Mark’s Score 8.8
Anyone who has read my reviews would know that I am a big fan of Nicole Lin and Jackie Chan. Their Smoking Monster restaurant is, in my view, one of the best Asian restaurants in the area. I was recently in Berlin for a meeting, so I took the opportunity to try their second restaurant, in their three-restaurant chain, Kaiju.
Manna, in Salisbury, was their first restaurant. They opened Kaiju on Ocean Gateway, just in front of Walmart, in 2021. Like their other two restaurants, I would classify Kaiju as an Asian-fusion restaurant blending a variety of cuisines from East Asia, with Japanese being the main focus. They position themselves as an approachable spot that should attract both sushi and ramen lovers, in what they call a “casual and cozy atmosphere.” I would classify it as sleekly modern Japanese, and in my view, by far their most beautiful restaurant. They present their cuisine as accessible, affordable, quality fresh Asian cuisine.
I chose an item from a picture on their daily lunch special menu, and to be perfectly honest I have no idea what I ordered. Traditionally, Japanese restaurants have pictures of their food on their menus or they display plastic replicas of their dishes in their windows. Plastic replicas are an artform in Japan. Some are so realistic it is hard to tell what is real and what is fake.
The dish was served in a yin/yang ramen bowl. On one side was a shrimp kimchi (so therefore picante) dish, while the opposite side contained a mild broth with chicken katsu dumplings. Each side contained half of a soft-boiled egg. Yin and yang is a Chinese concept that describes how opposite forces are interconnected, complementary, and interdependent. It took me a while to realize that the dish was designed to demonstrate this philosophy. The left side represented the sea with a fiery tempestuous flavor. While the right side represented the nurturing land, safe and mild. The half of a soft-boiled egg on each side tied the two sides together and demonstrated their interdependence. It was a very clever presentation.
I love ramen noodles, when I worked in Asia, they were my favorite lunch food. While this meal would be perfectly acceptable in any restaurant in Tokyo, and while it was very authentic and beautifully presented, I would have to say that I like the food in their other restaurants better. Not that there was anything wrong with Kaiju’s food, and I would certainly recommend it without reservation. I just like Smoking Monster better. Having said that though, the interior design of Kaiju is beautiful. It has a stunning sleek Japanese interior design that I find peaceful, relaxing, and aesthetically pleasing.
Though they call themselves a “bar” I cannot imagine a wild raucous gathering at this location. This is a place for quiet contemplation and appreciation of the harmony of life. This is a place to sip sake, and not a place to guzzle beer.
What else is there to do in Berlin?
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