Young, trendy and though it’s not pretending to be authentic, the flavours are all spot on, albeit in surprising combinations.
Atmospherics: in a mall (whether that is a plus or a minus is your perception largely) with indoor casual seating and a charming ‘outside’ area that replicates the outdoorsy feeling of a terrace without actually being one. Meals in a bowl are single serve portions; all else is meant to be shared.
Table talk: Prawn Miso Ramen Rs 350 is a complete meal in a bowl. Indeed, it is listed under the Yo Bowl Meals section, that features hakka noodles, spaghetti, phad Thai and udon noodles. In this case, the ‘ramen’ is made of udon noodles with shredded seaweed. Miso stock (no bonito flakes though, perhaps to cater to vegetarians) gives it Japanese overtones with accompaniments consisting of fried onions, garlic, scallions, and crushed peanuts. It doesn’t really go with the Japanese flavour of the soup, but for lovers of spice, it is just the thing, and besides, Yo China Cafe is a great place whether you want a cheap, filling, delicious meal, or whether you want to discern layers of flavours in your food.
Dimsums, expectedly, are of a certain standard, considering that DimsumBros is owned by the same promoters. Pacman dumpling (Rs 40 per piece; minimum order 6 pieces) is a great choice if you opt for sesame chicken; the vegetarian version is tasteless and the wrapper appeared to disintegrate by itself. On the other hand, Singaporean Curry Prawn (50 per piece; minimum order 6 pieces) is unique and a steal for generous chunks of prawns napped in enough moisture to call it a ‘curry’ with the unmistakeable hint of coconut in the spice. One of the finest dimsums in the city, this.
Plus and minus: Being a mall restaurant, service standards are not high. My paper place mat was far from new. When I pointed this out, I was not given a replacement throughout the meal. The egg fried rice with pounded ham and bacon (Rs 375) was too dry (and the portion too large) to be eaten all alone without an accompaniment. The promising hawker style tomato chicken (Rs 365) was billed as a main course but had no gravy when it was first brought to the table.
Must tries: The red velvet cake, the baked cheese rice, Asian chicken paella rice
Ratings
Food 3.50
Service 3.00
Decor 3.00
Shop 307-308, 2nd floor, DLF Place Saket
Tel: 011-40515399
Open from 11.30 am to 11.30 pm
Meal for two: Rs 1,500
