Get ready for a treat at this new spot in Kukatpally that serves delicious pan-Asian fare

Theme-based restaurants and eateries have been a rage in Hyderabad for years now, offering something unique to food lovers. With meticulously crafted experiences that go beyond just good food, eateries now take us on a sensory journey to practically anywhere in the world.

This week, we travelled straight to the Manga universe in Japan, at YouMee’s first outlet in Hyderabad at Nexus Mall. With walls plastered in mesmerising Manga comics right from the entrance, the spot had us hooked as we admired the artwork placed all around the eatery. The ambience was done up in contemporary Asian style, with black rattan chairs to go with the comics, and pretty red lanterns adding a touch of tradition.

The beverage menu spanned across an extensive selection of hot chocolate, milkshakes, cold pressed fruit juices and mocktails. We started with the zingy Asian Swirl — an orange based drink with kaffir lime and Japanese citrus. Garnished with a slice of orange sprinkled with brown sugar, the mocktail was a refreshing beginning to our pan-Asian sojourn. From Sushis, we tried the Yasai tempura roll and Spicy chicken katsu. While vegetarian appetisers typically pale in comparison to their meat based counterparts, the Yasai tempura roll surprised us with its crispy tempura fried vegetables, topped with tank flakes and spicy mayo.

From the wide selection of dumplings that featured New York cheese, Edamame truffle oil, Pot stickers and several other exotic variants, the Crunchy chicken dumpling stood out. Topped with chilli oil and spring onions, the dumplings had the perfect balance with umami flavoured fillings, and chilli oil.

While we spotted a bright neon sign that read ‘Hopelessly RamenTic’ with comics of an adorable couple enjoying a bowl of hot Ramen together, the YouMee signature ramen was brought in. Topped with Grilled chicken, prawn, calamari, wkame, Bamboo shoots and Egg, the piping hot bowl with a delicious miso ginger flavoured broth was perfect in the thunderously rainy weather. The Hibachi fried rice tossed with veggies, soy and butter was another dish we couldn’t get enough of.

“We are excited to bring the YouMee experience to Hyderabad. Our team has put a lot of effort into crafting a menu that caters to a wide range of tastes and preferences,” says Rohit Aggarwal, co-founder and managing director of Lite Bite Foods.

For dessert, we tried the Dorayaki pancakes, filled with cream cheese, caramel, topped with crushed peanuts and chocolate that was just sweet enough to satisfy our cravings.

Rs 2,000 for two. At Kukatpally.