Kain Neo-Filipino Bistro — Restaurant in Oslo

Amazing experience as it was our first time trying filipino food at a restaurant. The food is an in between an fine dining and a regular restaurant, and service was excellent. As the waiter took his/her time to explain all the diffrent elements in the dish.

When we sat down we were given an complementary warm stock soup, whcih we really liked in this cold weather. As it was warming and had a nice ginger flavor.

Starters Kinilaw (catch of the day with jalapeno dressing) The raw fish was fantastic with the japapeno dressing. The dressing was refreshing and had a hint of sourness, it was not spicy at all. The fermented mango bits gave it a funny tangy taste and sellery privided some needed texture. An excellent dish and one of my favorites.

Sisig (Grilled pork) A fun fusion inspired way of serving grilled pork in mini tortilla wrap. The egg yolk gave the meat an nice round creamyness, and the mini tortilla wrap was a fun way to eat. Bits of chilli provided an nice kick. Negative is 4 mini wraps in on the small side.

-Main course Pork Adobo (Pork belly) Very soft and tender pork belly with an fantastic tasting sauce with and hint of vinegar. It was serverd with an 6 minute marinaded egg on top. And taste was amazing. Highly recommend.

Beef Tapa Good tasting marinaded beef slices, with and savory sweet flavor. Served with pickled red onions and jalapeno gave it a nice tang.

Rice, as for rice we got both an bowl of plain rice and garlic rice. The garlic rice is just amazing.

Dessert Yema and blueberries The custard was thick, creamy and had a round dulce de leche like flavor. While the blueberries provided a fresh and fermented flavor, topped with some meringue for texture.

Mango and coconut Reminds me of tapioka pudding with mango flavor. It has good mango flavor and rice crisps...

Dining at Kain is an experience that bridges the beloved flavors of Filipino cuisine with the sophistication of fine dining. Known for its depth and complexity, Filipino food often doesn’t fit into the fine-dining aesthetic, but Kain has found a way to elevate it without losing authenticity or intensity.

The flavors were undeniably Filipino, and some dishes took them to exhilarating new heights. The textures were carefully crafted, with thoughtful touches like puffed crispy rice and varied onion types that brought delightful contrast and excitement to each bite. I brought along two Filipina friends, sisters deeply familiar with these flavors, to gauge the authenticity. They were thrilled; every dish felt like a genuine celebration of their culinary heritage, validating Kain's commitment to honoring tradition even in a modern setting.

One of the true highlights was the Sisig pork belly taco sharing dish. Paired with a Bordeaux, the combination created a sensory explosion—a fiery burst that subsided almost as quickly as it began, like a fireworks display, leaving behind the rich, comforting flavors. The experience was unexpectedly moving, one of those rare moments in dining that makes you feel grateful to be alive.

Wine pairings were exceptional throughout, perhaps the best I've had in Oslo, and perfectly attuned to each dish's flavor profile. We sampled four out of five cocktails, each inspired by Filipino ingredients. I particularly loved the inventive twist on the whiskey sour, made with pineapple sour mix—a steal-worthy idea I'll certainly recreate at home.

Kain deserves an 11 out of 10, with a seal of approval for delivering one of the most memorable Filipino dining experiences I’ve...

I’ve been a big fan of Kain since they opened years ago in Oslo Street Food. They were the underrated food stall gem there that always made me come back to that food hall. I was so excited when I knew that they were going to open their place so I went immediately to their opening and tried almost all their food. What to say? If you are looking for a traditional Filipino/Asian restaurant with big and instant portions of food for a low price, well this is not the place for you. Kain Neo Filipino Bistro enhanced Filipino food on another level. Good interpretations, good techniques, and a good way of plating (which is very hard with Filipino food) but also to appreciate some Scandinavian elements here and there, that make some dishes a small fusion between the two cultures. My favorite dishes were for sure the Sisig, the Prawn Ginataan, and of course their signature dish Pork Adobo. To appreciate also the very accommodating service. The guys from Kain since their food stall time always had a very good and friendly approach to their clients, but now with the restaurant, they look even more professional! They even serve dishes to your table and pour the sauces on your plate like some Michelin restaurants. I felt very spoiled and for sure it was a very nice experience! I read many reviews complaining about their prices, but honestly, their prices are in the standard Oslo price range, they just offer a better service than the average place and they use good technique and ingredients, which, unfortunately, most people don’t take into consideration when they write a review. Wish a big good luck...