Credit: Karis Tam

Join WSPN’s Karis Tam as she reviews Karma.

Some fancy Asian restaurants try to over modernize Asian food, causing it to lose its traditional flavors. When I saw Karma, I assumed it would be one of those places. However, throughout the meal, I would soon find that I was wrong. Karma not only had a nice atmosphere, but authentic Asian food, preserved in every single dish they brought out.

Located in Wellesley, Karma just recently opened in August, serving modern Asian Fusion–Chinese, Japanese and Malaysian– dishes, influenced by French cuisine. The restaurant itself has a fancy and refined atmosphere, making it a perfect spot for a nice family dinner, date nights or celebrations. The decor was spot on as there was Asian influence within their decorations. I especially liked the lights and flowers, elevating the experience. The atmosphere of the restaurant helped me feel immersed with the food itself, contributing to the experience. The price of the food was high, but I found it to be worth it because both the atmosphere and food deliver excellence.

Now, let’s talk about the food. The food was remarkable, keeping traditional dishes and flavors, while also presenting the dish with a modern twist. One of my favorite dishes from Karma was the pecking duck. Traditionally, pecking duck is served alongside phyllo dough, cucumber, green onion and sweet bean sauce. Diners put the pecking duck, veggies and sauce inside the dough, and then they wrap it up and stuff it in their mouth. Karma’s pecking duck was succulent, with a crispy exterior, and the veggies and sauce cut through the richness of the duck, balancing the different flavors. It was a traditional dish that was executed really well.

Another well executed item was the pineapple express maki. The combination of soy paper, pineapple, avocado, cucumber and tuna produced flavors I’ve never encountered before. The soy paper had a smooth, spongy feeling, which complimented nicely with the tuna. The pineapple added a punch of sweetness and tartness, fitting nicely alongside the tuna.

Another excellent tuna dish was the tuna tacos. When my friends wanted to order it, I was not at all interested in trying it, thinking to myself, “How can tuna and tacos come together and taste good?”. Once it arrived, my friends were raving about it, so why not give it a try? The saltiness and fattiness of the marinated tuna paired with the crunchy cracker was absolute bliss. If I were to go back, I would absolutely order the tuna tacos again, despite my initial judgement.

While I had an overall positive experience, I did not enjoy the salmon on fire. The salmon on fire was raw salmon placed on top of a flame and roasted. The restaurant’s implementation of the flaming salmon seemed as if it was trying to add some nuance to the dining experience. However, that goal wasn’t achieved. There was citrus, truffle and raspberry flavors within the salmon, and it wasn’t pleasurable, having too much variety. The modern dish was not at all satisfactory to the palate.

Karma shocked me in their ability to balance innovation with tradition. Overall, the restaurant successfully incorporated traditional Asian flavors with modern twists, working beautifully. This place is perfect for your next date night or dinner with the family. If you are looking for a place to go for Asian food, this is the place.