Photo by Corina Mun
The newly opened Kaishin, located in the Malibu Colony , now stands as the second exclusively Chinese restaurant in the city of Malibu. Tucked away beside the Wells Fargo, the restaurant fully opens its side windows, providing a welcoming air for passers-by.
Its laid-back and classy decor is reflective of the beach town it dwells in. On this particular Sunday afternoon, with only one or two other customers, its simplistic, tranquil atmosphere provided a sort of haven from the chaos on PCH a few feet away.
After munching on the complimentary wonton chips offered as the appetizer, we conceded to the waitress’s recommendations and awaited our relatively conventional order of chicken fried rice, Mongolian beef and orange chicken.
Some voracious appetites led us to automatically flip through the menu to the main entrees, but Kaishin also offers a variety of soups, salads and appetizers, as well as dim sum and gluten-free options. Main entrees range from $12, such as the chicken fried rice we ordered, to $30 or $40, if you want to splurge on some Chinese style sea bass and lobster. Each entree comes with a bowl of white rice.
The food actually came as both a pleasant and unpleasant surprise. The chicken fried rice, with its dryness and lack of seasoning, fell short of average. The savory Mongolian beef somewhat redeemed the unimpressive quality of the fried rice; the meat was cooked well with bamboo shoots, chilis, mushrooms and onions.
Though Kaishin does not serve the most authentic Chinese food, its culinary masterminds undoubtedly have the ability to create a stand-out dish. It was clear from the get-go that my friends and I had mentally marked our favorite part of the meal — the orange chicken. Its marination was not overly sweet or oily, resulting in a refreshingly appetizing meal, as orange chicken is probably the most overdone dish in the realm of Chinese food. None of us suffered from the greasy aftertaste that fried, seasoned chicken can often have on its consumer. Overall, I rate the orange chicken 4.5 out of 5 stars, the Mongolian beef a 3.5 and the fried rice a 2.5.
Judging by the way the poultry and beef were cooked and marinated, I would say that most of the main entrees are safe bets. Ask for recommendations depending on your favorite type of meat. The waiters and waitresses were more than happy to help (and fill our water glasses to the rim at any chance they could).
Be sure to take advantage of your Pepperdine ID and present it to your server for a discount.
Kaishin is located at 23715 Malibu Rd. Malibu, CA 90263.
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As published in the Sept. 12 issue of the Pepperdine Graphic.
