Ethnic Eats: Karma Asian Cuisine

I could probably eat Asian food every night of the week. There are so many variations on the theme—sushi, noodle bowls, dumplings, soups, curries—I never get bored. Last week, when the omnipresent craving struck, I headed for Karma Asian Cuisine, a small but popular fusion restaurant on South Broadway.

I over-ordered, per usual, and found our dinner table heaped with dishes. The shu mai (tiny dumplings filled with shrimp paste and water chestnuts) and the creative lettuce wraps filled with chopped chicken, apple, and dried cranberries disappeared almost immediately.

When we turned to the entrées, the bland Bang Bang chicken and shrimp (stir-fried with vegetables in a peanut-curry sauce) was quickly pushed aside in favor of the fiery Dan Dan noodles with crisp veggies and golden-fried tofu. The dish of the night, however, was the won ton soup. It was also the most unlikely to stand out—and yet, the cup arrived packed with handmade, origami-like won tons bobbing in a heady, cabbage-strewn broth. The care and balance that went into that simple soup clearly underscores the talent in Karma’s kitchen.

Bonus: Check out Karma’s happy hour (3 to 6 p.m. daily) for $3 appetizers, $6 meals, and $1 sake.

22 S. Broadway, 303-871-0167