Jane C.
Yelp
Fusion cuisine is always a hit or miss for me. Here, it's a bit of a miss. The concept is Asian tacos, burritos, rice bowls, and salads (with a few regional specials such as Nashville hot chicken). What seems to make it 'Asian' is the use of gochujang - a Korean fermented pepper paste - as the main sauce. I ordered three tacos - fried shrimp, fried fish, and the tofu - and found that it tasted exactly as I imagined, and not necessarily in the best way. The gochujang wasn't really a nuanced or complex addition to the taco experience. The one taco I enjoyed best was the tofu taco, with large cubes of otherwise undressed tofu. As a blander protein (and a more traditional Asian ingredient), it benefitted hugely from the gochujang drizzle, while the other fried proteins were well-prepared yet somewhat incongruously matched with the fermented spice flavor. I found myself frequently wondering if I wouldn't have liked it better with a salsa or hot sauce.
Another miss were the sesame fries. The fries are hot and beautifully crisped, but ruined by the unusual dressing of sesame oil, gochugaru (pepper) flakes, and an inescapable sprinkling of sugar. Yes, sugar. I'm a big naysayer when it comes to sweet flavors creeping into savory foods, and this felt like a case in point. If there had been a choice to have an undressed order of fries, I would've chosen it in an instant because they were otherwise well prepared.
All that said, they hit a home run with the Nashville hot chicken taco. I don't eat meat so I can't speak to these, but my typically un-opinionated husband absolutely raved about the flavor and texture of these.
Yumbii has a few good things going for it. The staff is warm and welcoming, greeting you as soon as you walk in. We appreciatively noticed our server taking the time to bus orders and take empty plates (even though the model seems to be more self-service). The space is inviting as well, with bright lights and plenty of seating. If lines ever get busy, they also offer a choice of order placement - either with a tablet or with a traditional server.