The latest venture from Speak Low owner and SG Group founder Shingo Gokan thrills with an innovative menu of Japanese fusion dishes and cocktails inspired by rice.
What is YONE? Think a modern stylish izakaya with an artfully conceived menu of contemporary Japanese dishes and cocktails, each incorporating and inspired by the essence of rice as an ingredient.
YONE is the latest offering from internationally acclaimed bartender and SG Group founder Shingo Gokan, who previously opened Speak Low in Shanghai in 2014, and other preeminent, award-winning bars in Shanghai and Tokyo. His other projects have earned him an eye-whopping 49 awards from WORLD’S / ASIA’S 50 BEST BARS.
Teaming up with Shingo as a culinary consultant on the menu is celebrated chef Fumio Yonezawa, who previously was the first Japanese chef at the famed three-Michelin star restaurant Jean Georges, and also the first Japanese chef to author a vegan cookbook.
YONE is a collaboration of two maestros with the shared vision of exploring Japan’s rich culinary heritage and paying homage to the dynamism and legacy of rice.
Taking over the former location of Hiya on the 27th floor of the Shanghai EDITION Hotel, YONE has renovated the space and features a layout that is highly versatile for fine dining and for entertaining out-of-town guests. It’s a cozy, modern and sophisticated decor featuring a visually appealing spiral stairwell, stunning views of the Shanghai skyline, a stylish bar, and a comfortable lounge area. The bar area boasts high ceilings and large windows, letting in an ample amount of natural light in the afternoon.
By day, the space works well to accommodate afternoon teas and business lunches, offering diners impressive views that overlook the colonial-era architecture of the Bund Early evenings and magic hour are a good time for romantic intimate dinners for two and more formal dining. By night, as the skyline of illuminated skyscrapers slowly lights up, the mood in the restaurant gradually becomes more festive and electrifying with larger tables for group dining and a bar full of cocktail connoisseurs, who will undoubtedly be keen to sample YONE’s rice-inspired cocktails. Soon there will also be a late-night menu offering, served up to midnight.
YONE’s bar offers an innovative drink menu of highballs and cocktails, similarly inspired by the subtle flavors and culinary traditions of rice. Their rice-washed classic cocktails are sake and shochu-based and are prepared using rice- washing techniques to enhance the flavor and depth of the drinks.
One such drink is the Shari Rice Gimlet (98rmb a glass), a refreshing gimlet made with Shochu Kome, Miho Imada sake, rice vinegar, lime, sushi rice, and topped with a tempura nori crisp.
The Swirl Highball (88rmb) is a cocktail consisting of Shochu Kome, bergamot, tequila, sake, and soda water.
Their YONE signature drink, the quirky and spectacularly conceived Bubble Trouble (98rmb) is an alcoholic bubble tea drink made with Shochu Mugi, cognac, Kokuto de Lequio (an awamori brown sugar liqueur developed SG Group themselves), Hoji-cha and milk.
For a salad, try the Seaweed Salad with Market Fish Ceviche (148rmb), with thin slices of radish and a yuzu wasabi vinaigrette. The texture and sweetness of the sea urchin is one of the highlights of this dish, as are the notes of yuzu and wasabi. Delightfully umami and subtly tangy, this is a perfect dish to start with to whet the appetite.
One of chef Yoshiyuki Ito’s favorite dishes to prepare is the Australian M5 Wagyu Tartar, Potato Gratin Salad (188rmb) with white miso, a dish he simply describes as ‘oishii’ (or delicious). A beef tartare combined with layers of Japanese potato gratin salad, and paired with a side of thin potato crisps, it is a savory treat that can be enjoyed as an appetizer or as a light snack by itself.
The Tuna, Pickled Radish, Sea Urchin, Caviar (288rmb) is a visually stunning dish, and is an explosion of flavors and textures. Served with tempura nori crackers, this appetizer can be eaten canapé style.
The Foie Gras and Unagi Spring Roll (148rmb) with Sweet Sansho Dipping Sauce is another visually beautiful appetizer. An upscale Japanese-Chinese- French fusion appetizer dish that reconceptualizes the classic spring roll with a flavor-packed stuffing of foie gras and teriyaki eel.
The Miso Marinated Atlantic Cod Fish (268rmb) is marinated for twelve hours and served on a bed of SG Shochu clam risotto. The tender cod has a crispy char-grilled crust and a nice texture, its flavors complimented by the risotto and SG Shochu-infused foam. About this dish, Chef Yonezawa says, “I tried a lot of different marinades, using two types of miso, a little bit of sake, soy sauce and a touch of sugar. It’s served on a soft risotto with the flavor of shochu. I like sometimes cooking with the shochu flavor. It’s a really elegant, pure flavor.”
The Crispy Rice Crumbed Fried Boston Lobster (268rmb) in Lobster Bisque Sauce was a standout dish – the tenderness and succulence of the fresh lobster contrasting well with the crispiness of the rice crumb crust, which subtly absorbed the flavors of the lobster.
The Crispy Black Iberian Pork Belly Cutlet (188rmb) is a stylish take on the tonkatsu cutlet, served with two dipping sauces: a homemade tonkatsu sauce and a mustard soy mayonnaise. The pork belly was satisfyingly juicy and tender, with an extra crispy panko breadcrumb crust and a side of shredded red cabbage.
The Australian M8 Wagyu Sirloin Steak (218rmb) is done sukiyaki-style. “Sukiyaki is maybe one of the most famous Japanese dishes,” Chef Yonezawa says, “We cook it with thinly sliced wagyu with a horseradish dashi glaze. For the sukiyaki, we make a tower – and underneath we grill onion and tomato, and drizzle a little sukiyaki sauce and black truffle, with a soft-poached egg together. The soy sauce, the wagyu fat and tenderness, combined with an egg
is a very good combination. It’s one of our signature dishes and one of our bestsellers at this restaurant so far.”
For desserts to finish off your gastronomic journey, try the Hojicha Chocolate Terrine (98rmb), a playfully conceived confection that intentionally (or unintentionally?) resembles a burger. A dark chocolate terrine, it is topped with cubes of mango, a layer of gelatinous mango jelly, shaved coconut ice, and is paired with a scoop of ice cream.
Or try a slice of the Matcha Tiramisu (88rmb), made with matcha tea-soaked ladyfingers, matcha custard, and mascarpone with a liberal dusting of matcha powder on top.
YONE is open every day 11:30am - 12am, and is located on the 27th floor of the historic Shanghai EDITION Hotel in the former location of Hiya. To make reservations, call (86 21) 5368 9531.
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