5 Kyiv finest oriental cuisine dining establishments

First in the list of 5 Kyiv finest oriental cuisine dining establishments is Mr Zuma. Tested by time, the restaurant has been successfully serving its patrons for over three years without loosing its relevance. The menu is renewed seasonally, constantly adding unique and unusual dishes for you to enjoy. The establishment itself is elegant and spacious. During the warm season it can accommodate around 230 guests (100 of which can enjoy the open terrace, enjoying a magnificent view of city’s landscape). Mr Zuma elegantly combines Japanese culinary traditions with modern trends of gastronomic culture. Special attention is paid to the selection of products, believing that everything has to be to the highest possible standard. Here you can enjoy a lobster, red king crab, cod, scallops and tiger shrimp. There are also octopi, tuna, yellow tail, eel, salmon and many other delicious seafood dishes. The bar menu is also pleasing with its diversity. There is over 25 copyrighted cocktails and a great selection of traditional alcoholic beverages.

Opening hours: 12:00–00:00

Two years ago, a wonderful establishment has opened its doors in Kyiv. Its founders – Misha and Dasha Katsurin, are known for their Atlas and The Green Theatre projects. They position “Kitayskiy privet” as a café with delicious authentic food with moderate pricing. Being huge fans of Chinese cuisine, which they have tasted in hundreds of world-renowned restaurants, a selection of 150 hand-picked dishes and most interesting dishes have made it to their menu. There are almost no dishes with traditional noodles and rice. Instead you can chose between spicy beef, Chinese curry, lamb with sweet pepper, Beijing pork, shrimp in chili sauce, mussels in garlic sauce, squids with pickled pepper and an aromatic sweet flounder. For convenience the menu comes with illustrations – in order for guests to understand what lies behind the unusual names. When it comes to drinks, they offer aperitifs, sparkling wines, beer and strong alcohol.

Opening hours: 12:00–23:00

The large oriental cuisine restaurant premises is divided into several zones. The main guest hall (designed for 50 people), lunch hall (30 seats) and two smaller chambers (for 10 and 5 guests). The exquisite interior is designed with elements of natural carved wood and luxurious dark saturated shades of textiles. Particular attention was paid to the musical accompaniment with an emphasis on eastern ethnic motifs, allowing you to fully immerse yourself into the atmosphere of this establishment. The menu is mainly focused on traditional dishes of Azerbaijan and is accompanied by classical dishes from European cuisine. Moreover, the spices, dried fruit and grape leaves used for making dolma are directly imported to Kyiv from Baku. To get acquainted with the cuisine we recommend choosing “Dushbere” – a traditional Azerbaijani soup with mini dumplings filled with mutton, mint and turmeric. “Dovga” too looks very interesting and is prepared with home yoghurt with nutmeg, rice, herbs and green onions (the dish tastes both hot and cold equally well). Additionally, they are proud of their “Dolma” here. It is prepared from a special grape leaf and served in a clay dish as per the author’s recipe, making the fragrant filling melt in your mouth. The menu includes five types of pilau rice (with chicken, veal and mutton), a wide selection of meat and fish dishes as well as delicious baked goods. There are detailed explanations including a list of ingredients for lesser known dishes in the menu to help guests with their choice.

Opening hours: 11:00–23:00

Plov is distinguished by its eastern atmosphere as well as its large premises and interesting interior amongst Kyiv restaurants. The restaurant specializes in Uzbek cuisine, has two storeys, occupies 1600 m2 and can accommodate more than 200 guests. Apart from the main room there are small rooms for 12-15 people, an open veranda and separate gazebos for some peace and quiet. The establishment is decorated in a traditional eastern theme although without obtrusive pillows, mirrors and carpets, making the space look more ascetic and elegant. The menu is rather vast, however when getting acquainted with it, it is best to start with their specialty dish – pilaf rice also known as “pilaf” or “plov”. Here it is offered in three variations. First is Uzbek “laser” rice with veal, raisins and nutmeg. Dark pilaf made with red rice, lamb, carrots, garlic and spicy pepper. Third is the delicate pilaf made with duck and apples. The main dishes are very meaty with the main emphasis being around veal and lamb. For those who prefer seafood, there are trout, shrimp, Dorado and salmon dishes available. The drinks menu includes wines, beer and spirits. In addition there is a large cocktail selection including more than 30 classic and 7 author cocktails.

Opening hours: 11:00–04:00

Coin is an incarnate dream of a famous restaurateur Mykola Tyschenko, who invested his knowledge and experience into the institution as well as his heart and soul. In 2019 the restaurant of Asian cuisine celebrates its third anniversary. Over the course of its life the restaurant has become one of the most favourite places amongst the fans of Thai cuisine, which was carefully put together under the Mediterranean culinary influence. However, it is hard to classify the dishes in a classic manner since the owner characterises his culinary art as “cuisine with an Asian emphasis”. Every detail here starting from the interior, the open kitchen, down to the presentation of each dish is elegant and refined. The interior design is full of natural wood, leather, marble and metal, creating a harmoniously combined image sustained in a calm and restrained colour palette of grey and ochre shades. Inside there is a main guest hall, a bar, separate room that can accommodate 30 people and an outdoor terrace which is open during the warm season. The wine cellar deserves particular attention, with more that 300 rare wines, stored in categorised refrigeration chambers for each type of wine separately. The menu is well balanced and varied, with a range of more traditional dishes such as scallops, lobster, blue lobster or flounder as well as completely dishes from chef’s special selection. For example, Asian cod in banana leaf or Dorado baked in salt and bulgur, lemon mashed potato with pine nuts in fennel sauce. Any dish that you may choose here is guaranteed to bring you gastronomic and aesthetic satisfaction.

Opening hours: 12:00–02:00