Yu Seafood
Yu Seafood is where you go for next-level dim sum and seafood. The spacious restaurant serves up elaborate dishes and is great for large groups as it has nine private rooms, the largest of which fits up to 70 people.
The thing to go for here is dim sum. The Bamboo Charcoal and Egg Yolk Bun ($5.10) is shaped like little black-coloured dumplings streaked with edible gold, The slightly salty-sticky sweet egg yolk custard inside the bun oozes out when you bite into it. It's pure gustatory nirvana.
The Bamboo Charcoal Sticky Rice Roll ($5.10) are cube-shaped rice rolls again sprinkled with edible gold. The sticky rice comes with assorted meat inside. They are delectable little morsels.
The Sakura Shrimp with Squid Dumpling ($6.10) looks like a regular shao mai, but has a much less meaty taste. It comes with edible sakura flower petals that are more for show than flavour.
The Shrimp and Cuttlefish Dumpling in Soup ($5.10) is wonderfully delicate, not fishy, and the lightly umami-like clear broth is very comforting.
Make sure to try the Abalone with Beef Dumpling ($5.10). The minced seasoned beef is tender and savoury, a welcome contrast to the chewiness of the sliced abalone.
The Black Sesame Pastry ($4.10) has a Jello-like texture and subtly-sweet black sesame flavour. The whipped cream on top takes this from unusual to indulgent.
The Stir-Fried Sirloin Beef Cube ($22) is out-of-this-world good. These small cubes of meat are seasoned with Maggi sauce, highly prevalent in Cantonese dishes, and are super tender. You won’t find this at a regular dim sum restaurant.
Beyond dim sum, Yu Seafood also serves a variety of sushi and seafood including a decadent Sashimi Platter. The price and fish included depends on your order but mine comes with bluefin tuna, red snapper, octopus, yellowtail and BC sea urchin.
Also don't miss the towering lobster platters. The Crispy Garlic Hong Kong Style Lobster (market price) features deep-fried and seasoned lobster piled over a foot high. The strong garlic and peppery spices make this one of the best lobster dishes I’ve ever had.
The King Crab (market price) is cooked two ways – boiled and steamed. The former is also infused with sake, while both are seasoned with garlic and scallions.
For dessert, go for the Fresh Fruit Napoleon ($5.10) which is also served as a tower, this time built of stacked fluffy puff pastries interspersed with fresh fruit slices and cream.
Inside the space is opulent and grandiose with tall ceilings and refined finishes. The restaurant wouldn't look out of place in a 5-star hotel.
After the meal, be sure to visit the fish market that's attached to the back of the restaurant. Who knows, you may just want to bring some Norwegian salmon home.
Hector Vasquez