CAI Kitchen Berlin – Szechuan Vegan Bistro — Restaurant in Berlin

If you're on the hunt for seriously spicy delights🍜, Cài Kitchen is the place to be! For an authentic and affordable taste of vegan🥗Szechuan cuisine, Cài Kitchen in Berlin's Prenzlauer Berg district is a must-visit. With creative dishes and a laid-back vibe, it comes highly recommended for a flavorful dining experience.

🏠Ambience: While the space at Cài Kitchen is cozy and inviting, it's worth noting that seating is limited, especially during the colder months when indoor seating is preferred. However, the friendly staff and chill atmosphere make up for any potential crowding. Adding soft background music could enhance the overall dining experience, but even without it, the ambiance remains relaxed and welcoming.

🍝Food: The menu may be small, but each dish is packed with flavor and creativity. We opted for the mixed rice bowl, expecting a simple dish of veggies and rice, but were pleasantly surprised by the explosion of flavors in every bite. And if you're a fan of heat, the gemüse dumplings are a must-try; they're incredibly spicy and pair perfectly with the lighter spiciness of the mixed rice bowl. For those seeking a sweet-tangy spicy option, the marinated udon noodles in TianShui style sauce provide a satisfyingly spicy twist on a classic dish.

💰Price: With reasonable prices and a menu that won't break the bank, Cài Kitchen is the perfect spot for a delicious yet...

You would think it would be IMPOSSIBLE to offer worse service than a Berliner but then that's because you've never been here. I thought counter personnel in restaurants had to do things like take orders, ferry food and maybe clean up a little. At CAI that job apparently entails squatting behind the already low counter and staring at your laptop NONSTOP. I wasn't sure of the etiquette and didn't want to bother her but she grunted something in my direction so I just took a leap and ordered. Imagine my surprise when she looked away from the laptop long enough to enter my order on the tablet and have me pay. No millisecond was wasted though because she went right back to the laptop as if this were a startup and not a restaurant. Guess the food was fine. Seemed about a third high for a small bowl of Udon tho. The food would have brought me back but the creative opening hours and the creature at the counter removing all the energy from the place will...

This place was recommended to me so many times, so maybe my expectations were too high. Or maybe I ordered the wrong dishes. But I was kinda disappointed. I ordered the spicy tofu rice bowl which was really laking of rice, the cauliflower was way to raw, but what really confused and disturbed me were the crackers on top of the dish. I've lived in china and I've eaten a lot of Sichuan food but I can't recall that any of it came with a kind of cracker/ salzstange topping. I also ordered the tofu side dish that also contained more crackers than tofu. It wasn't very convenient to pick them out one by one so I just lived with it, but it really ruined the dishes for me. Besides I left hungry. My friends noodles were also not fully cooked and quite crunchy. Despite all my disappointment the service was nice and friendly. But I'm afraid I will not come again. Still 3 stars because I assume Europeans like...