Yi on Edward

PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
Yi on Edward has a surprisingly warm feel and is located close to the botanical gardens and just a step away from the busier end of Edward Street. Yi attracts a substantial morning and lunch-time clientele as these are generally the busier times of day for this part of town. Stepping inside one can't help but notice the slight retail feel about the restaurant. Gifts and wares adorn the walls at Yi and add a certain ambience to the comfortable surrounds. During my visit I couldn't help but notice many customers were on a first name basis with the owner, Vivienne. This says much about the restaurant in terms of its happy, return customers.

The menu is comprised of a breakfast menu with all the trappings, including one of my favourites, pancakes with maple syrup accompanied with bacon and fried eggs. The lunch-time menu is geared towards the substantial corporate customer base and has an attractive amount of diversity. The chef’s recommendation here is the tiger prawns and king snapper risotto, who pan-sears the seafood with lemon and thyme and serves it on a bed of creamy white wine risotto. Another pick of the crop is the hot ocean feast comprised of grilled snapper, grilled Cajun prawns, crab claws, salt and pepper calamari and other seafood bites, all served with a crisp salad and warm Italian bread. The dinner menu is somewhat smaller with some dishes very similar to the lunch menu. Tapas is also available for those wishing to sample a range of flavours.

Ben Upton