Last Updated on April 17, 2024
Trendy pan-Asian dining in East London
Between Spitalfields and Aldgate, Yuu Kitchen is a pan-Asian casual dining eatery which punches above its weight. Taking inspiration from the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam, the varied menu is balanced and offers bold flavours across its categories of robata, signatures, veg bites, fish, and manga bao. Yuu Kitchen is headed by chef Mark Earnshaw, who has particular experience in Japanese-inspired restaurants – an influence seen in the manga illustrations on the walls and the references in the menu.
In a prime location for office workers, Yuu kitchen is set up well for lunchtime diners, with a £21.50 Big Lunch deal. At night, when we visited, the restaurant was also humming with activity, with large lamps inside wooden bird cages giving the venue a warm glow and atmosphere. The layout is informal with bar-style seating and glass panels to separate groups along long tables.
Before trying the food, we were particularly impressed with the cocktail menu which took an Asian twist to well-known classics. The Oolong Mojito with Kraken Black Spiced Rum, oolong tea, apple juice, mint leaves and lime juice was brilliantly served in a small teapot filled with ice and poured into a small teacup. The strong taste of the oolong tea shone through, well complemented by the fresh mint. The Tokyo Sunset mocktail with guava juice, orange juice, passionfruit purée and lime Juice was incredibly striking in colour – with a warm yellow base of orange juice giving way to the deep red of the guava. The cocktail was pleasantly as refreshing and vibrant as its presentation. In addition, we enjoyed the Lychee Mai Tai with East London rum, Amaretto Disaronno, lychee juice, lime Juice, and grenadine, along with the Thai Margarita with lemongrass, ginger & cilantro infused tequila, Triple Sec, and agave.
Divided into six sections, we tried at least one dish from across the menu to sample the full range of offerings at Yuu Kitchen. From the robata grill, we tried the latest special – grilled monkfish. Ordered fresh every day, the monkfish was presented with a flair and sophistication one would expect from a high-end restaurant. Flaky, and served with a fish roe, this was an impressive special menu item and certainly recommended. Also from the robata grill, we were impressed by the Iberico pork pluma, with black pepper, miso sauce, and spring onion. The pork was tender, with a pleasant kick from the black pepper and the distinctive miso flavour shining through. From the signatures, the Filipino-style adobo wings were sweet and sticky, with hot towels provided to clean hands afterwards as a thoughtful touch. The cauliflower from the veg bites was nicely fried with chilli, ponzu jalapeno and coriander.
Yuu Kitchen is particularly known for its bao buns. The wagyu bao with garlic mayo, mizuna leaves, onion and shallots was luxurious, a bite into the soft and chewy bao bun yielded to the tender beef and rich onions. The crispy softshell crab bao with wasabi mayo, lettuce and red onion pickles was also excellent, and a good choice for those preferring seafood to meat.
With a varied pan-Asian menu and a trendy décor in a central location, Yuu Kitchen offers a tasty and comfortable dining experience for lunch or dinner.
Yuu Kitchen Spitalfields
29 Commercial St,
London E1 6NE
02073770411
