DINING REVIEW: Kitami at the Red Baron's Berlin Bar

Like a sneaky shinobi, Kitami seems to be popping up everywhere around town. Once located on Darby St, then a takeaway on Beaumont St, and don't forget the Japanese grocer over in Carrington, Kitami is now also located within the former Red Baron Berlin Bar, on King St. A bit of a mismatch in themes you might think...

Take a casual glance outside and you'll see the striking red and black facade is still there, so too is the silhouetted image of Manfred von Richthofen flying in his famous red Fokker Dr.I triplane. Yet, upon closer inspection you'll notice the kanji characters posted above the entrance, which is flanked either side by the familiar Kitami lotus flower logo. Inside, a lot, if not all of the original decor remains - including the decadently comfy couches, the illuminated zeppelins, the smoking silhouettes - except, now, there's the East Asian addition of some beautiful Japanese artefacts, like the floral kimonos and fabrics that are draped over ladders and rafters, potted bamboo, and a life-size samurai watching over from above; best of all, the cocktail bar remains and still serves an excellent G&T. Kitami shares its name with a bustling city in Hokkaido, Japan, and, here in Newcastle, the name is synonymous with delicious, authentic Japanese food.

The menu is full of small dishes made for sharing. The Izakaya (pub) menu features a good selection of familiar Japanese eats, including addictive edamame (boiled soybean pods), gyoza (steamed or fried dumplings), vegetable and seafood tempura, chicken karaage (fried chicken), and more. And, over on the sushi and sashimi menu you can order bite-sized morsels of scallops, salmon, crab, and chicken, all wrapped up in sticky sushi rice and nori. There's also seaweed salad and beef sashimi, called niku tataki.It's been a long day, so we order a round of beers to start. The drinks list features a good selection of Japanese lagers (Asahi, Sapporo, Kirin), which are perfect for washing down any and all of the salty umami flavours, plus a reasonable wine list, and a cocktail menu that retains the original intent of the Red Baron bar. There's decent selection of sake too.