We had one of the best foods from MIFUNE New York. The Executive Chef, who is an acquaintance of my gourmet sister’s best friend. Everything we had was so good, we went back for more, and then again! I took my mother there while she was vising us here in NYC, and also, my in-laws. Everyone loved the food there. Now, Chef Yuu Shimano has his own restaurant in Brooklyn, called Restaurant YUU. He opened his restaurant in May 2023, and guess what, he received his first Michelin Star in November 2023! Yup, that’s right, he really is THAT talented!

They have 18 counter seats for dining, however, they had lounge tables and chairs. I was wondering about them, which became clear at the end of the dinner…stay tuned! The inside was much bigger than I thought it would be, since I imagined a restaurant with a large kitchen, surrounded by counter seats, but that’s all. But, Chef YUU had much better imagination than me, and much more grand plans!

The menu at Restaurant YUU is all Omakase, offering a new form of high quality French cuisine, as the chef trained in France, at restaurant Guy Savoy, which has two Michelin stars. Restaurant YUU is by reservation only, and the dinner is prepaid at the time of reservation. At the very beginning of our dining experience, one of the chefs brought out tonight’s feature dishes and ingredients. The one that looks like an artwork is the Canard, or a duck dish that will be cooked in the oven for a while, during we have other courses.

We were celebrating our birthdays together with this special dinner, so we decided to make it even more fancy by ordering a bottle of Delamotte Blanc de Blancs Champaigne ($150). It was bright and crisp, light with clean citrus notes that opened up our appetite. We thought it was the perfect choice for this dinner, we really enjoyed it!

When it was time to start cooking all the fabulous dishes, they dimmed the light for a second to get everyone’s attention, then they opened the blue curtain to reveal the beautiful kitchen and all the chefs. It was like a beginning of a theatre, which was pretty cool.

The menu was 15-Course Omakase Menu ($250). The first four courses were amuse bouche to prepare our palate for the following course. We received Ikura, Mussel, and Foie Gras on an artistic display. Also a beautiful little ball. Everyone had a different design of the ball. What is inside the ball? Wet towel to cleanse your hands! Three of the four amuse bouche was presented like a some kind of beautiful landscape. Ikura, Shiso, and Foie Gras.

Then a hot soup was delivered immediately after, so we can have them together. The Consommé was made with Beef and Lobster broth. It was so comforting, rich, and earthy. Warm up your body and soul. We were recommended to eat the amuse bouche in a certain order, so we followed the instruction. First up was the Ikura. The Ikura one was described as a “Gyoza” but I have never seen a gyoza that is as fancy as this one. It is made with Salmon Roe, Brown Butter and Nori Emulsion, Cucumber, and Nori Powder. It had that super crispy exterior that provided the perfect crunch. The inside was smooth like mousse or custard, with popping texture of Ikura with refreshing little bites of cucumber. So much going on with just one bite, yet everything working in perfect harmony. Awesome!

Next one was Mussel Shiso Leaf Tempura, with Pickled Fennel and Mussel, topped with dollops of Ume Gelée. This one was really interesting, made me think of something out of a jungle. It was crispy and crunchy, with great scent aroma of shiso. Refreshing and such a great dish to open up your appetite! The last but not least, Foie Gras, made with Foie Gras Mousse with 12-yr Yamazaki Whiskey, Honey Crisp Apple, and Red Miso Sauce. I really liked the apple on this, providing the natural sweetness with that distinctive crisp texture of the apple. I did get the hint of whiskey in both aroma and flavor, which was great. Elegant dish that was packed with flavor. We enjoyed them all so much!

Next Course was Shima-Aji, which is Striped Horse Mackerel. You don’t imagine any fish can be dressed this good, but Chef YUU knows how to make anything look beautiful! It is made with Leek Vinaigrette Sauce, Pear, and Herring Foam. It tasted as beautiful and impressive as it looked. The pop of edible flower made it extra fancy and appetizing. It was smooth with nice solid bottom of tartlet. It had that distinctive flavor of the Shima-Aji, without being fish-y, and pear flavor went great with it.

Next one was really fun, Pissaladière. From my understanding, it is a Provençal open tart resembling pizza, and it sure does look like one! It is made with Mackerel, Caramelized Onion, and Marinated Olive. It was so interesting, I never had Pissaladière before, it was kind of like a seafood pizza on a tart crust. All the ingredients worked really well together, a nice bite of salty flavor, another dish to excite your taste buds for more delicious dishes.

While we were enjoying all these tasty and artistic dishes, we also got some entertainment. Some of the dishes were prepared right in front of us, instead of in the kitchen. We got to see some parts of how these amazing dishes were created, which was really cool. Yes, you get dinner and the show here at Restaurant YUU!

The seventh course was Oyster and Wagyu Tartare. It is made with A5 Wagyu, Nisqually Oyster, Sunchoke Chip, Cauliflower and Oyster Emulsion Sauce. It was really pretty, with the vibrant green sauce. I didn’t expect “tartare” to be served in an oyster shell, so interesting! It had some pine nuts in there as well, giving that little crunchy texture within the soft, creamy texture. Wagyu and oyster combination was great, and the nutty flavor and texture played well with them to bring together the flavor as a whole.

Then we received a surprise dish from Chef Yuu, as we were celebrating our birthdays! It was this gorgeous caviar dish. A generous amount of caviar with sour cream on brioche, garnished with beautiful edible purple flowers. Caviar was glistening and waiting to be devoured. It was as amazing as it looks! I must say the rest of the customers looked a bit jealous…which we also loved (LOL). Thank you Chef Yuu!!!

The course number eight, Arctic Char, was another beautiful dish. It is made with Koji Marinated and Smoked Arctic Char, Pickled Vegetables, Kumquat, Red Pepper Sauce, Tomato and Kombu Gelée, and Mascarpone Cheese. It sure was like a piece of artwork on a plate. Vibrant colors that entice the food enthusiasts everywhere. This arctic char was ready to go to the Oscars or some kind of special red carpet event! The harmony of spice and citrus notes, with the earthy tomato and kombu dashi gelée, it was like am orchestra creating a wonderful music. The mascarpone cheese sauce was great with the fish and the vegetables. Such a delight!

The next dish was Abalone Risotto, made with Abalone, Koshihikari Rice, Kombu Dashi, Bamboo Shoots, and Nori. This one the first hot dish we received. I love risotto, and I love all things seafood, so I was very excited. Risotto was nice and buttery, comforting and yet so refined. Abalone has similar texture to oyster mushrooms, in my opinion, which I like and enjoy. It was nice and meaty. The umami in this risotto was so good.

The seaweed was prepared like a crispy cracker. It was recommended for us to try the risotto first, and about half way through, have a bite of the seaweed cracker with Uni. We can enjoy the individual flavor first, then have them together to get the complete flavor as a whole. I really liked the seaweed cracker, so crispy and light, while providing that extra flavor of the sea. Uni was super fresh, not fishy, but delicious. This dish was not only amazing, but also fun to eat.

Next up was Langoustine. Norwegian Langoustine Tail with Crème Fraîche, Mussel Juice, and Shiso Oil. The langoustine was grilled on a charcoal grill, brushed with a reduction made with the shell. The bright green shiso oil on the sauce complimented the bright orange-red color of the langoustine. It looked simple yet it had complex flavor. The langoustine was plump and packed with its natural flavor, and the sauce underneath enhanced the flavor of the sea, with extra refreshing notes from the shiso.

This course also came with Fried Langoustine Head, made cooked with Yogurt, Pineapple, and Grapefruit. It was placed under the shell of the head, like a dragon protecting his jewels. The ingredients were puréed together, then fried to perfection. It was crunchy and crispy, with mild, fruity flavor mixed with that umami. How interesting and creative!

While we were enjoying the dish, one of the chefs brought out a huge bread. He sliced them and grilled them on the charcoal grill which was used to grill the langoustine just a little while before. It was so cool to watch them do all the kitchen magic!

We didn’t need to wait too long to try that nice, toasty bread.. But first, Egg and Truffle. If you just think of ingredients, Egg, Potato, and Truffle Butter, you might not think much of it, but let me tell you, this dish was incredible! It had a runny egg in the middle, although mine was cooked slightly a bit too long, but hey, it was still great. The potatoes were flakey, perfectly salty, with amazing flavor of truffle. It was almost like hashbrowns with egg, but a dish served to kings and queen in a castle.

The House made Bread was delivered with a side of Truffle Butter, so that we can enjoy these two courses together. The bread is made with Spelt Flour, Rye Flour, Pear and Cacao Natural Yeast. The bread was so fluffy and airy, so tasty like a country bread. It went so great with truffle butter, but I mean, truffle butter goes great with just about anything, doesn’t it? The combination of the bread, butter, and the egg & potato was simply amazing. I wish if I could have this for breakfast every morning!

The next course had a choice between Monkfish or Cod. My hubby went with Monkfish, and I chose Cod. The Monkfish is made with Homemade Bacon and Burdock Root. It looked like an abstract artwork on a blue canvas. The bacon was roasted, and underneath was pickled burdock root, with burdock root and mushroom purée, and then topped with burdock root chips.

The monkfish was wrapped in bacon, so juicy! The salty flavor and that distinctive fatty-ness of the bacon went so great with the monkfish. Burdock was crispy and added a nice texture and earthy flavor. The sauce was rich and decadent. I always loved the sauces that Chef Yuu makes.

The Cod is made with Celeriac, Onion, Endive, and Fennel Pollen. The cod was slightly cured with kombu and steamed. The sauce underneath is made with celeriac and onion. The fish was very tender and flaky, packed with the umami flavor from kombu dashi. The sauce underneath had some nice textures, and enhanced the flavor of the fish. It was much lighter dish than the monkfish, as it did not have any bacon. We enjoyed them both, very different dishes, but the monkfish dish had stronger flavor.

Before the next course, Chef Yuu brought out the dish that another chef was construction around the time we were having their Pissaladière. It was a veal baked with herbs, and the moment he cut it open was amazing! Great aroma, steam, and such excitement! He said that since the meat is so thick, it takes a long time for it cook. We so appreciate the effort!

The next course was also a dish with a choice. We again chose one of each, so that we can taste both of them. The choice was Veal or Lamb, and I chose Veal, and my hubby chose Lamb. The Salt-Crust Baked Veal was made with Thyme, Hay, and Cream Morel Sauce. Just seeing the reveal of this dish, I was very excited! The meat was so tender, with that fragrant and flavor of the herbs. The sauce underneath was so amazing, I coated my veal in the sauce, and it was delicious! The side of mashed potato was creamy and went well with the sauce and meat. Very comforting, amazing dish.

The Lamb Saddle was made with Asian Clam, Lemon Ginger Marmalade, and Aonori. This one had a subtle yet great flavor of lemon ginger that accompanied the flavor of the lamb in a perfect way. The meat was tender, cooked just right, and so satisfying! The aonori on the top was interesting, it brought a nice additional earthy flavor. It had the perfect amount of fatty-ness, amazing!

The last savory dish was the main dish of the evening, Canard. This is the one we saw at the beginning of the dinner, beautifully decorated dough before it was baked. It is made with Dry Aged Duck Breast, Minced Duck Leg, Black Pepper Cognac and Foie Gras Reduction Sauce. Chef Yuu brought it out in front of us and sliced it into half, so that we can see what it looks like in the inside. It is made like a wellington, but elevated to the max to the highest level! They use the 45-day dry-aged duck breast, and made a beautiful layers with foie gras, three kinds of mushrooms that are sautéed, spinach, and homemade pie dough, decorated by their pasty chef.

After it was sliced and plated, it received the glorious sauce, and then a chef made it rain with black truffle. It got covered with abundance of truffle to the point you could no longer see the Carnard! Wow!

It was served with a side of Duck Innards Salad. They really do their best to not waste any ingredient here at Restaurant YUU. The arugula salad was really nice to have with the decadent duck pie. It contained duck hears and gizzards, grapes and walnuts. The Carnard was amazing, it was juicy, packed with flavor, and oh-so-delicious! So rich and It was a beautiful symphony to my tastebuds. What an ending to this fantastic dinner, before the desserts!

The last two courses were desserts. The first dessert was Pear and Yuzu, made with Fresh Pear, Yuzu Sauce, Kome Shochu Sorbet, and Star Anise Foam. It looked like a cloud in the sky, floating among the stars at night. So simple yet so elegant.

It might look simple, but this dessert was amazing! Such complex flavors that blend together so well. The foam had that licorice-like flavor, and you could definitely taste the shochu in sorbet. Then the juicy pears in the bottom…it was a dream!

The last course and the last dessert was Matcha and Strawberry. It is made with Amaou Strawberry, Matcha, Maple, and Pistachio. We first saw a chef making matcha the old fashion way, which was awesome. Then, after the dessert was put together right in front of our eyes, the match was poured over the matcha ice cream.

It was a thing of beauty with vibrant colors, apposite to the first dessert, which was mono-chromatic. The cream-colored dome you in the bowl is not an ice cream, but a maple mousse with strawberry liquid center! The bitterness of the matcha and sweetness of the maple created a perfect marriage of flavors. The side of Amaou strawberries from Japan, and maple jelly were great too. This was a fun dessert, both with looks, flavors, and textures. Nothing but the highest quality here!

Since we didn’t read up much about Restaurant YUU before we visited the restaurant, so that we can keep the excitement to the max. So, we decided to order a couple of hot tea to finish up. You know what I mean by that next… Bur first, here is our Hoji-cha ($10) and Genmai-cha ($12). They were bright and beautiful, and the tea cups were really nice too. We were enjoying our tea, when they asked us if we want to continue our tea at the lounge section. This is where we realized how much they are treating the customers to the maximum luxury.

They took our tea to our table in the lounge area, behind the bar seats. Then, they brought some hot tea and extra little desserts on the house for everyone! If we knew that, we probably would not have ordered the hoji-cha and genmai-cha, but hey, we enjoyed them both.

The complimentary tea was Ginger Mint Citrus Tea, and Mignardises were Earl Grey Marshmallow, Caramel Macaron, and Chocolate Covered, Orange and Currant Praline. Everything was so good, each little desserts were so delightful with strong yet calming flavors. The tea was a great way to digest all the amazing food we consumed, helping us to relax and chill out before we wake up from this culinary dream and go home.

Then, for even more surprising treat, Chef Yuu brought us a birthday cake with a candle! How amazing! It seemed like a couple of other customers were celebrating their birthday as well, we saw home bringing the cake to other customers. What a kind and nice gesture! A staff took a fun polaroid picture for us to commemorate, which was extra nice! Chef Yuu certainly made our birthday celebration extra, extra special! The cake was creamy, amazing, and delicious which at this point is no surprise here.

We even received a “thank you gift” from the restaurant! Say what! They were two desserts, individually wrapped so that they stay fresh. The gift bag contained a sweet note from the Executive Pastry chef, and to letting us know what they are. It was Chocolate & Orange Cake, and Hazelnut Financier. We had them the next day, and they were really good!

There are two gender-neutral bathrooms all the way to the left. One small, one accessible bathroom. It was clean, well stocked, and well lit.

And when I say well stocked, it had all sorts of amenity in there. They had mouthwash, Q-tips, oil blotting paper, etc., even feminine hygiene products! They sure know how to take of their customers.

We had an amazing dinner here at Restaurant YUU. Everything we had was beautiful, amazing, and delightful. We were completely blown away! My husband asked me which dish was my favorite, and honestly, I could not choose one dish over another, as they were all so delicious! It is the perfect restaurant for any celebration to make it extra happy and special. We will sure to return again for another celebration, and to try other seasonal creations of Chef Yuu.

Restaurant YUU – 55 Nassau Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222