Yo! Sushi, one of the newest kids on the foodie block at Intu Derby has launched its new menu with a nod to all things authentically Tokyo. I reviewed this Derby restaurant when it first opened (here’s my original review). From the bold pop art designed menu to new dishes that really push culinary boundaries, there is something for everyone at Yo! Sushi. We kicked off with Miso Soup (soya bean broth, wakame, spring onion, tofu). Lovely and light, delicious as an entrée and a great start to a meal, especially so, if you’re calorie counting as each very filling portion racks up a teeny tiny 60 calories.
The Okonomiyaki (cabbage pancake topped with smoked bonito tuna flakes, katsu sauce, mayonnaise) tasted way better than what is essentially a cabbage pancake. The texture was meaty and I didn’t feel I was eating copious amounts of cabbage. This is a great way to get greens into kids and fussy adults alike, as the vegetables are cleverly disguised, and tasty toppings of creamy mayonnaise and sweet and sour katsu curry completes the ruse that something totally exotic lurks beneath, not just your plain Jane cabbage.
Salmon Teriyaki (grill hot salmon steaks glazed in sweet soy sauce) looked as pretty as a picture, burnished beauties with caramelised sauce served with a wedge of lemon, to counter the sweet sauce.
I love being surprised. Not the whole ‘deranged clown chasing me’ kind of surprise, but perhaps being the recipient of Hotel Chocolat’s Billionaire Slab’ surprise. Blow me down with a feather when I spotted Teba No Karaage (crispy fried chicken wings). Chicken Wings. On a Yo! Sushi menu. Coated in a flavoursome sauce with hints of sesame and soy, these chicken wings are to die for. I usually steer clear of these on any other menu (I find them too fiddly and the meat on them sub-standard). Yo! Sushi’s offerings are premium range, the Harrods of the chicken wing kingdom. This was my favourite dish on the menu and one which I could eat at any time of the day (let’s call it an ALL-DAY-FOOD aka ADF).
Next up, Chazuke (salmon, sea bass, shiso leaf, yuzu koshu, rice, nori, fragrant umami broth). This dish was pure theatre, with the steaming hot broth being poured from height to give the fish and rice a delectable drenching. The fish was tender and the overall dish a little too fishy for my liking, but still, it was filling and hearty (I nearly fell of my chair when I saw it was only 300 calories). The dashi was a nice touch, I just wish I could taste it a little more than the subtle aftertaste.
If the menu so far was an entertaining story, Saba (teriyaki glazed cured mackerel slices, spring onion) was the delicious punch-line. It had me gasping in bewilderment as the mackerel wasn’t pungent at all, but the flavours wonderfully multi-faceted, with the sliver of spring onion delivering its tiny Tom Thumb kick.
I think fish and sugar make a horribly odd coupling – like little Gizmo and water. I was therefore pleasantly surprised by the Fish No Chip Roll (sea bass tempura, onion, cucumber, wasabi sauce, nori roll, citrus yuzu furikake). This has definite hints of orange on the swallow – which, with mouthfuls of sea bass, actually tasted very good.
Ichi-Ni-San Roll (Hokkaido scallop, salmon, Yellowfin tuna, cucumber, yuzu koshu nori roll, arenkha caviar) was soothing on the palate the fishy triumvirate a joy to munch on, as the burst caviar created a slightly honeyed, mainly salty party in my mouth.
If you’re not in an adventurous mood, check out Potato Salada (potato, quick pickled vegetables, karashi mustard mayonnaise dressing), which is perfect with the aforementioned chicken wings.
The new menu has two dessert additions. The Matcha Roll (premium green tea sponge swirled with fresh cream and azuki beans) was light as air and the sweet mung-style beans inspired and positively scrumptious.
The Japanese Souffle Cheesecake was soft, the texture close and dense but magically light, and a hot favourite at our table. Some desserts can leave you feeling lumpy, bumpy and too full – these brand new dishes feel heavenly on the palate and you don’t feel like you have to run to the gym post haste to burn off all those stodgy calories.
Yo! Sushi’s new menu is inventive and downright fricking gorgeous. It has something for everyone, from the health conscious calorie counting diner, to newbie sushi taster, to Takoyaki fiend. A hat-tip to Hannah, our pretty witty server for the night, and the equally fabulous GM Alex, who pulled out all the stops and gave us an informative running commentary of the dishes served. These two are real stars in the Yo! Sushi team – if they’re around on the evening you dine, trust me, you’re in very capable (and totally cool) hands.
To find out more about Yo! Sushi, their new menu (you must!), please go to their website now.