Karma Restaurant Review: Pan-Asian Treats Dressed in Lavish Decor

What goes around comes around.  It’s the age-old adage that’s become synonymous with Karma—that mysterious, spiritual law that affects us all.  In Chicago, however, Karma means something quite different.  An interesting restaurant, nestled in the quiet Northwest Suburbs, Karma speaks volumes about the way we enjoy our Asian dining experiences.

Walking in the front door of Karma is like being transported into a 5-star spa somewhere in the heart of the old Orient.  If you didn’t know they served food here, you might think you were walking into a modern Japanese garden or perhaps even a museum exhibit.  But mahogany hardwood floors, green accent lighting, “water walls,” indoor ponds and glowing glass bamboo are merely the backdrop for the eclectic Pan-Asian menu.

Clean lines, modern tables and fresh linens might have you conjuring up one of those overdone, Kia-embossed dining rooms where seating is never comfortable and the entire effect is more sterile than contemporary. Not so at Karma.  Interior designers Jody Pennette of cb5 and Mike Pannette of Kitchen Table Partners, both located on the East Coast have created a modern yet serene environment.  Tranquil music inspired by the sounds of nature plays softly in the background underscored by the gentle rushing of the waterfall and the gurgling fountains in the pond that stands in the middle of the dining room.  Seating for 108 keeps the substantially sized room quiet even at full capacity.   Eight-foot-tall bamboo sticks made from blown glass and illuminated with emerald-toned fiber-optic cables keep the environment nature-inspired.  Six, cone-shaped salt paddies made of thousands of tiny pieces of glass look like floating mounds of diamonds in the pond, invoking a creatively chic ambiance.   

And then comes the food.  To start, Gilberto Flores, a seasoned member of the wait staff highly recommends the shitake mushroom potstickers served with asparagus tempura, fried to perfection.   A creamy dollop of tangy ponzu sauce complements the steamed, little dumplings, hints of lime and grapefruit accenting the slight mushroom flavors of the appetizer.  Fungi not your favorite?  Try the shrimp and lobster rolls.  Chilled, fresh and bursting with natural flavors, these simple appetizers made of carrots, lettuce, onion, peppers and bean thread noodles are wrapped in rice paper and served with a house-made yuzu dipping sauce, sweet and spicy prepared with ginger and soy. 

Ordering from the menu of entrees proves more difficult.  Various fish items are prepared with an array of Asian influences: Thai beef, Chinese orange chicken, Pacific Rim Halibut, Peking Duck and Togarashi Ahi Tuna.  Gavin, the soft spoken sous chef, emerges as if on-cue from the kitchen and explains the concept behind this Pan-Asian style of cooking.  “Here at Karma, we acquire various meats and fish throughout the season.  We then go to the kitchen and determine the best way to prepare each item.  We may decide that a chicken dish is at its best using Chinese methods and flavors while a shrimp dish is best prepared using Japanese influences and spices.”

For all the carnivores in the room, Gavin recommends the macadamia nut and blue cheese crusted filet mignon.  Sounding more American than Asian on first glance, the Asian-influenced accompaniments may surprise your taste buds.  Served with wasabi-basil mashed potatoes, tempura maui onions, shitake mushroom sauce and edamame coulis the savory flavors unequivocally spell Japanese.   Pair this plate with a glass of Beringer Founders' Estate Pinot Noir with cherry, berry chocolate and earth-like flavors to enhance the essence of the meat.                  

The Thai chili shrimp is a spicy plate designed to satisfy fiery cravings.  Best paired with the Chateau Ste. Jean Chardonnay from the Sonoma Valley with flavors of ripe pear, citrus, buttery vanilla rose and hints of oak, the mild white calms the peppery flavor of the shrimp, vegetable and noodle concoction.  The orange peel tempura chicken is a modern take on the Chinese favorite.  With sesame jasmine rice, ginger chili cucumber salad and steamed broccoli, the fried chicken is coated in a tangy orange glaze.

It would be surprising if diners weren’t full after their entrees, but the fresh ginger crème brulee is a necessary finish to any meal at Karma.  Hints of ginger and vanilla make the fluffy, air-light beloved dessert a bit sweeter than the original you probably know well.  The Funky Monkey Martini pairs with this dish like a sugary dream. 

Head over to the bar for to enjoy this novel martini.  Banana liquer, stoli vanil and crème de cocoa constitute the drink made for that animal inside us all.  Smelling like homemade banana bread but tasting more like a South-Pacific jungle of over-ripened fruit on first sip, the syrupy blend gets better and better with each taste.

Karma’s philosophy is novel, its concept calming and its food Pan-satisfying.  If this is what’s going around, keep it coming this way.

Karma is located at 510 East Route 83 in Mundelein, IL.  For information, call 847.970.6900 or click here