After a concert in Virginia with a bunch of friends, we decided to take them and Samuel to a new spot near Courthouse called YAKU that opened late last year (http://www.latinconcepts.com/yaku). While the address is 2001 N. 15th St, beware that the entrance is on Clarendon Blvd. at the corner of Scott and 16th Streets. It is a simple space and has friendly warm service with a menu that tends to lean Asian with some Latin infusion. Yaku is from the Incan Quechua language and means water.
The wines are nice and we chose a FOLIE A DUEX SAUVIGNON BLANC 2006 with mild citrus flavors and a RAVENSWOOD 2006 LODI ZIN from Sonoma both of which were strong enough to stand up to the spices in the dishes as well as to blend with the milder dishes.
Samuel chose the main course of Sauteed NOODLES with CHICKEN, Onion, Snow Peas, Peppers and Sprouts which he immediately declared as "Yummy in my tummy." Samuel also reported back on the facilities (I never managed to check them out) saying that he loved the way the sink glowed green!
We ordered a large variety of dishes (we were 8 people) from the least impressive LEMON GRASS CHICKEN SKEWERS marinated in curry-coconut milk and served with a mange-jalapeno sauce that just did not cover the dried out texture of the meat. There was no dish that one could call small, so any choice would easily fill you up from the tasty DUCK ROLL which is really a crepe to the huge portion of filling (stir-fried carrots, onion, mushroom, cellophane noodles and choice of meat or tofu) that comes with the LETTUCE WRAPS (move over PF CHANGS!). The STUFFED YUCCA CROQUETTES and three large cheese filled and oh so creamy rich gems with a superb and slightly spicy HUANCAYNA Sauce(?). The CEVICHE CALIENTE is an odd dish in that it is not really ceviche. It is in reality small cubes of MAHI-MAHI flash fried and served with AJI PEPPERS, CILANTRO, topped with SALSA CRIOLLA (a bit spicy) in a large WONTON CUP. It was tasty and I loved the spicy salsa, but it needs a different name (our server was very clear that it was NOT ceviche).
Our server steered us away from the SECO de CANE, a Peruvian stew which she said was way too cilantro intense and suggested the ASIAN BEEF SHORT RIBS as the number one beef dish. This was not a large portion, but the 48-hour marinated and cooked in Chinese BBQ sauce with a superb and large side of STIR-FRY VEGGIES and White Rice was quite tasty.
The AJI di GALLINA was a pulled chicken served in a very rich AJI AMARILLO CREAM over POTATOES with Parmesan Cheese. This dish is indeed so rich, it is better shared by 2 or 3 people (all the dishes do indeed share easily). Similarly the AJI DE CAMARONES are large tasty shrimp in the same sauce with a hint of cilantro as well.
The table gets four sauces at the start of the meal and when we asked the guy who brought them what they were, he kind of pointed to the waitress. Will said he was too pretty to explain! We tasted and sprang back from the super-spicy SIRACHA paste that was indeed nothing but the hot chiles.The others were simple soy, hoisin (plum) and a sweet and sour style.
Sam loved the PAPAYA and COCONUT Gelatos and we all went home quite happy to know that there is a new Asian fun spot not too far away (just 3 minutes from Key Bridge!).
