Across from McCarren Park on a tree-lined Brooklyn street, Chef Yuu Shimano is opening Restaurant Yuu, his first restaurant provoking a unique culinary experience that reflects his French training and his Japanese heritage.
Chef Yuu trained at Tsuji Culinary Institute in both Osaka, Japan, and Lyon, France graduating in 2002.
He spent the first 12 years of his career in France, beginning at two-Michelin-starred La Villa des Lys at the Hotel Majestic in Cannes before becoming the Chef de Partie of Meats and Sauces at three-Michelin-starred Restaurant Guy Savoy in Paris.
In 2017, he was tapped by Tokyo Restaurant Factory to open MIFUNE New York where he served as Executive Chef for five years and garnered a Michelin plate.
Taking the best from his work in France and New York, Chef Yuu has created an elegant French 18-course omakase menu with Japanese undertones.
He has selected an all-star team, Chef de Cuisine Shuji Furukawa (previously Executive Chef of The Gallery by Odo), Pastry Chef Masaki Takahashi (two-Michelin-starred Narisawa in Tokyo), and Sommelier Akio Matsumoto (Michelin-starred Torien, three-Michelin-starred L’Effervescence in Tokyo).
Guests are seated at a beautiful black marble L-shaped chef’s tasting counter and the experience begins with a custom Arita plate designed by Chef Yuu depicting Manhattan and Brooklyn, with Restaurant Yuu’s logo marking the restaurant’s location.
Every course is served on a different plate, each sourced from Japanese designers such as Arita Plus pottery, Japan’s storied Koransha porcelain, and lipped bowls from Aya Morishita Woodwork, accented by steak knives inspired by Japanese swords from Tojiro Wakisahi and other artisanal flatware as well as Kimura glassware from Tokyo.
Just beyond the counter is a grand open kitchen outfitted with top-of-the-line equipment: a custom-made Molteni oven, a binchotan charcoal grill, a pastry station with a pie maker, and baking ovens where Chef Yuu finishes his signature Duck Pie.
It serves as a stage for Chef Yuu as he connects with each diner, showing off his gregarious, witty personality and giving them a glimpse into his culinary mind.
Omakase by Chef Yuu and Chef Shuji begins with an amuse bouche of Trout, a smoked trout tartlet with fennel cream, finished with smoked trout roe.
Each dish is better than the last, with some highlights: A5 Wagyu Sea Urchin, wagyu is seared on the binchotan to give it a smokey flavor and aroma, served over uni rice and topped with uni and sancho sauce then garnished with chrysanthemum tempura; Vichyssoise soymilk vichyssoise with beef consommé gelee topped with uni served in a refrigerated glass; Ayu, a young Japanese ayu fish wrapped in a shiso leaf then fried, served with shutou sauce made of fermented bonito cooked in soy sauce, and egg yolk; Zuwai Crab, snow crab with tosazu gelee, and asparagus espuma; Eel Foie Gras, in sunchoke purée with daikon, sunchoke chips, and coffee powder; and Leek poireaux with balsamic-anchovy vinaigrette, topped with radish and cashews.
The final course is Chef Yuu’s signature Duck Pie, a house made pie filled with duck breast and duck thigh, spinach, and foie gras, served with a black pepper cognac and duck jus sauce.
Chef Masaki’s desserts follow: Strawberry, young wild strawberries sourced from Spain in a Ratalifa gelee with coconut ice cream; and Plum, a miniature soufflé served in a plum compote with house-made almond ice cream.
The elegantly designed interior by Blank Creations is well throughout with customer experience in mind. On either side of the entrance are two parlor areas with sofas, designer chairs, and beautiful coffee tables and sconce lighting where guests are escorted to lounge and complete the dining experience.
There they are served mignardise (Chocolate and Grand Marnier, caramel macarons, and kiwi tarragon pate de fruits) as Sommelier Akio Matsumoto provides personalized recommendations for digestifs based on the diners’ preference of a dry or sweet drink.
The Wine and Sake Program was curated by Sommelier Akio Matsumoto who drew from his background of serving as Head Sommelier at three-Michelin-starred L’Effervescence, one of Tokyo’s best French restaurants, to build a comprehensive French wine and Champagne program that fits cohesively with Chef Yuu’s background and the restaurant’s concept.
He has also crafted a selection of sakes to ensure that even the beverage program maintains a Japanese essence.
Along with selections of wines and sakes by the bottle and by the glass, Akio has created four beverage pairings for the menu: Wine and Sake, a premium “Noble” Wine and Sake, low-ABV, and non-alcoholic pairings.