I tried YO! Sushi’s new Christmas menu — it was unlike anything I’ve eaten

You’d think by this point I would be all Christmas-ed out, but you’d be wrong. Despite the plethora of pigs in blankets, smoked salmon, roasties and sweet treats I’ve tried, there’s always room for more… especially when the food is a little out of the ordinary.

Have you ever tried Christmas dinner sushi? No? Well, now you can. YO! – known to many of us as YO! Sushi – gave me the chance to try its upcoming Christmas menu, and boy, was it totally unexpected. 

Of course a Christmas roast is on the menu, but it’s so far beyond the realm of tradition that you either think it’s barmy or completely genius. There are seven items on its menu this year, with two dishes competing for centre stage. 

First there’s the Xmas Tempura Wrap (£6.95), which raised eyebrows as soon as I saw it on the list. Christmas dinner in a sushi roll? Is it hot? Is it cold? 

Well, the answer is hot. The Xmas Tempura Wrap is unlike any sushi roll I’ve eaten before. Encased in crumbly sushi rice and seaweed hides cranberry teriyaki charsu chicken, a whole pig in blanket, pickled red onion, sautéed garlic Brussels sprouts, all topped with mayo-soaked red cabbage, deep-fried in a light, crispy, crunchy tempura batter. It resembles more of a burrito than a delicate sushi roll. 

However, that’s not all. The wrap is served with an entire bowl of gravy to dip at your pleasure. It reminds me of when battered Mars bars completely baffled the nation.

I can guarantee that you’ve never eaten a Christmas dinner or sushi like this. However, don’t expect the familiar nostalgic flavours of a roast, but an Asian spin on the British classic. 

I’ve never tasted a roast like it. The cranberry teriyaki glaze is sticky and sweet, while the picked red onion cuts through with a hint of sourness. 

With a plethora of flavours hidden inside the roll, I had reservations over whether the gravy was needed. The gravy is always needed.

Personally, I think the wrap also works well dipped into the katsu sauce which is offered with The JFC (£13.95). The pig in blanket inside is like wrapping a present on Christmas day. 

The Pigs in Blankets (£7.95)  are also served in the same cranberry teriyaki glaze as the wrap’s chicken. They’re unbelievably sticky and sweet without being too sickly. 

There’s a trend of brands and supermarkets trying to shake up the humble pig in blanket, and for a Japanese restaurant, this is an inoffensive choice. You don’t want to lose the essence of a Christmas classic while trying to make it different enough to stand out. 

Personally, I think the battle between the Xmas Tempura Wrap and The JFC will be a big one this year. If you’re unfamiliar, it’s a Christmas tradition in Japan to eat KFC. 

It began as a marketing campaign by the fast-food chain back in the 1970s and it’s stuck. YO! has its very own take on it, to be enjoyed by one or shared. 

Inside the kitsch bucket you get crispy chicken tenders, corn ribs, fries, pigs in blankets and Christmas slaw, along with choice of either a bowl of gravy or katsu sauce. Yes this may be the norm for the Japanese at Christmas, but it’s great to see the option over here too. 

There’s something interactive and entertaining about The JFC. Not only are the chicken tenders incredibly crunchy on the outside, but the chicken is unbelievably juicy. Very different from dry turkey you can sometimes get at the dinner table.

Somehow YO! has managed to recreate chips that taste almost identical to the ones from McDonalds. Chips in katsu sauce? A winner.

The dish also comes with Miso Corn Ribs (£3.95), which is also served as a standalone dish too. Corn ribs really took off over the past few years as an innovative way to serve your veggies. If you love corn on the cob, you’ll love corn ribs. Just beware you might get the kernels stuck in your teeth.

The miso mayo makes the corn oh-so moreish, and reminds me of the Mexican elotes which is grilled, served with mayo and salty Cotija cheese. Clearly, corn isn’t just meant to be boiled. 

Christmas dinner wouldn’t be the same without a mince pie. But again, this isn’t your traditional mince pie. 

Instead, you’ll find mince pies transformed into a Japanese cream puff (£5.50) – not unlike a Yorkshire pudding – with white chocolate cream, mincemeat custard, and a dusting of cinnamon icing. It’s not overly sweet, but you need to be prepared for the burst of cream. 

Christmas is a time that’s full of nostalgia, with the familiar flavours we’ve all been used to, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t space to try something outside of the box. I love Japanese food and it’s wonderful to see how different cultures, countries and cuisines celebrate the big day. 

I’ll never get tired of a Christmas roast, but if a restaurant or supermarket is serving something a little quirky, I’ll never sneer at it. Christmas dinner in a sushi roll? I’m sold.

YO!’s Christmas Menu

Xmas Tempura Wrap – £6.95 – Tempura fried sushi roll filled with cranberry teriyaki charsu chicken, pigs in blankets, pickled red onion, sautéed garlic Brussels sprouts, carrot, and mayo-dressed red cabbageThe JFC – £13.95 – YO!’s take on a Japanese favourite. A festive feast of chicken tenders, corn ribs, fries, pigs in blankets and Christmas slawMince Pie Cream Puff – £5.50 – Choux bun filled with white chocolate cream and mincemeat custard, dusted with cinnamon icing Miso Corn Ribs – £3.95 – Charred corn ribs drizzled with miso mayo and a sprinkle of chilli powderPigs in Blankets – £7.95 – Bacon-wrapped sausages glazed in a cranberry teriyaki sauce, served with miso mayoBoba Bellini – £6.95 – Prosecco cocktail with strawberry purée and strawberry boba, finished with a raspberry sugar rimChristmas Tree Platter – £24.95 -4pc YO! Roll, 4pc Crunchy Cali Roll, 4pc Dynamite Salmon Roll, 4pc Cucumber Maki, 6pc Salmon Maki, 4pc Salmon Nigiri, and 2pc Tuna Nigiri packaged in a festive Christmas Tree

The YO! Christmas menu officially launches on Tuesday, November 11 in restaurants nationwide.