Is there a more satisfying way to spend a couple of hours at table than a leisurely session of good dim sum? In years past, Tokyo has been poorly served in this department, at least when it comes to the classic, laid-back, yum cha (tea-drinking) Hong Kong approach. Thankfully, that deficiency is now being rectified in style at Yaumay.
This recent arrival in the upmarket Marunouchi business district is the first Tokyo outpost of London-based restaurateur Alan Yau. Still known as the man who launched the U.K. noodle chain Wagamama, he has long since moved into more sophisticated dining territory. And that is where Yaumay is firmly positioned.
Don't be put off by the loud black-on-orange wall that greets you once you've found your way inside the misleadingly named Nijubashi Square (there is no open area, it's just another building). Inside, the dining room is refreshingly calm, light and spacious, with plush seating, comfortably large tables and an unbroken view toward the gleaming open kitchen.