There's nothing subtle about Yügen nor is there meant to be. From the moment a meticulously groomed greeter ushers you into a glass-walled elevator that drops into the highceilinged, stone-walled, dramatically lit basement - a cross between a Bond villain's lair, MONA-style art gallery and Eurotrash nightclub there's no avoiding the ambition.
Perhaps it's the DJ. Or the birdcage like "private" room suspended over the main dining area. Or the menu stacked with 9-score wagyu, Southern Rock lobster and top-grade sashimi.
It's deliberately, luxuriously over the top, saved from toppling into parody by some key points: a genuine sense of fun, pitch-perfect service and some excellent flavours on a menu that unapologetically cherry picks influences from Japan, China, Malaysia and Vietnam.
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