Yuu Japanese Tapas

FOODIE FAMILY

Owner Julia Kubotani opened Yuu Japanese Tapas in 2010, the same year she had her first child. She comes from a long line of chefs, in Japan and Hong Kong, including her dad, uncle and brother-in-law. When her parents came to Canada in the early nineties, they opened the first restaurant in Richmond that served authentic Kyushu (a.k.a. tonkotsu) ramen. “People didn’t even know what ramen was back then,” says Kubotani. “Everyone thought ramen meant instant noodles.”

HOME OF THE ORIGINAL BEER RAMEN

In 2018, Yuu Japanese Tapas became Instafamous when its Beer Ramen went viral. The cold ramen, inspired by a sticky hot summer, was served in a frosty beer mug filled with dashi and a foamy head made from gelatin and broth.

Beer Ramen is still available at Yuu as a summer special. In winter, the restaurant swaps it out for Volcano Ramen, served in a sizzling stone bowl with hot broth poured over top and steamed through a funnel.

YOSHOKU CUISINE

In addition to gyoza and ramen, Yuu serves Western-influenced foods like hamburger patties in teriyaki sauce, cheesy corn and nori poutine. This fusion style of cooking is called yoshuku. It has a long history in Japan, going back to the late 19^th century, when isolationist policies were lifted and Western foods were promoted. The edible path to progress included red meat, which had been banned for 12 centuries.

Mukokuseki (no nationality) cuisine, is the more modern term for this common mishmash of cooking styles. Kubotani simply calls Yuu a Japanese family style restaurant. “We have so many different varieties of cooking. I couldn’t pinpoint one. We’re always innovating and experimenting and creating new dishes to cater to our younger clientele.”