cookingwiththehamster
- Jul 12, 2021

Ya Ho (CLOSED)

In 2017, not far from the Darsena, Ha Yò opened: a Chinese regional cuisine restaurant with frescoes on the wall where you can breathe a homely air.

A girl, quiet and kind, takes care of the room. The menu looks like a small book and each dish is accompanied by photos and handwritten descriptions: the dishes are specialties of Wuhan, Sichuan, Beijing, Fujian and Shandong - I don't understand the presence of takoyaki and curry rice, typically Japanese dishes.

The strong point of this restaurant are certainly the ravioli and noodles, all homemade, which is why I opt for the northern dumplings (steamed, stuffed with pork and Chinese cabbage served in meat broth), southern dumplings (grilled, stuffed with chicken, water chestnut, onion and Chinese mushrooms) and Guangzhou rice noodles (sautéed with beef and onions). All three dishes are very good and delicate, so don't expect strong or particularly spicy flavors. Be careful with noodles: eat them immediately as soon as they are served, cold they tend to "stick". Either way, they are very good and tasty.

Chinese chive flatbread is also delicious, the crunchy surface of which is really inviting.

Baozi, on the other hand, were with too little filling, with the defect of being too similar to bread.

The rest of the menu offers many other specialties, such as northern and southern rolls, yuwan (fish balls stuffed with pork) and various noodles. There is no shortage of Chinese grappa and desserts, obviously traditional: sweet bao, fried taro and sweet glutinous rice (similar to mochi, so to speak).

My opinion on Ya Hò is overall positive: an informal place where you can have a dinner with friends while drinking a fresh Chinese beer. The prices are very low, so if you are in the area and want to have a feast of traditional Chinese cuisine (I underline that some recipes are hard to find elsewhere) this is the right place.