YumYum Bento — Restaurant in East Lansing

This place is fairly new on Grand River and I was craving some Asian food, so I wanted to give it a try. I ended up picking up takeout with a friend. I was slightly disappointed that they didn’t use less plastic in their packaging but, so goes the typical practice of the Asian takeout restaurant and a lot of Michigan restaurants in general. They have several ordering options, including Uber eats and DoorDash which was nice to see. We just walked in to place our orders. It was nice to see that they had a very inviting seating area. It felt very bright and open with cute Asian-themed decorations. The two ladies running the counter were kind and friendly, and we had no issues ordering and receiving our food. I ordered Takoyaki and Chicken Yakisoba Noodles. Whenever I see Takoyaki on the menu, I feel like it’s a must have. The best way to describe it is a deep fried ball of seafood mush topped with a super flavorful sauce and some flaky stuff. The Yakisoba noodles were on point and definitely a highlight to the meal. The noodles were sauced with a Japanese style subtle smoky bbq flavor that wasn’t overpowering. Tossed and fried with vegetables, eggs, and chicken, I felt like the dish could have had a bit more chicken in it but, definitely would not be a dealbreaker for coming back here again. Overall this place has a lot of Asian variety on their menu that makes it a very versatile Asian Fusion restaurant for a quick bite or full-on feast. I am excited to come back to dine-in and try their seafood pancake, kimchi fries,...

I understand that it is summer and the students are away, but HOW WERE THERE NOT MORE CUSTOMERS HERE WHEN WE WERE EATING DINNER?

This was our first time dining at YumYum Bento and we will certainly be back! As vegetarians who love Asian food, we are used to having a small selection of menu items to choose from, but here there were so many vegetarian and even vegan items on the menu that it was almost stressful to pick!

We split an order of spring rolls to start and they were FULL of flavor and not overly greasy. The best spring rolls I have had in a long time!

For dinner my husband ordered the vegetable bibimbap, which could only have been better had it come in a stone bowl. I had the Korean style stir-fry with tofu, which was so dark with peppers I was a little afraid of it, but it was DELICIOUS. It was definitely spicy, but not in a way that overwhelmed the other flavors. So tasty it actually made me enjoy zucchini!

I got a mango strawberry smoothie to go with dinner and it was excellent!

The restaurant is cute, clean, and cozy. Admittedly it wasn't busy at the time, but service was quick and attentive.

I have a whole list of other dishes I want to try, especially as we haven't ventured at all into the Japanese or Thai portions of...

Tasty food. Good flavor and well executed. Nice presentation in bentos. Does not disappoint.

-Tom yum soup packs a punch. -Chicken karaage well seasoned and comes with a creamy dip to complement. -Shrimp tempura crispy and not greasy. Quality taste and texture. -Kimchi sampler a nice variety and so good. Not always thee freshest but def passable. -Chicken katsu with moist chicken breast and balanced breading and fry. -Egg roll is OK, not good, not bad. -Kumquat lemon tea. Sweet and tart and fragrant. Yuzu-esque.

Exceptional: -Gamjatang (Spicy Pork Bone Soup). Very comforting with white rice. -Shrimp tempera udon soup. Delicate and beautiful. So simple but so right.

I’ve had many other menu items but don’t remember enough to comment further. In general their Korean is pretty good.

Parking in rear is available. Easy...