Rubina A Khan reviews Yuuka, a modern Japanese restaurant in Mumbai: “a theatrical flourish of art on your plate, heightening the sensory pleasures of all five senses.”
Multicultural and lauded Chef Ting Yen of the award winning Oishii Boston in Massachusetts, USA, opened Yuuka on the 37th floor of a hotel that is now the St. Regis Mumbai in August 2014 with a game-changing menu that went beyond sushi, sashimi and sake. Such is the temptation of the masterpieces created by Chef Yen that Mumbai’s discerning palates’ coquetry with Yuuka’s extraordinary Japanese flavours has swiftly escalated into an irrepressible culinary affair since. I first partook in this affair extraordinaire in the opening year with my favourite New Yorker and fashion visionary, Fern Mallis, and then again a couple of times in 2017.
Each dish is a theatrical flourish of art on your plate, heightening the sensory pleasures of all five senses, with your eyes taking in the visual magnificence of the food, some of which is literally on fire, your nose deciphering some familiar, and some unfamiliar ingredients of the dish and the accompanying cocktail, feeling the texture of a crispy lotus root in your hand, your ears resonating with the crunch of the first bite and the final explosion of exquisitely paired flavours in your mouth, making it an unforgettable experience that stays with you forever.
The Yuuka indulgence cannot but start with the Truffle Edamame, Crispy Lotus Root and Okonomiyaki, followed by the spectacular Avocado Tartare, an incredibly complex, but delicious creation with avocados, corn dashi, crispy shallots, parsnips and ice that Executive Chef Akhilesh Singh and Sous Chef Swapnil Doiphode create everyday for enthralled diners like me who can’t seem to get enough of its theatrical presentation and divine taste. The Hamachi or Yellowtail Salmon on Fire is another house special that continues to amaze patrons with its “lit” act, that’s akin to a performance really. Freshly grated wasabi roots make for the best accompaniment to the sumptuous Salmon Truffle, Tiger Tear Maki and Vegetarian Truffle Maki and even a seasoned wasabi lover needs to go easy on this as it hits hard, but feels so good.
Yamazaki single malt cocktails, Sake and Martinis add to the modern Japanese food experience, amidst the mirror and brocade deconstructed origami patterns and the black and gold reef inspired wall, with magnificent views of the city by day and sexy, shimmering ones at night. A new favourite of mine is the Gold Leafed Chocolate Mousse with Truffle Icecream. It just does not get any better than eating truffles in an icecream! “I added a tiny amount of truffle to the icecream for a subtle taste, because any more would overpower the flavours and kill the taste,” says Sous Chef Swapnil of his latest creation. The decadent Green Tea Cake, all 40 layers of it, with rum-soaked raisins and matcha dust is an absolute must at the end of your meal here.
I’d reviewed Yuuka for Harper’s Bazaar earlier, and what I wrote back then still holds true today. The fabulous new additions to its already enticing menu has me entranced and the consistency (a very rare attribute in Mumbai, and in life in general) of the distinct flavours and textures of the dishes I had eaten almost two-and-a-half years ago and most importantly, the knowledgeable, friendly and familiar service by the Restaurant Manager Prasad, who remembered my preferences from the last time around in 2014! Knowing what to order can be rather daunting, and uninformed choices can dull any culinary experience, but the service team here walks you through every dish, discreetly participating in your experience, making it a marvellously memorable one!
Yuuka is open everyday from 12PM – 3PM | 7PM – 12AM
Level 37
St. Regis Mumbai
462, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai 400013
+91 22 61628422 Yuuka
Rubina A Khan 
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