Yuu Kitchen

With a prime spot in between Spitalfields Market and Aldgate East, Yuu Kitchen has put itself on a busy foodie thoroughfare that includes some very good restaurants and bars. Few of those have the striking interiors that Yuu Kitchen does though - there’s no missing the razor-sharp, cartoonish artwork of Hong Kong artist Lunatic, which lines all the walls.

There’s distinct styling elsewhere too - a communal table stretches through the centre of the dining room, moodily lit by clusters of lights in metal bird cages. Over by the large open kitchen, a row of counter dining spots gives some guests a chance to see the chefs in action up close.

The menu spans a broad spectrum of Japanese dishes, leaning towards more recognisable and familiar flavours, with some even broader pan-Asian influences. Although you’ll find some classics on the menu, there’s also an admirable commitment to some more inventive, playful combinations. Lamb cutlets come fresh off the robata grill, brushed with plum miso and dressed with slices of pickled kumquat. The flavours are excellent, though the cutlets are a little on the skinny side.

There’s good stuff hiding in other areas of the menu as well. Crispy rice cakes and spicy Yellowfin tuna make excellent bedfellows, and a pair of scallops are nicely roasted in shichimi lime butter. The star attraction for many will be Yuu Kitchen’s ‘manga bao’ buns, which come stamped with the Yuu logo for maximum Instagram appeal. The buns are acceptable enough but the fillings are excellent, particularly a stick slab of pork belly with pickled cucumber. The pricing is a little steep in some areas of the menu given the size of the portions, but for the most part, there’s no question that Yuu Kitchen has its finger on the pulse when it comes to flavour.

Yuu Kitchen is a Pan Asian restaurant in Spitalfields where vibrant sharing plates and quirky interiors offer a unique dining experience. Head chef Mark Earnshaw lies at the helm of the kitchen, where he creates an array of small plates packed with flavours from across Asia. 

The dining room is an open-plan space decorated with art by Hong-Kong based artist Lunatic, as well as colourful furnishings, high-table style seating and overhead birdcage lighting. Guests can watch the chefs at work from the open kitchen, and there's an outdoor terrace for when warmer weather comes to London.

Yuu Kitchen’s menu is designed to be shared, with the restaurant recommending that you order around three to four plates per person. To kick start your meal, take your pick from the selection of ‘snacks’ which includes edamame beans with salt or chilli, wasabi peas and rice crackers, or prawn crackers. Tuck into a Taiwanese bao bun or two, choosing from a selection of seven fillings such as Wagyu with mizuna leaves and crispy fried shallots, or crispy tofu with kimchi mayo.

Don’t miss its selection of signature Yuu Kitchen plates - think fresh scallops in a rich shichimi-lime butter, or robata dishes which highlight classics such as Iberico pork pluma in a black pepper miso sauce.

Aside from the core menu, another big draw of Yuu Kitchen is the various experiences, offers and specials available throughout the week. The Just for Yuu sharing menu for two, for example, includes eight signature dishes, while on Saturdays, it's all about its Asian-inspired brunch. If it's bottomless brunch you're after, you can upgrade the experience with 90 minutes of bottomless bubbles, beer or signature brunch cocktails.

Celebrating a birthday? You’re in luck as the set birthday menu ensures the special guest eats for free! You can also personalise any experience at YUU Kitchen with its personalised bao, printing a photo, logo or icon onto your bao bun orders. Just email the team your photo up to three days in advance at no extra cost.