Many moons ago, I went to Yuu Kitchen in Spitalfields for dinner where Chef Jon de Villa was cooking his magic in the open kitchen. And it was a lovely treat. Fast forward this week, I went to review Yuu Kitchen residence at the Ice Bar in Mayfair. And It didn’t disappoint!
About Chef Jon de Villa
Chef Patron of Yuu Kitchen Jon de Villa comes from Australia of Filipino heritage. Living in the UK since 2004, he worked at Zafferano, Nobu Park lane for over nine years, Bone Daddies group at Flesh’n Buns. Then he finally opened the first Yuu Kitchen in Spitalfields, then Kentish Town and now a residency at the newly relaunched Ice Bar in Mayfair.
Yuu Kitchen serves food inspired by mainly South East Asia, Japan and the Pacific rim.
The Menu at Yuu Kitchen Mayfair
Talking about impressive, the deco is out there! Starts at the entrance, very funky murals, wallpapers and wall art, lead you to the lounge with moody lighting that creates an atmospheric ambience. The lunchtime menu is slightly smaller than the dinner time menu but still exciting and delicious as I remember.
They have a section in their menu dedicated to Filipino classics with chef’s Jon twist, inspired by his mum recipes. In Filipino cooking, which is influenced by a mix of Indian, Chinese, Spanish and American cuisines, there’s a prominent use of soy, vinegar, chilli and citrus fruit.
Lunch at Yuu Kitchen Mayfair
A memorable Filipino twist on the menu is the delectable Lechon Kawali- a juicy pork belly braised for twelve hours; and the crispy pig’s ears with honey soy glaze.
Adobo, Philippines national dish, makes an appearance on the menu as well, with the use of bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns and tamarind soy (gluten-free) in Chef Jon’s recipes.
The variations on abodo are crisp pig ears as mentioned above and; the excellent chicken Inasal with sweet green papaya relish and the very satisfying chicken wings.
Other dishes to try at Yuu kitchen are the best sellers Taiwanese soft, pillowy bao filled with7 Up marinated belly pork with Jon’s special sauce and the sweet juicy deep-fried soft crab.
The Japanese sweet and sticky eggplant miso wasn’t as sticky as I remembered but still good. The salmon, avocado, jalapeño on crunchy rice was fresh and pleasing on the palate.
The Iberico baby back ribs -fall off the bones- with barbecue sauce is always an excellent choice.
To finish this superb lunch we shared the vibrant purple yum ice cream (Ube) in a deep-fried bao, was everything you wish for in a dessert, sweet and sinful. The ice cream was so smooth, and the colour is definitely a talking point.
They serve wine on tap, cocktails, mocktails, bubble tea, beers, and I heard of a sake menu, I need to go back to try it.
Disclosure: I was a guest at Yuu Kitchen for review purposes. Everything you read here are my words, my opinions and unless otherwise stated my pictures. Please ask permission to reproduce/use any images.
