Yao Is A Yes!

Lunch with friends makes any meal better, but Yao doesn’t even need the help. Fans of the bustling Tum Pok Pok will love the upscale, refined Yao. Adidsara Weerasin and Taya Denmark opened Tum Pok Pok while waiting on the build-out for Yao and both are such gems. 

Yao offers lunch, dinner, and now a dim sum brunch. The multi-level interior is gorgeous and rich and the detail is matched in the menu. “YAO pays culinary homage to the vibrant Yaowarat neighborhood in Bangkok, an ancient Thai-Chinese community.”

Parking is located through the Hammond drive entrance of the parking garage and even though I knew this, I was still late to meet my friends. Luckily, they ordered dumplings and potstickers to get us started. Both were delicious, but the potstickers were pan-fried and perfectly crunchy. Plus, they are served with Thai Penang curry sauce which was AMAZING and the deciding factor in ordering anything with that sauce as an entree. 


We debated over the whole menu because everything sounded so good, but we ordered the Roasted Duck Noodles and Salmon Panang. The duck is served on egg noodles with cilantro and quail egg. The salmon was perfectly temped and placed on jasmine rice in Panang sauce and topped with fresh cucumber, tobiko, and coconut milk foam. 


The beer and wine selection are great but the cocktails are as tasty as they are beautiful. This tequila watermelon cocktail was perfection. 


Next time I go back, I’m eyeing the Yao’s duck salad with crispy duck, pomegranate seeds, roasted pine nuts, celery, micro rainbow mix tossed in hoisin vinaigrette. Also the Khoa Soi Gai. A “mouthwatering blend of soft and crispy noodles in a tasty curry broth combined with a tender chicken, lime, pickled green mustard, red onions, quail egg.” And, of course, the pork belly buns. Yao also has a very tasty-looking vegetarian menu.

Yao offers dine-in and takeout. It is perfect for a date night, lively brunch, or lunch with friends or co-workers. To say that I’m excited to have this restaurant in Dunwoody is such an understatement. 

237 Perimeter Center Pkwy NE,
Dunwoody, GA 30346 (Parking entrance on Hammond Drive). 
https://yaoatlanta.com/
Tuesday – Sunday 11:30AM–3PM, 5PM–10PM
Closed Monday

 

Lauren Townsend for The AHA Connection