Delicious Dim Sum at Yauatcha Soho

One thing I love about blogging is telling people about my favourite places and I can’t believe it’s taken until now to write about my absolute favourite dim sum restaurant; Yauatcha Soho. I’ve written about the sister restaurant, Yauatcha City and actually the menu is pretty much the same, but the decor and atmosphere is totally different.
Yauatcha City is great for groups of friends, colleagues, working lunches or cocktails on the terrace but Yauatcha Soho is more intimate, perfect for a date night with that special someone. The upstairs is light and airy with a patisserie at the entrance while downstairs is cosy and romantic with the signature blue glass designed by Christian Liagre. My companion, who also happens to be my birthday twin, knows the menu like the back of her hand so I left the ordering up to her. Starting with the garden dumpling, a delicious steamed morsel that’s entirely veggie and perfectly light.

Next up was the spicy pork Szechuan wonton, it really is super spicy which I love and the accompanying dipping sauce with a touch of peanut is the perfect combination.
The venison puffs are one of the iconic dishes at Yauatcha and are based on the traditional ‘So’ baked pastry puffs which in China are usually filled with a meat such as barbecue pork. The venison in Yauatcha’s is sweet and sticky and the puff is made of buttery and melt-in-the-mouth flaky pastry. It’s a very rich bite in comparison to the steamed buns but decadently delicious.

The wild mushroom dumplings I’ve had fairly recently at Yauatcha City and are a firm favourite of mine. They are a good choice if you want to avoid anything spicy and have a mild slightly earthy flavour. I love the pretty clover-like appearance too.

All the dishes at Yauatcha are outstanding and it’s really no surprise that restaurant has retained a Michelin star since 2005 and has been a star on the London restaurant scene for over ten years. Like the other restaurants in the Hakkasan group, Yauatcha really follows a formula for success and has kept a consistent level of excellence over all these years. When it opened Chef Cheong Wah Soon, previously chef at Hakkasan, supervised the kitchen and he still does. Working alongside Executive Head Chef Tong Chee Hwee who over sees all the restaurants in the Hakkasan group and who designed the menu at Yauatcha right at the beginning.
Edamame truffle dumpling had that sumptuous woody and slightly nutty taste synonymous with the mushroom and like the other steamed baskets came as the perfect trio. Though there were only two of us this time, I’d definitely advise coming to Yauatcha in a big group and basically trying everything on the menu. There are larger meat and fish dishes available but a selection of dim sum is just perfect for lunch.

Another of my favourites are the prawn cheung fun, beautiful plump prawns are wrapped in bead curd, stuffed into rolled rice noodles and in a pool of light soy sauce. It’s a beautiful combination of flavours and contrasting textures, another must order for me. It’s dishes such as this and the venison puff that show how Chef Tong puts a twist on tradition, adding his own flair to a dish that has become a key part of Hong Kong’s culture.
Overhearing that my companion and I were celebrating our birthdays, the lovely team at Yauatcha Soho iced our dessert with a special birthday message
With its own in-house patisserie, desserts are a big deal at this restaurant and we absolutely loved the coffee cremeux served with hazelnuts in perfectly crisp macarons. Two of the best things in life, isn’t coffee and chocolate the perfect combination?
There’s a good reason why Yauatcha has been one of the top restaurants in London and one of my favourite places. Not only is the food incredible but the warm and intimate atmosphere make it the perfect for any occasion.