ASHIMA YUNNAN
The Ardent Gourmet
Restaurant Review: Ashima Yunnan
“The violet blossoms bring transcendent flavor.”
October 19, 2018
Slices of lotus root, deep-fried until they’re crisp like potato chips, glazed in caramelized hardball syrup revved with capsicum, sprinkled with sesame seeds and violet blossoms, served in a martini glass. The violet blossoms bring transcendent flavor (unique in all your experience of Chinese food, worth a trip just for their sake alone).
Lotus chips in spicy, caramelized hardball syrup with sesame seeds and violet blossoms
Thin slices of pork belly in a spicy vinegar sauce with chopped scallion.
Pork belly in spicy sauce
Whole hydrated kernels of wheat tossed with ground pork for you to wrap in homemade wrappers (shar ping). The shar ping were a tad dry nor were they warmed. If only there were some hoisin available to smear.
Wheat kernels and pork
Fresh shar ping in which to wrap the wheat kernels and pork
Wild mushrooms fried with red and green peppers (expensive, but worth it).
Wild mushrooms with peppers
Decent pork dumplings.
Ashima Yunnan is not your typical Chinese restaurant. It serves food from Yunnan, with a heavy emphasis on wild mushrooms, noodles, and a number of dishes outside the familiar repertoire. Putting aside the lotus root which was amazing, everything you ate was tasty though far from stunning.
Apparently, it was ebb-tide for wild mushrooms when you visited. Since wild mushrooms are ephemeral and very seasonal, you have a sense that if you come at the right time there might be many more wonderful wild mushroom dishes to try.
The interior is sufficient. Service is poor. The place is packed for good reason. Go for the mushrooms. Go for the lotus chips with violet.
Rating (on a scale of 0 to 5)
Food: 3
Ambiance: 2
Service: 1
Overall Value: 3
ASHIMA YUNNAN
Shop No.005-006, G/F, Cityplaza II, 18 Taikoo Shing Road
+852 2560 9666