Kuma Inn Awards

Kuma Inn Restaurant Review:

Named after a bastardization of the Filipino verb for “to eat,” this dozen-table Lower East Side eatery reflects chef King Phojanakong’s Filipino-Thai background by marrying pan-Asian influences. The menu is all tapas all the time, and it’s not hard to find something satisfying. Though most dishes are fusion preparations, individual flavors tend to be bold---as is the case in the wasabi pork shu mai, the Japanese horseradish penetrating the palate nicely. The steamed rice crêpes---resembling rolled napkins---topped with spicy ground meat and chili flakes are called “Kuma Bolognese.” Other tapas worth trying include drunken spicy shrimp finished with saké, kalamansi and Thai chilies; grilled baby octopus with pickled bamboo shoots; and seared ahi with miso vinaigrette. The main flaw at Kuma is the atmosphere, a tiny third-floor room with blocked-off windows and bad tiki-like décor.