Bringing a little heat to London’s ICEBAR, Yuu Kitchen have recently taken over the dining spaces here and is now serving up a pan-Asian inspired menu, taking much-loved classics and adding a modern twist into their fillings and presentation. With some very funky interiors and plentiful outdoor seating – Yuu Kitchen has a lot going for it.
With existing sites in Spitalfields and a residency at the Lady Hamilton Pub in Kentish Town, getting your daily fix of the Yuu Kitchen menu has never been easier. In the kitchen is head chef Jon de Villa who previously worked at the famous Nobu and Zafferano. Opening this restaurant has been a dream of Jon’s since travelling extensively over the last ten years from his native Australia, working both in the Maldives and the UK.
As we looked over the very delicious sounding menu, we tucked into a cocktail made in the ICEBAR’s Fire Bar – The Smokin Negroni. We also popped inside the ICEBAR for a cheeky cocktail, shot. It was absolutely freezing, but big jackets (and gloves) are provided and the cocktails served in solid ice cups are great fun, as are all the ice installations.
I can honestly say that from all of the dishes we ate, never did we have a bad one and enjoying them outside on the terrace during a warm Summers evening was absolute bliss. Cheesy cheeseburger rolls were the first to arrive and gosh were they good! Unusual, yes – but incredibly satisfying. A mix of American cheese and wagyu mince, wrapped in lettuce, mustard ketchup, onion pickles and white sesame. Just as good were the crispy rice and salmon bites with avocado and a spicy jalapeño dressing. A little heat, a lot of flavour and a nice mix of textures.
For any chicken wings fans out there, a trip to Yuu Kitchen wouldn’t be complete without a bowl of these, smothered in a Filipino style sticky adobo sauce and sprinkling of sesame. The skin was oh-so crispy, the chicken juicy and that sauce was quite literally finger-licking good.
One of my favourite dishes not just here, but of all time was the octopus karaage (aka crispy octopus). Perfectly cooked pieces of octopus, covered in a really lovely crunch, topped with a ginger & garlic sauce and served on a cucumber and wakami salad. A great dish which pairs perfectly with a cocktail or two.
Oh the ribs! I think I might have to come back just to tuck into another bowl of them. These grilled lamb ribs have been marinated for 48 hours in gouchuan miso and sprinkled with some sesame seeds, spring onions, chilli and squeeze of lime. Succulent, even more finger-licking and full of flavour.
Make sure you order a selection of sides to go with the ribs (or in fact anything else). My favourite was the grilled brocoli with an apple & onion dressing, black pepper and fried shallots. As well as the and grilled cauliflower with sweetcorn, jalapeno dressing, shallots, garlic chips and chives.
If I had to pick just one thing which Yuu Kitchen do best, it would be their Taiwanese steamed bao buns. I’ve actually never been the biggest fan of bao, but after trying them here – I have been completely converted and can’t wait to come back for more. All buns are vegan (not the fillings of course) and each so fluffy it’s like eating a small cloud.
As for the fillings, they were all outstanding. The best for me was the crispy soft shell crab. The crab was so juicy, crispy and the filling of wasabi mayo, lettuce, red onion and radish pickle really made for a delicious couple of mouthfuls.
Equally as impressive was the 7 Up pork belly, so juicy it was leaking out of the bao bun and back onto the plate, the BBQ sauce was sticky and rich and the cucumber pickles added a little freshness and acidity.
To snack on. A side of okra fries came with hot-smoked paprika and a tangy adobo mayo for dipping. Whilst the most surprising for me was the Filipino crispy pigs ears. They don’t look the most appetising, but they were absolutely delicious! Three hour, slow cooked pig’s ears in a honey soy glaze and topped with sesame seeds, pickled radish and chives. For £5.50, this is money well spent.
We had a really lovely meal at Yuu Kitchen and thoroughly enjoyed our time in London’s ICEBAR. I can’t wait to come back and explore even more of the restaurant’s menu and tuck into a whole lot more of those fluffy bao buns. Price wise, some dishes could do with being reduced in price by a pound or two, but otherwise I had absolutely no complaints. Would we come back? Yes!
NB: My meal was complimentary. All views are as always, my own. My views are not influenced by anyone other than my own palate and slightly poor eyesight.
Love this kind of food! Sounds delicious!