Yo! China

Chinese food. Chinese prices--screams its banners. From what I have hear from pals, authentic Chinese food tastes sweet and as I have never been to the land of the great wall, I wouldn’t know about their pricing. Yo! China is a place for Indian Chinese food at Indian prices.

Ambience: Nothing remotely chinese about the interiors. Yellow seems to be fave color of the fellow who started this restaurant. It’s pretty big and spans across two storeys (upper one reserved for parties). Glass exterior that gives you an ugly view of the jammed traffic. A big-screen TV adorns one wall while posters with punch lines where Yo! does not rightfully belong well adorn the rest of the walls. Air-conditioned, but with half the kitchen in the dining place, one can nevertheless feel the heat and other smells emanating from there. Also a juice counter is beside the kitchen counter. So every time the guy starts to make some juice, please observe a 2-minute silence.

Service: Service depends on whether the food is ready or not. Though the place is swarming with waiters, not one responds to you when you holler. Most times they don’t serve you, so you end up tipping them with a heavy heart.

Cuisine: Tasty Indian Chinese food with lots and lotsa spice that leaves your body secreting liquid from all outlets (and that chink of a waiter isn’t even looking at you when your burnt tongue is screaming for some water).

Presentation: Dimsums and other steamed thingies are served in a nice wooden round box. Started are garnished with exotic stuff whose names I cannot remember.

Cutlery: Regular porcelain ware (thank god! They are not yellow).

Pricing: Now this I have to mention: On opening the menu, everything looks dead cheap because some of the items are priced per piece, for example, Chicken Dimsum per piece is Rs 12. So being the wise person who wants full value for money, you set out to order one starter a piece so as to sample all the starters in just Rs 60. But my friend, there’s a catch: You need to order a minimum of 5 pieces. So we asked the waiter the intent behind such a “brilliant and cost-effective” menu, but he just stood there staring at us with his half-shut eyes.

Their specialty is the combo meal which comprises 1 veg spring rolls (2 pieces) + kimchee salad + choice of veg hakka noodles or veg fried rice/steamed rice. A double combo is still a meal for one but with an additional starter. A veg single combo is priced at Rs 89, while a non-veg single combo is Rs 99.

A la carte meal for two with 1 starter + 1 gravy + 1 main dish = Rs 250 including VAT. Food passes not accepted.

Verdict: Good but spicy food. Must try their Dimsums, especially Schezwan Mushroom. A place worth trying (perhaps we went a bit too early, hence the service wasn't too great).

Location: Koramangala