Yingtao

“Back at YingTao for the third time. The first two visits, we tried the 7-course tasting menu, which was a great value. This time, we ordered a few à la carte dishes at the bar. Both had great flavor with Chinese-inspired touches. Nice music and atmosphere — good for a casual bar seat or a group dinner. The drink menu is interesting too, with plenty of cocktails, small-producer wines, and some higher-end bottles.”

“YingTao stands out as one of the very few true reference points for Chinese fine dining in New York. That is not only because of the Michelin star, but because of the philosophy behind the restaurant and the clarity of the project itself. After speaking with Chef Emily Yuen and with the owner, it became even more evident that this is a restaurant built around a serious idea: expressing Chinese cuisine through a refined, modern fine dining format without losing its identity. I went in with very high expectations, and I can honestly say the overall experience fully met them. From a food perspective, the tasting menu was thoughtfully constructed and very coherent from start to finish. The fluke was a refreshing and elegant opening, the right way to begin the meal. The egg custard, to which I added the caviar supplement, was one of the strongest dishes of the evening: deeply umami, layered in texture, and superb in flavor, with different elements in the bowl creating constantly changing and satisfying bites. The wonton was probably the most comfort-driven course, and one of the clearest links to classic Chinese flavors: the filling was excellent, and the superior stock was beautifully made without overpowering the dumpling itself. My personal highlight of the evening was the black cod. This was the dish that impressed me the most, both conceptually and technically. The aged vinegar gastrique brought in a French technique, but the overall result still felt deeply connected to the restaurant’s Chinese identity. The use of the spring roll soufflé, fried to create an incredibly crisp shell around the fish, made it the most memorable course of the meal for me. The short rib was also a very solid and well-executed dish, although I did notice a slight temperature gap between the beef and the hand-cut noodles, which made that course just a little less satisfying than it could have been. The strawberry pre-dessert was refreshing and did exactly what it needed to do, while the nian gao was a very interesting final course: a dessert with real cultural meaning, explained to me in connection with Lunar New Year, and a strong closing dish precisely because it did not feel like a conventional European fine dining dessert. The service was informal, but very effective. It is definitely not the kind of fine dining service you would expect in a classic European setting, and it is less formal and a little more detached in the right sense of the word. Still, everything worked very well. The staff were courteous, attentive, and clearly willing to engage when they sensed genuine interest from the guest. I also appreciated the personalized “Welcome Pierluigi” card at the table, which is a small touch but one that makes a real difference. The atmosphere is also very strong. The room is elegant and well designed, with a slightly darker tone in the back that gives the space a softer feeling. One of the best features is the open kitchen and the counter seating facing the chefs. Being able to watch the team work, and to see Chef Emily Yuen plating, added a lot to the experience for me personally. If you are fascinated by technique and by the rhythm of a serious kitchen, that part alone makes the visit worthwhile. Overall, on my personal scale, YingTao gets a very strong 9.25/10. I am comfortable being generous with that score because I am fully aware of how unique this restaurant is. In my view, it is one of the true benchmarks for Chinese fine dining in New York: ambitious, refined, thoughtful, and most importantly, deeply rooted in a real culinary identity.”

“Yingtao continues to be the crown jewel of Chinese fine dining in NYC. The new menu by Chef Emily Yuen is phenomenal. Each dish in the Tasting Menu was thoughtfully balanced. The Black Cod with fermented bean and pickled greens was a masterclass in texture and savory depth. I also loved the Plum Duck—the kumquat and red dates added a refreshing sweetness that rounded out the dish perfectly. For dessert, the Nian Gao with walnut and lime was a creative and delightful ending. If you are looking for an elevated take on traditional flavors, this is the place. The optional wine pairing ($100) was also very well-curated and enhanced the meal significantly. Truly a 1-star experience that lives up to the hype!”

“From the moment I walked into Yingtao, I knew this experience was going to be special. I loved being greeted by the entire staff when I entered, and the service and hospitality were genuinely some of the best I have experienced anywhere in the city. I came in feeling curious and a little unsure of what to expect, but I have been wanting to try Yingtao for a while and I am so glad I finally did. Every single dish was thoughtfully curated with unique flavors that paired and blended together beautifully. The progression of the courses was incredible. Each dish somehow got better than the last, which I honestly did not think was possible. Every course had me finishing the plate completely, which says everything about how good the food was. The atmosphere truly sets the tone for the entire experience. It is moody, cozy, and effortlessly cool, perfectly preparing you for the incredible flavors to come. Watching the chefs work in the open kitchen was also a highlight. It was calm, precise, and impressively quiet, unlike other open kitchens I have experienced. You could hardly hear anything, and it was clear the team was working in perfect sync to have dishes come out smoothly and on time. We opted for the non-alcoholic pairing with the courses and were completely blown away. You can tell an incredible amount of thought and energy went into crafting those drinks. Each one was carefully designed to balance and complement the dish it was paired with, which elevated the entire meal. I was also told that the menu changes quite frequently, which makes me even more excited to come back and try their other creations. The bar area looks amazing as well, and they mentioned you can order some of the same dishes à la carte there. I will definitely be back for a more casual night out with drinks. I completely understand how Yingtao earned its Michelin star in 2024. This place is absolutely worth experiencing, and I highly recommend it. Do not hesitate to book. It will be well worth it.”

“Overall we enjoyed the meal, the service was great, but a couple dishes were found wanting for us to think it was a five star experience given the price tag. First the good: our favorites were the plum duck and niao gao (rice cake dessert). Each was an excellent combination of interesting flavors and textures that is pure delight for the tongue. These are dishes that I will certainly think about for a long time. Hamachi, wonton, and the strawberry dessert were all good too but did not stand out as these two dishes did. Now the not so good. Lo Mai Gai was a dish that had a lot of potential but sadly fell short; I really liked the creative spin on lo mai gai -- instead of wrapping chicken in rice, they chose to wrap rice in chicken. However, the chicken came out too salty, and there was not enough rice to balance it. It could've been really good if the chef had gotten the seasoning right! Black Cod was disappointing in a similar way. The cod itself was done very well, but it was sitting on some sauce that was way too sweet and savory that the sauce overpowered the fish and reminded me of cheap Chinese takeout. On top of that, the cod came in a spring roll shell which was interesting to look at, but neither its taste nor texture meshed well with the cod; fundamentally it just didn't feel like an integral part of the fish. Final comment is that while I can see the Chinese inspiration for many of these dishes, this should really be billed as a fusion restaurant. For us this was not a problem, but I can see some might be disappointed if they came here with the expectation for Chinese cuisine.”