Sternschanze · Asien-Fusion

TaiKi Asian Bistro

Pan-Asian vegetarian in the Schanze - curry, bao and sushi on a single menu.

TaiKi Asian Bistro belongs to that generation of small Schanze restaurants which treat pan-Asian cooking not as a buffet but as a curated menu. The concept: vegetarian and vegan, drawing on Thailand, Japan, Vietnam and Korea on a manageable card - not crossover for the sake of crossover, but a deliberate selection that the kitchen and service can handle without quality slipping. The house is run by a young team with a bistro sensibility, working without Michelin ambitions and cooking reliably precisely for that reason. The location is classic Sternschanze: between Schulterblatt and Susannenstrasse, embedded in the dense weave of corner shops, record stores and cafes that has shaped the district since the 1990s. The menu features red and green curries with tofu or vegetables, steamed bao buns with mushroom or aubergine fillings, maki and inside-out rolls in vegetarian form, plus rotating bowls with edamame, mango and peanuts. Rice and noodles are served separately, and spice levels can be adjusted. The setting is deliberately restrained: dark wood, indirect light, an open kitchen at the back of the room, and window seats with views onto Schulterblatt. About 35 seats inside, plus a few pavement chairs in summer. Reservations are recommended, especially Fridays and Saturdays from 7pm - but anyone arriving early can usually walk in. Mains run between 14 and 22 euros, bao buns from 4.50 euros apiece, placing the restaurant neatly in the Schanze's EE bracket. Getting there: S-Bahn Sternschanze (S11, S21, S31), three minutes on foot; U3 Feldstrasse as an alternative, eight minutes. Ideal for: a Schanze evening for two or four, when vegetarian variety without fine-dining prices is what's wanted.