Lantern

CHAPEL HILL. Beautiful paper lanterns adorn this trendy dining room, where patrons ooh and ah over the innovative Asian-inspired cuisine and sip exotic cocktails and chilled sake at the bar. Pleasing first courses, such as Thai chicken salad with chilies, lime, roasted peanuts, red onions and crispy rice stick noodles, are difficult to resist. Then, dinner showcases bountiful eats such as fried whole North Carolina flounder with garlic, chiles, tamarind, fresh lime leaf, carrot salad and jasmine rice. Strong wine list. Late night menu served til midnight Friday and Saturday.