JiJi Asian Kitchen

The Logbook — Real Guest Soundings

Depth Sounding: This is a composite account from multiple guest experiences, edited to our venue standards for clarity. Individual sailings vary by ship, itinerary, and crew.

JiJi Asian Kitchen Review: Pan-Asian Specialty Dining

Introduction. JiJi Asian Kitchen is Carnival's pan-Asian specialty restaurant, replacing the older Bonsai Sushi concept on some ships and standing alongside it on others. It's a surcharge venue (~$20-38 per person depending on ship) that spans Chinese, Thai, Japanese, and Indian dishes. The menu is ambitious — sometimes too ambitious for a single kitchen — but the hits are genuinely worth seeking out.

Food & Drinks

The Thai Red Curry with shrimp is the table's best dish — coconut milk base with proper heat, fresh basil, and well-timed shrimp. The Kung Pao Chicken has good wok-hei and real chili kick. The Crispy Spring Rolls appetizer with sweet chili sauce is a crowd-pleaser. The Tandoori Chicken is well-marinated and comes with a proper raita. For dessert, the Mochi Ice Cream is a clean finish. Where it falters: the sushi options (on ships that include them) are fine but not competitive with a dedicated sushi bar. The Pad Thai can lean too sweet. And the breadth of the menu means the kitchen is trying to do four cuisines simultaneously — some dishes get more love than others on any given night.

Service

Full table service with servers who can generally explain the dishes and spice levels. They'll warn you about the Kung Pao's heat, which is appreciated. Pacing is good — appetizers to entrées flows naturally. The sake and Asian beer selection is small but appropriate. Reservations are recommended for dinner, especially on sea days.

Atmosphere

Modern Asian design — dark wood, lantern-style lighting, clean lines. It's a calmer space than most Carnival venues, which makes it a good date-night option. On Excel-class ships, the restaurant is larger and more refined. On older ships, it occupies the former Bonsai Sushi space and can feel compact. Background music is tasteful and low enough for conversation.

Conclusion

Rating: 3.8/5. JiJi Asian Kitchen is a solid specialty restaurant that delivers genuine flavor — the Thai Red Curry and Kung Pao Chicken are legitimately good, and the Tandoori Chicken is a pleasant surprise. It loses ground trying to cover too many cuisines at once, resulting in uneven execution across the menu. The Pad Thai and sushi are the weaker links. At the surcharge price, stick to the Thai and Chinese dishes and you'll leave happy. Tip: order the Thai Red Curry and Crispy Spring Rolls — that combination is the best meal on the JiJi menu.

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