Note: YŪGŌ is permanently closed.
Location: 9.2
On Jackson Avenue just off the square in Oxford, Yugo’s location is hard to beat. Step inside and you could be in a hip west-coast fusion place; step outside and you can only be on the Square in Oxford, Mississippi. Street parking a block and a half away was available on a weeknight. Weekends when the students are in town, especially fall game-day weekends, will be predictably packed, but an Uber should be able to drop you off very close.
Atmosphere: 8.1
The interior is modern, heavy on smooth white surfaces, with some indirect blue lighting often found in Asian fusion places. All in all, it feels like something you’d find in a much bigger city, and would be perfectly at home in Manhattan or Malibu. The music is kept at a civilized level while still keeping the place feeling lively.
Food: 8.7
There’s obviously some serious skill at work in the kitchen. The worst thing we ate was still head-and-shoulders above most food being served in restaurants in this price range. It seemed like every dish they brought out was better than the previous one.
The star of the show was the Glazed Pork Belly. It was melt-in-your-mouth tender, and the slightly salty glaze was perfect, bringing out and complimenting the flavor of the pork, without overpowering it or becoming cloying. Our group ordered a second bowl and could have easily eaten a third. A strong second was the Tempura Fried Okra, which managed simultaneously to evoke both a country-fried vegetal taste we love so much about okra, and something that was more exotic — a mix of Asian, African, and Caribbean, maybe — that was light while retaining okra’s earthy complexity.
While the server struggled to explain what was in the “Umami Dip,” we thought it was great. We detected a hint of tahini, but the dip was only slightly reminiscent of hummus. It was creamy, tangy, and frankly addictive. We ordered a second bowl.
The Pork Dumplings were gyoza-style and very good, noticeably meatier than the typical dumplings one usually gets at Asian restaurants. The Smoked Spare Ribs and the House Sliders were both excellent. Even the fries were among the best we’ve ever had. We also tried the Mushroom, Leek, and Goat Cheese Wontons, which we demolished (we ordered two plates of these as well). Kudos to the chef for thinking outside the box on this one. They were very good, but would benefit from a lighter touch on the tarragon.
Bringing up the rear — but again, well above average — were the Brisket Baos and the Coconut Shrimp. The Bao buns were soft and pillowy, and the sandwiches were obviously assembled with skill, but the brisket, while good, we think could have been better. We weren’t sure if the coconut shrimp were homemade or pre-fab, but they were tasty, whoever made them. Warning: They are served nuclear-hot. Let them sit a few minutes before you dig in.
Tip: Request a few pair of chopsticks. Most of the small plates lend themselves to sharing, and being able to pluck something off a plate without using your hands, stabbing it with a fork, or balancing it on a spoon makes for a neater and more sanitary experience.
There’s a small but thoughtful wines-by-the-glass menu that offers something for every palette and budget, and for every type of dish. The full by-the-bottle list is quite impressive, enough so that it won a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. While the list features a fair number of bottles in the $100+ range, there’s a generous number of solid picks in the $25-$40 range, so you can have some fun and explore some interesting labels without breaking the bank. This is because Yugo’s markup appears to be a tad over 2x retail, which is the sign of a place that loves and respects wine, and wants you to be able to enjoy plenty of it. They’re to be commended for this decision. It means they’re confident in the quality of their food and know they’ll sell plenty of it, and won’t have to rely on outrageous markups on wine to be profitable.
Service: 8.5
Our server was a student with a great attitude and a friendly demeanor. He made easy conversation without being intrusive, and was there whenever we needed him without seeming to hover over us. The assistance he got from a couple of other servers led us to believe that the rest of the staff was equally skilled.
Overall: 8.6
We wish there were a lot more restaurants doing what Yugo does, or at least doing their thing as well as Yugo does theirs. Yugo is punching well above its weight.
Update February 29, 2024
Alas, Yugo is now closed. Rumor is that Tico’s of Jackson is moving in. Our recent visit to Yugo’s sister restaurant, The Sipp on Lamar, exposed a number of weaknesses in dish preparation, and makes us wonder what the future holds for it.