Asian cuisine
in Kaliningrad: the restaurant “Beliy Tigr” (White Tiger)

Not long ago a pan-Asian cuisine restaurant, “Beliy Tigr” (White Tiger), opened in Kaliningrad. Asian cuisine is an amazing kaleidoscope and blend of flavours and culinary traditions. Combinations of spices and ingredients unfamiliar to European gastronomy, in the boldest pairings.
If you are in the mood and have the chance to taste culinary polyphony.

The Asian restaurant is located in Kaliningrad on Karla Marksa St., in a separate two-storey building that looks more like a private house. In front of the entrance there is a summer terrace: several tables under spreading parasols, all surrounded by greenery. A cosy courtyard where you can take shelter and have lunch.

I did not book a table, but I am sure that at the weekend, during the day, you can certainly try your luck at the new place.

Right from the entrance we see the seating area: an open kitchen and tables with sofas along tall windows. On the second floor there is a common hall: an area with sofas, several separate tables and a bar counter.

The interior is absolutely neutral: white walls and practical light-coloured furniture. Accessories include light structures made of flexible neon, graphics and green plants. A clean and laconic design. A restrained backdrop for an exotic culinary journey.

The place was full, but quite quickly a table on the second floor became free; the setting there is a bit cosier for lunch, as it seemed to me. While waiting I had time to study the menu: a convenient tablet format with dishes divided by category, with descriptions and photos. A rather suitable feature for getting acquainted, given the diverse and rich offering.

The cafe “Beliy Tigr” (White Tiger) serves breakfasts and lunches. The main menu, of course, features national delicacies: thin steamed Xiao Long Bao dumplings and Bao Zi buns with various fillings, as well as soups, noodles, rice and special desserts. But more about sweets a little later.

About drinks: signature cocktails, Asian beer and soju, classic alcoholic drinks, a rich coffee and tea list and, of course, Bubble Tea. It is a drink based on tea or coffee, milk or fruit juice, with tapioca pearls, pieces of jelly and juice-filled jelly balls added. You choose the serving yourself: cold or hot.

My preference among the drinks went to a Flat White. Velvety strong coffee with a “paw” pattern. Simply wonderful. A strong, rich espresso taste with fine milk foam.

From the main menu I chose for a starter a wood ear mushroom salad — crisp, wavy-shaped mushrooms that have no bright flavour on their own, but in the salad, seasoned with a piquant sauce and beans, it is very unusual and somewhat reminiscent of the taste of seaweed.

Noodle soup with wontons. Wontons are a kind of Chinese dumpling. They are usually made of thin dough with minced filling. It is believed that such a soup brings luck and longevity. Who are we to argue?! So: rice noodles, sprouted wheat, spinach greens, chicken broth and radish. To my taste it lacked richness and spices. All the ingredients separately are exceptionally good, but they do not add up to a whole picture.

Shao mai with prawns and chicken. Again, this dish is borrowed from Chinese cuisine. They are open dumplings that look like knots or little bags with filling inside, decorated on top with herbs or vegetables. The dish is served in a bamboo steamer, somewhat like a basket, which keeps the dish hot for longer when served. These dumplings are steamed, and through a small opening at the top the steam gets into the filling and gives it extra juiciness. The filling is quite piquant — tender, soft minced chicken with added prawn meat. A delicate minced filling wrapped in thin wheat dough — a pleasant and juicy taste. One thing: I would add a sauce or seasonings.

For dessert I chose mochi. Mochi is a traditional Japanese dessert, a soft, elastic rice cake with various fillings and flavour variations. Chewy and delicate in taste with a cherry filling, moderately sweet and not cloying.

I would also like to mention a special dish that Japanese cuisine is famous for — pancakes. Unusually fluffy and airy pancakes, famous for their thickness and softness. At the cafe they are served as a dessert, decorated with fruit and syrup, or as the base for a breakfast with fish or meat. These pancakes differ from traditional American ones in that they are much taller and more spherical, thanks to carefully whipped egg whites and gentle frying over low heat. Just one “BUT” — on my own I would not have dared to take on this dessert: the portion is simply grand in size.

The average bill at the Asian cuisine restaurant “Beliy Tigr” (White Tiger) in Kaliningrad ranges from 1,500 to 2,000 ₽ per guest.

The atmosphere of the place suits business lunches with colleagues or brunch with friends. It is a place for flavour exploration. If you like discovering new things in cooking and cultural traditions, this place is for you.