Kaiyo

Kaiyo Restaurant Review:

If you need to step that vacation relaxation up (or would that be down?) a notch, Kaiyo is a soothing spa experience and rewarding dining option wrapped into one. From a colorful mosaic to artist-crafted pottery and glassware on the tables, to original creations hanging on the walls, the restaurant announces itself as a creative environment. After a renovation and reinvention, the menu has expanded to incorporate more wood-grilled items, including shrimp, fish, pork, filet and chicken. There is a strong Asian slant to the menu, with plenty of ginger, garlic, ponzu and hoisin touches, but the fare, in particular the sushi, is geared more to “filling” than finesse. Portions are large, American style, and often a tad overworked (like a pork shank that’s braised, and then fried). This is a restaurant geared to offering a good time, with flavors from far away, but an attitude that’s very much the laid back Keys.