Yauatcha is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a £20 tasting menu

ANY restaurant that survives for 20 years deserves huge respect – and an epic party.

Yauatcha has been trading on Berwick Street in Soho for two decades, specialising in spectacular Cantonese dim sum.

It was launched by a chap called Alan Yau, a legendary restaurateur who founded Hakkasan and Wagamama.

My first experience of Yauatcha is seared on the memory: a vast open plan kitchen illuminated by flaming woks; an imposing head chef from Hong Kong on the pass, inspecting and garnishing each and every dish.

Yauatcha still has that sense of theatre and excitement. In fact, not much has changed – lending a rather glorious retro feel to the whole experience.

It was packed on our Wednesday night. In the downstairs dining room, a huge aquarium stretches beneath the bar and the dark ceiling sparkles with lights like the Milky Way.

The sink in the men’s loos is one single shared trough. Turn on tap and water trickles down a series of black slate steps.

As part of their anniversary celebrations, Yauatcha is offering a special £20 menu which is worth every penny. You pick from half a dozen cocktails – boozy or alcohol free. Ours was a Lalu, shaken with Belvedere vodka, lychee juice, lemongrass, lime and a dash of oolong tea.

The food is a trio of steamed dim sum: their signature goldfish-shaped dumpling stuffed with sea bass; a pastry-wrapped scallop topped with golden roe; and an emerald-green pleated number with minced wild mushrooms.

This short tasting menu ends with an intricate creation from their pastry chefs. Shaped like a small peach, this is their take on a Chinese dessert served on milestone birthdays, composed of a sablé biscuit base topped with a mousse and peach compote.

We ordered from their main menu, too. Our waiter recommended the Wagyu beef puffs with cumin – made with a highly intricate, buttery pastry I have never seen elsewhere in Chinatown.

Penang kwetio noodles is a popular dish in Malaysia. Jumbled with prawns, scallop, chilli and peanuts this dish is similar to a Pad Thai but with more chili heat and sour notes.

Don’t miss the Cheung fun, a steamed rice noodle roll, filled here with prawn and cloud ear fungus with a layer of crispy bean curd that adds a fabulous crunch and texture.

There are good reasons why Yauatcha has thrived for 20 years. The kitchen team are masters of dim sum and the menu is epic in scope. Upstairs, at street level, the pastry counter is a tempting diversion if you’re walking past and you can choose from 24 types of tea.

The restaurant is not cheap if you order a la carte. But the £20 anniversary menu is an absolute steal. If in doubt, order this – and a side portion of fragrant fried rice.

Yauatcha Soho
15-17 Broadwick Street, W1F
020 7494 8888
reservations@yauatcha.com
www.yauatcha.com
@yauatchalondonFddwdrf