Genki Bar & Restaurant — Restaurant in Essen

We left another place because we didn't like the service and decided to come here.

Absolute hidden gem. All the food was great. Good, soft music, and nice decor.

Xiao Long Bao - Steamed pork buns with a nice dipping sauce. Great flavor. Scallop & Glass Noodle dish - I don't remember the exact name! But it was great. My fiance actually picked this one, and the sauce was amazing. Tofu Soup - Good broth, comes with shrimp and sausage, black fungus, and bok choy. Dan Dan Noodles - highlight of the night! Ground beef, absolutely delicious handmade noodles, tasty peanut sauce broth, and bok choy.

Good choice of alcohol too, with Suntory brand alcohol. I had a Chita on the rocks and Haku vodka, and the plum wine was great too. Good service and a nice convenient...

FOOD & DRINKS The menu is a mix between Chinese and Japanese cuisine. I tried the dumplings in a chili vinegar soy sauce and a variation of skewers. The dumplings unfortunately were not steamed long enough. The top part was a bit tough and there was too much dough for the little amount of filling. The sauce was very uninspired and kinda watery with not much heat or flavor at all. The skewers were alright. I would have preferred my chicken skin skewer crispy though. It was rather chewy for the most part.

SERVICE Staff was nice and friendly.

ATMOSPHERE A pretty standard restaurant with a cozy bar atmosphere.

RATING My only issue is with the execution of the dishes. It’s ok for a bar but not for a restaurant. I need to see and taste more finesse and love...

I just had a late lunch here and it was excellent

I had the Xiao Long Bao (pork dumpling) and then I think it was the Gedünstete Tofustreifen in Brühe which is pork and chicken with nuts in a sauce cooked in a wok with a sticky rice for a side. Not a fan of the sticky rice but its mild taste (very lightly and carefully seasoned) matched well with the very tasty sauce. The meat was cooked perfectly and it was delicious. The pork Bao was perfect, as was the sauce that goes with it.

My total cost was 20.30EU which I considered to be excellent value for the type of restaurant, the quality of the food and the attentive service.

My waitress spoke enough English to help me understand the menu and to feel properly...