Yorkdale Mall: Birthday Extravaganza !

It was a birthday extravaganza! I mean, not really… but it felt like it. And what better place to celebrate than Yu Seafood Yorkdale? 

The process of finding our seats was worthy of an upscale fine dining experience. After checking in at the lobby where the sushi bar was located, we waited a few minutes for our booth to be cleaned and were then personally escorted to the elevator to find our hostess waiting for us on the upper floor where she guided us to our table.

The design of the restaurant went perfectly with the eastern fine dining concept, however the music slightly disturbed the ambience. Due to the location being in Yorkdale Mall, it made perfect sense for contemporary music to be played to attract customers, but a more classical or instrumental piece of music would have fit the character of the restaurant a bit better.

The serving process was just as interesting; we ordered on a tablet provided by the restaurant with the menu already opened for us to glance at. As this was our first time ordering in this way, we did get a little confused. There weren’t any clear instructions on how to use the tablet to order as there was an assumption that we had done this before. However, if you choose to dine here--which you should--you only order your drinks on the tablet and you wait for your server to order the food.

There was a great variety of dishes on the menu, resulting in Kayla, Samantha, and I ordering very different orders.

Kayla ordered the Barbecued Kurobuta Pork Udon Noodles. This consisted of Inaniwa udon wok fried with barbecued Kurobuta pork in a foie gras sauce. She noted that the noodles were soft, light, and chewy--but not sticky. You were able to taste the sauce and seasoning but they were not overpowering. It balanced nicely with the pork that was sweet and subtly prone to melting in your mouth. I even stole a taste and it was delicious!

Paired with her meal, Kayla ordered a Virgin Jasmine Pear Bellini, made with Jasmine Cordial, Pear Nectar, Lemon Juice, and Tonic. The drink could be characterized as light, sweet, and bubbly. 

Samantha had the Sweet and Sour Kurobuta Pork with Pineapples and Bell Peppers. This dish was surprisingly light in flavor, which she loved, and was slightly crunchy on the outside while maintaining its softness inside. It was a little chewy but did not feel as though it was about to fall apart. The sweetness of the pineapple paired with the sweet and sour sauce is not something you should miss out on!

With her meal, Samantha had a Virgin Blush Sangria, consisting of Lychee, Strawberry, Orange, and Cranberry Ginger Ale. She absolutely loved this drink, noting:

“It reminds me of a “Grown-Up” Fruitopia” ~ Samantha

Finally, I had the Seared Rack of Lamb. This was made of New Zealand Lamb glazed with Organic Honey Maple Syrup. The lamb, without the sauce, was well-cooked. It was soft and not too chewy. I found that there was a lack of salt and seasoning within the meat and an overwhelming amount of sweet sauce. Personal preference aside, I should have been able to taste at least some salt and pepper. With the sauce, the lamb was very sweet, which was not the greatest as there was no salt to balance it nor was there another ingredient present to neutralize it. However, I do love the glazed look it brings to the plate.

To drink, I had the Virgin Dragon Mojito, made with Lychee and Cranberry Ginger Ale as its main ingredients. It was sweet, strong tasting, and delicious! The mint and lavender added to the drink were also very prominent. Overall, this drink was refreshing. 

Once a drink or meal arrived, the carrier stood in front of our table with the order and waited until either our hostess or the manager arrived to set everything in front of us personally. This act emphasized the personal care and interaction attached to their trademark. At the end of our time at the restaurant, our server kindly took multiple pictures for us. I appreciated how in every interaction she had with us, she placed a great amount of care into making our evening great. She also packed up our leftovers for us… Can you believe it? And the takeout bag looked like it was meant to hold gifts rather than food.

If you decide to visit Yu Seafood Yorkdale, here are a few things to take note of:

All meals have a very light taste.

All dishes consist of big portions.

Prices are on the pricier side, but there are some more affordable dishes.

Overall Rating: 4.2 /5

Review Written by Claire-Elisabeth Jacques

Review Edited by Samantha Miniaci