Editor’s note: Eating out in Ukraine is a gamble. To bring you honest food reviews, Kyiv Post writers go to restaurants unannounced, pay for their own meals and never accept favors from restaurateurs.
It’s probably easier to find a sushi restaurant in Kyiv than a venue serving Ukrainian borscht.
With hundreds of them spread out across the city, Ukrainians have developed a taste for Japanese food.
Yellow Sea restaurant stands out from the rest with its quality service and attention to detail.
There are two restaurants in the family: one in a nice residential neighborhood (Obolon) and the other not far from the Bessarabsky market in the center of town.
Both serve Japanese, Chinese and Korean dishes.
The Kyiv Post craved sushi both times we visited the restaurants, so we won’t mention spring rolls, even though they were on the menu.
The Obolon venue one Sunday afternoon was busy with families. Children felt pretty comfortable roaming the second floor studying bamboo plants.
It was nice to see a large non-smoking hall with big windows used by families for a change.
There were still plenty of child-free seats on the first floor that we occupied, eating bowls of Miso soup for Hr 18.
Natural interiors in the Yellow Sea restaurants make for a good break from often opulent decors in many Kyiv joints. (Olexiy Boyko)
Ambience in the central Yellow Sea was good in a different way.
Catering to business people at lunch and after work, the waiters’ knowledgeable and non-intrusive service is impressive.
We started with salmon Carpaccio for Hr 52 and seaweed salad for Hr 45. Fresh salmon was still served with a bit of icy frost on it, but in five minutes it was ready to eat.
The menu description of the seaweed mentioned a celery stick served on the side.
Allergic to even the slightest smell of celery, I begged a waitress to leave it out but was sure she would forget.
After all bad experiences with Ukrainian restaurants which often refuse tailoring orders, I was surprised to find a plate with not a hint of that pungent vegetable.
The main course was just as delightful. Golden Dragon roll with smoked eel, omelet, tobiko (flying fish roe) and cucumber for Hr 60 contained a generous serving of eel.
With eight pieces, it’s probably enough for a light dinner. But we opted for the house specialty as well – the Yellow Sea roll with salmon and cucumber.
The menu description claimed it was an ancient Japanese recipe. Unexpectedly, the five-piece roll for Hr 68 had parsley lurking inside.
I forked it all out as I think it works better with Ukrainian dishes than Japanese.
For a bit of summer on a chilly Friday evening, we ordered green tea with apple flavor.
Those who like their hot drinks straight, beware that a teapot comes already sweetened with honey.
Overall, the food was incredibly fresh and served promptly. The restaurant is proud of its Hong Kong and London-trained chef, Aleksey Arbuzov.
The decor’s emphasis on earthy colors with plenty of green plants, wooden ceilings and stone-like floors helps to relax and unwind.
Given the usual standard of Kyiv’s restaurant bathrooms, it’s important to mention that in Yellow Sea they are spotless clean and play sounds of nature as background music.
The restaurant clearly takes its details pretty seriously.
For details:www.zheltoemore.com
8 Geroyiv Stalingrada Pr-kt., 224-5820
22A Shota Rustaveli St., 235-6101
Kyiv Post Lifestyle Editor Yuliya Popova can be reached at [email protected].
