There are two things Bangkokians apparently can't get enough of - shopping centres and yakiniku restaurants. Just when you think they have become passe, a new one pops up right before your eyes. And before you know it, one may be just a B10 motorcycle ride away from your home and your nightly pilgrimage to 7-Eleven will be less appealing all of a sudden.
A new mall called INT-Intersect recently popped up on Rama III Road, which is getting livelier with its growing number of fancy restaurants, condominiums and developments. The mall is divided into beauty, retail, education and restaurant zones. Big names such as Starbucks, HOBS and After You have moved in. Another major player, Yuu Restaurant, which runs about a dozen outlets across the city, has opened two of its new branches here, namely all-you-can-eat spot Yuu Jung and yakiniku and vino venue Yuu & Wine. And since I'm all about being VIP and selective, I opted for the latter, the more sophisticated option, darling.
I know another yakiniku venue isn't news but the quality selection of meat on offer at Yuu & Wine may change your jaded mind. The venue has some class in terms of mood with leather upright dining chairs, warm and inviting lighting, and mirrors to reflect your pretty face. The space, however, is perhaps a bit small for the eight tables and 40 seats it tries to accommodate. Given the price range, I guess they aren't aiming for quantity of customers anyway. The yakiniku menu features an extensive array of meat and seafood as well as appetizers and rice dishes.
You can get back at crabs for all the effort you have spent savagely breaking them apart like a caveman by ordering Soft shell crab salad (B250; prices subject to tax and service charge). They say don't kick a man when he's down. I say eat a crab while it's down (and fried until crunchy). The whole crab is served with green salad of butterhead, green oak and iceberg lettuce drizzled with spicy Sriracha-infused dressing. The only problem I have with this dish is that the green trio is too bland and should be replaced with vegetables of zest like rocket leaves.
Tofu steak (B150) sizzles away on a hot plate as katsuobushi (fish flake) dances to the heat. The tofu cubes have a crisp and thin outer layer while inside they remain soft and super hot. The plainness of tofu also goes well with the tasty sauce. Clams floating in red miso Akadashi soup (B150) doesn't taste too salty while each clam brings you a taste of the sea.
For something to make you go "Holy cow!", try Matsusaka ribeye (B1,800). It gives you that magical melt-in-your-mouth tenderness and bursts like a broken dam of juice which potentially could be too much for some. But you can always add a tiny amount of Japanese pink rock salt to take the fatty edge off. A sip from the complimentary rice tea also cleanses and refreshes your palate while you're between beefs.
I find Yuu super (B700) a better beef deal as it offers a similar sensation at a much lower price. It doesn't quickly dissolve on your tongue like the ribeye. Juice seeps out with every bite you make, allowing time for you to really savour this marbling chuck. Tan shio (B275) may have you mooing like a cow afterwards as, in these thin slices of tongue, I taste some muscle and strength.
For something leaner, try Kurobuta tenderloin (B650) which is cut from 100 per cent Berkshire pig while Shogun buta (B150) is the sweetest among the yakiniku meats I've tasted.
Besides the extensive list of food, the place also offers an array of wine imported from Australia, France and South Africa. A bottle runs from B590-B5,500. There's no wine by the glass. You also can go for value with six choices of yakiniku sets for B250-B1,050 or 11 choices of don sets for B190-B630 during lunchtime from 11am-2pm.
There's no denying that the meat dishes here are little marvels themselves. However, at these prices, Yuu & Wine could afford to put more effort into its atmosphere and maybe offer bigger portions. But if you're the kind of person who drives to INT - Intersect and buys wine by the bottle, you wouldn't find the pricing over the top.
Yuu & WineJapanese
INT - Intersect, 946 Rama III Road
11am-2pm, 5pm-midnight
02-682-6208
