Michelin-starred Chinese fine dining with French influences, offering elegant and ambitious reinterpretations of classic dishes.
Will Hartman reviews Yingtao, a Hell's Kitchen tasting menu restaurant offering a dramatic blend of Chinese and French cuisine, perfect for special occasions.
Yingtao presents a stylish and ambitious reinterpretation of Chinese cuisine through a Western fine-dining lens, earning a Michelin star for its elegant dishes and meticulous plating. Chef Jakub Baster masterfully blends Chinese ingredients with French techniques, creating a menu that feels both novel and comforting. While most feedback is positive, highlighting unique offerings like a soy milk custard and duck with Peking influence, a few opinions suggest that some dishes can be bland or that the restaurant leans more towards Western fine dining than traditional Chinese.
Yingtao offers a fine dining experience with a creative interpretation of Chinese cuisine, blending it with French techniques. Recommended dishes include the unique soy milk custard and crab noodles, as well as a duck dish with Peking influence. However, some reviewers found the flavors dull or noted that certain dishes, like a steamed egg, were bland, and one opinion suggested a preference for other Chinese restaurants for a more traditional, elevated experience.
"Customers have enjoyed a duck dish with Peking influence, a silky soy milk custard, and crab noodles. A unique spicy chili oil ice cream cake was also highlighted as a memorable dessert."
Customers generally have a positive view of Yingtao, praising its upscale Chinese fine dining experience and unique flavor combinations, though some find certain dishes less successful or the overall experience leans more Western than traditional Chinese.
Important Note
Some diners perceive the restaurant's style as leaning more towards Western fine dining than traditional Chinese, and a few dishes have been noted as bland or heavy.
"This commenter recommended Yingtao as a good option for a special dinner."
Positive"This user suggests Yingtao as a one-star option worth stopping at."
Positive"This commenter found Ying Tao to be very solid and enjoyed it, contrasting it with The Musket Room which they found forgettable."
Positive"This user had a positive experience at Ying Tao, enjoying the service and a unique spicy chili oil ice cream cake, despite it being before its Michelin star. They found the environment more laid-back than other options."
Positive"This commenter states they have never been to Ying Tao."
Neutral"This user was unimpressed by Yingtao, finding it more of a Western-style fine dining experience. They recommend Tuome instead for fusion, or JuQi, Blue Willow, and Uluh for a more traditional but elevated experience."
Negative"The original poster acknowledged YingTao's photos looked very non-Chinese, agreeing with the previous comment's sentiment."
Neutral"This user found YingTao to have French influences rather than being purely upscale Chinese, with only a tofu dish being memorable. They shared this for a balanced perspective."
Negative"This user had a very satisfying experience at YingTao for their birthday."
Positive"YingTao is suggested as an obvious choice for upscale Chinese dining, noting its expensive tasting menu and unique positioning."
Neutral"The original poster is excited to try YingTao based on recommendations, noting it looks promising."
Positive"YingTao is seconded as a recommended restaurant."
Positive"YingTao is recommended as a fine dining option for special occasions."
Positive"This commenter likes Yingtao but feels it shares the same ambient considerations as Kochi, making it potentially less ideal for an engagement celebration despite its quality."
Positive"Yingtao is highlighted as a one-Michelin star Chinese fine dining restaurant in Hell's Kitchen and is considered one of the commenter's favorites."
Positive"The commenter suggests Yingtao as a recommendation that fits the budget, including taxes and tips."
Neutral"This restaurant is recommended for Chinese fine dining."
Positive"In response to the post detailing the $165 Yingtao x Kochi collaboration dinner hosted at Yingtao, this user stated that it looked worth the cost to them."
Positive"Commenting on the post about the Yingtao x Kochi collaboration dinner hosted at Yingtao, this user thought the described food and event looked good."
Positive"The author attended a $165 collaboration dinner hosted at Yingtao with Kochi. While the overall experience was good, and dishes like abalone and chicken were preferred, others like steamed egg (bland) and mandu (boring) were not, leading to uncertainty about the event's value for money."
Neutral
