These Ledger-Enquirer reporters ate at new Columbus Midland restaurant. Here’s how it went
Kiku Asian Kitchen Express, a new Asian cuisine fast food restaurant, opened in Midland last month to good reviews on Facebook, so two of us at the Ledger-Enquirer decided to go check it out.
Mike Haskey, our visual journalist, and I wanted to answer what is the most important question about any new fast-food restaurant: How is their lunch service?
We arrived right at noon, to see firefighters laughing and conversing next to their truck in the parking lot. The smiles on their faces made me optimistic about this new restaurant.
Kiku is one of a number of places coming to Midland, as more franchises and small businesses open their doors at nearby Midland Commons.
I’m very much that person who eats the same thing from the same restaurants all the time, so it’s always an experience when I venture out to try something new. Mike is the opposite. He’s down to try anything at least once.
The exterior of Kiku is reminiscent of most fast food restaurants — a rectangular building with a drive-thru.
Mike and I walked inside the restaurant and were greeted by the distinct aroma of Asian cuisine and the sight of a large variety of options.
At first glance, the menu was almost overwhelming with ample options: signature bowls, teriyaki bowls, entrees, sides and bubble teas.
But there’s an option to “Pick A Meal.” You can get a bowl, with just one entree and one side. Or you can pick “Any Two” or “Any Three.”
This seemed to be the go-to choice for the folks ahead of us in line, and Mike and I both ordered the “Pick A Meal.” With it, you choose whether you want rice or noodles, and then there’s a large number of chicken, shrimp, vegetable and beef options.
Mike went with rice, and I chose noodles. Filling out my bowl, I asked for shrimp and mushrooms (I didn’t see the egg rolls until I’d already made my plate, and I don’t eat Asian cuisine without getting an egg roll if I can. But the nice individual making my plate didn’t mind putting it in a separate wrapper for me as an add-on).
If I’d chosen a mere fountain drink, like Mike did, then my entire meal would have been less than $10. This makes lunch at Kiku’s pretty affordable, especially considering the amount of food we got for the price.
But instead of water or a soda, I wanted to try a Pineapple Bubble Tea. I regretted not asking for it to be made with less sugar, but it was still tasty.
We ended up enjoying our lunch in the outdoor seating area. And despite us being outside, a worker came out to greet Mike and me along with another group nearby.
Overall, we had a good lunch at Kiku.
