Chicago YooYee — Got the Order Right This Time

YooYee got a lot of good buzz right after opening. But my first visit was underwhelming — all I remember is mapo tofu not numbing or fragrant enough, Sichuan peppercorn beef tongue not spicy enough, and small portions. Sweet Duck was well-reviewed but just not my taste. Overall, disappointing. A Chongqing friend kept recommending it, so half a year later, I gave it another shot. This time? Worthy of a recommendation post. 🥘 Dry Pot Double Crisp Must-order according to my Chongqing friend — and wow, incredibly good! Brought to the table sizzling hot, stir-fried at high heat. “Double crisp” = pork aorta + kidney. The scored aorta was perfectly crunchy and flavorful. Haven’t had kidney this tender and spicy-numbing in a long time — close to what you’d get in China. Slight hint of gaminess, but didn’t ruin the dish. Surprise side: crunchy lotus root strips! And the Sichuan peppercorns here are legit numbing — accidentally bite into one and you’ll need water to recover. Spot on. 🐟 Boiled Fish in Chili Oil Worth the +$5 upgrade! Tender fish fillets, perfectly seasoned — but the real star? The fish bones are fried first, slightly crispy, soaked in the broth — so satisfying to nibble on. There’s even a faint sweetness in the spicy-numbing broth? I personally loved it. Vermicelli and bean sprouts soaked up all the flavor — polished off the whole bowl. 🍖 Braised Pork Belly Small chunks of pork belly, alternating fatty and lean, paired with fried quail eggs — nice touch. Not my personal ideal style (I prefer big, firm, Q-bouncy chunks), but after two spicy dishes, this sweet-forward option was a welcome palate break. Optional recommendation. 🥬 Stir-fried cabbage — recommended. Farmhouse-style scrambled eggs — underwhelming, skip. ⏳ Wait times at YooYee are no joke — we waited nearly an hour. Kill time by strolling nearby and grabbing egg tarts or pineapple buns at Chiu Quon. Any other must-order dishes I should try next time? #ChicagoEats #ChicagoFoodie #ChicagoRestaurants 🥢