts, baby corn, red bell peppers & snow-peas in spicy brown sauce	5.50	8.95
C3.  Moo Goo Gai Pan            Sliced chicken w. fresh vegetables in white sauce	5.50	8.95
C4.  Chicken In Garlic Sauce    Sliced chicken w. red bell peppers, black mushroom, scallions	5.50	8.95
C5.  Kung Pao Chicken             Diced chicken sauteed w. peanuts, mushrooms, yellow squash, red bell peppers, waterchesnuts & carrots in spicy brown sauce	5.50	8.95
C6.  Sweet & Sour Chicken   Chunks of chicken deep fried, coated w. sweet & sour sauce	5.50	8.95
C7.  Chicken w. Cashew Nuts.	5.50	8.95
C8.  Chicken w. Broccoli            White meat chicken w. broccoli in white sauce	5.50	8.95
C9. Sesame Chicken Chunks of Chicken w. Chef's Sauce, Served w. Broccoli & Topped w. a Dash of Sesame.		9.95
C10. General Tso's Chicken Chunks of Chicken, Served On a Bed of Broccoli w. General's Special Sauce.		9.95

 

 

Pork  (w. White Rice) Red color mean hot and spicy

	16oz	32oz
P1.  Sweet & Sour Pork       Chunks of pork deep fried, coated w. sweet & sour sauce	5.50	8.95
P2.  Mongolian Pork  Sliced pork sauteed w. green & white onion in brown sauce	5.50	8.95
P3.   House Style Special Pork Shredded Pork Sauteed w. Celery, Carrots, Onion & Mushroom in a Hot Spicy Sauce.		8.95
P4.   Mu Shi Pork (w. 4 Pancakes & Plum Sauce)		8.95

Duck
 (w. White Rice)

D1.  Duck w. Pineapple		13.95
D2.  Duck with Celery		13.95
D3.  Mu Shi Duck		13.95
D3.  Hong Kong Style Roast Duck (Served on Bone)        Duck roasted to crispy w. the Hong Kong style        brazing sauce	(Half) 13.95	(Whole) 25.95

 

Beef

	16oz	32oz
B1.   Hunan Beef	5.95	9.25
B2.   Beef w. Snow Peas & Mushroom	5.95	9.25
B3.   Green Pepper Steak	5.95	9.25
B4.   Beef w. Broccoli	5.95	9.25
B5.   Mongolian Beef	5.95	9.25
B6.   Curry Beef	5.95	9.25
B7.   Beef w. String Beans	5.95	9.25
B8.   Orange Beef		10.95
B9.   Crispy Sesame Beef		10.95
B10. Beef w. Onion & Ginger Sliced of Fresh Beef Sauteed in a High Heated Wok w. Onion & Ginger.		10.95

 

Seafood  (w. White Rice) Red color mean hot and spicy

	16oz (PT.)	32oz (QT.)
S1.  Hunan Shrimp	6.50	9.95
S2.  Shrimp in Lobster Sauce	6.50	9.95
S3.  Sweet & Sour Shrimp	6.50	9.95
S4.  Shrimp in Garlic Sauce	6.50	9.95
S5.  Kung Pao Shrimp	6.50	9.95
S6.  Shrimp w. Mixed Vegetables	6.50	9.95
S8.  Chicken & Shrimp w. Broccoli Diced Chicken, Baby Shrimp and Fresh Broccoli Sauteed in Spicy Brown Sauce.	6.50	9.95
S9.  Triple Delight Chicken Breast, Shrimp and Beef Sauteed w. Mixed Vegetables in a Brown Sauce.		10.95
S10.  Sizzling Seafood w. Crispy Rice Assorted Seafood Sauteed w. Fresh Mixed Vegetables in White Sauce Topped w. Crispy Rice		11.95
S11.  Thai Spicy Shrimp w. String Beans Shrimp w. String Beans in Hot Black Pepper Brown Sauce.		11.95
S12.  Sesame Honey Shrimp		11.95

 

Chef's Specialties of Fortune Palace (w. Rice) Red color mean hot and spicy

K1.    Crispy Scallions Chicken (Best Selling) Tender Chicken Cut into Chunks, Lightly Breaded and Deep-Fried to Crispy, Then Sauteed in a Delicious Sauce.	10.95
K2.    Thai Basil Chicken Sauteed Chicken w. Basil, Garlic, Onion, Bell Pepper and Chili Fish Sauce.	10.95
K3.    Three Cup Chicken Chicken Cook w. 1 Cup of Soy Sauce, 1 Cup of Cooking Wine, 1 Cup of Sesame Oil with Basil & Ginger.	11.95
K4.    Lemon Grass Chicken & Shrimp Chicken & Shrimp Cooked w. Hot Chili Pepper, Basil, Green Red Pepper, Onion in Thai Style Lemongrass Sauce.	12.95
K5.    Thai Green Curry Chicken & Shrimp Onion, Green Pepper, Mushroom, String Bean, Basil & Bamboo Shoots Cooked in a Spicy Coconut Curry Both.	12.95
K6.    Hawaii Five "O" Chicken Shrimp, Scallop, Beef, Pork, Carrots, Waterchestnuts, Snow Peas, Mushroom, Broccoli, Pineapple & Napa in Special Brown Sauce.	12.95
K7.    Thai Style Curry Soft Shell Crab Fried Bread Crumb Soft Shell Crab Cooked w. Thai Red Curry Sauce, Mushroom, Onion, Bell Pepper & Fresh Basil Leaves.	15.95

 

Vegetarian Red color mean hot and spicy

	16oz	32oz
	Pt.	Qt.
V1. Vegetarian Delight Fresh vegetables stir-fried in white sauce	4.95	7.95
V2.   Broccoli in Garlic Sauce	4.95	7.95
V3.  Eggplant w. Garlic Sauce            Sliced eggplant sauteed in hot garlic sauce		7.95
V4.  String Bean Szechuan Style  Fresh string bean sauteed in hot spicy sauce		7.95
V5.  Bean Curd Home Style            Fresh tofu w. mixed vegetables in a hot spicy sauce		7.95
V6.   Mu Shi Vegetable (w. 4 Pancakes)		7.95
V7.   Sesame Tofu Fried Tofu, Served w. Sesame Honey Sauce, on Bed of Broccoli.		9.95
V8.  Crispy Eggplant  Battered eggplant deep fried crispy w. special sweet brown sauce.		9.95
V9.   Thai Basil Tofu Fried Tofu w. Fresh Basil Leaves, Onion & Ginger in Basil Sauce.		9.95
V10. Thai Curry Tofu  Deep Fried Tofu in Hot Spicy Red Curry Coconut Milk w. Ground Peanuts & String Beans		9.95

Fried Rice/ Egg Foo Young/ Chow Mei