Yuu Japanese Tapas in Richmond returns to Dine Out Vancouver with $25 Teishoku sets that reflect the way everyday meals are often structured in Japan, a main dish served with a selection of sides and a simple dessert.
The format allows diners to sample a range of flavours and textures in one sitting, moving from savoury dishes to something lightly sweet at the end. Alongside the Teishoku, the restaurant is also offering a Dine Out Bites menu featuring smaller street-style items and drinks at promotional $5.75 prices.
We tried the Asari Miso Cream Ramen which arrived in a warm, aromatic broth. The miso base had a gentle richness from the cream, and the clams added a natural seafood flavour. Garlic and butter contributed to the savoury character of the soup. The noodles held their texture well and worked smoothly with the broth.
The Hayashi Demi Beef Rice featured sliced beef simmered in a dark sauce with onions and mushrooms, served over steamed rice. The beef was tender, and the sauce carried a balanced mix of savoury and mild sweetness that soaked into the rice.
The side dishes offered variety across the meal. K-Crunch Cucumbers were crisp and lightly spicy, coated in gochujang, sesame, garlic, and soy. Chicken Skin Crunchies were thin, crisp, and well-seasoned. The Takoyaki arrived hot, with soft centres and small pieces of octopus, finished with the usual sauces and toppings. Crispy Garlic Edamame was fragrant with garlic and sesame oil, and the beans were firm with a light saltiness.
Dessert includes the option of Ube Cloud Panna Cotta and Melon Coconut Tapioca. The panna cotta had a smooth texture and mild ube flavour, while the tapioca was lightly sweet with coconut and melon notes, served chilled.
From the Dine Out Bites Menu, the Okonomiyaki came as a Japanese savoury pancake topped with sauce and mayonnaise, soft inside with a lightly crisp surface. The Wasabi Salt Abalone Mushroom had a firm, meaty texture, with a subtle heat from the wasabi salt that highlighted the natural flavour of the mushroom.
For drinks, the Hokkaido Milk Tea with pearls was creamy and gently sweet, and the Yuzu Pine Breeze had a citrus profile that was refreshing with the meal.
Overall, the meals were good value and offered enough variety to keep things interesting. I would recommend giving their Dine Out menu this year a try!
Yuu Japanese Tapas is located at 1118-3779 Sexsmith Road, Richmond, BC.