Oct 3, 2016
Chris Huang is an artist as much as a chef. And Yume Asian Bistro is as much art gallery as it is restaurant.
Huang doesn’t work in paint or clay, though. His medium is food. The dishes served at Yume, 4140 Veterans Memorial Drive, are as meticulously crafted as a still-life painting. And just as colorful.
Opened in 2014, Yume combines flavors from around southeast Asia with Chinese, Japanese and Thai dishes. If that sounds like an odd mix, consider that the average pizzeria thinks nothing of combining Italian, Greek and Mexican foods. There’s something for everyone.
The restaurant’s motif is perfectly summed up in its signature dish, the 3’s Taste Seafood. Not only does it feature three different seafoods, it fuses three techniques and distinct flavors into a visually and savory masterpiece.
The 3’s Taste Seafood teams scallop teriyaki, General Tso’s shrimp and ginger scallion lobster. By balancing the spicy heat of the shrimp with the salty component of the scallop and the sweetness of the lobster, the dish delivers on all tastes. “It’s very popular,” said Huang, adding that Yume will serve about 20 of the dishes in a week. “We put them together because they are three different flavors and three different styles.”
It is also visually stunning. At the center sits a carrot that has been intricately carved into a tropical fish. The scales, fins and mouth show surgical precision and require a close look to determine that it is not in fact a real fish. The entrée surrounds the colorful centerpiece with lemon slices and broccoli as garnishes.
According to Huang, who grew up in China and came to Batavia after living in New York City, the beautiful dish takes only 10 minutes to prepare.
The 3’s Taste Seafood sells for $25.95 and comes with miso soup or salad and white or brown rice.
By MATT KRUEGER, Batavia Daily News
