The Yori Korean restaurant location in Cambridge, England. The chain has a separate barbecue-focused location in the city as well. (Kyle Alvarez/Stars and Stripes)
Patronizing a wide variety of restaurants over the years has produced instances for me when middling food quality was overshadowed by stellar customer service and enjoyment of the ambience.
Sadly, I don’t count a recent family meal at Yori, a Korean restaurant in Cambridge, England, among them. Was the food good? Actually, yes. Very good, in fact.
But the visit I made there with my wife and two young kids on a recent busy Saturday afternoon was one of the least enjoyable experiences I’ve had at an eatery in my three years in England. The food ended up being the only saving grace.
Our initial impressions were positive. The restaurant was filled to the brim with customers, a good sign. A banner proclaiming the Yori chain’s 2023 recognition as Korean restaurant of the year seemed to further validate our choice.
The wife and I ordered a two-person platter of bulgogi beef, which was well-seasoned and tasty, with a sauce that was savory, slightly sweet and tangy. The sesame oil, garlic and ginger stood out.
A two-person beef bulgogi platter served Feb. 21 at the Cambridge location of Yori, a British chain of Korean eateries. It was well-seasoned and tasty, with a sauce that was savory, slightly sweet and tangy but at the same time slightly overcooked. (Kyle Alvarez/Stars and Stripes)
The sauce might have been slightly overcooked as it was seared into the meat. Past orders of bulgogi beef had been a bit juicier, but I still enjoyed the taste of Yori’s.
We also ordered a chicken platter for my son and daughter to share, three bowls of white rice and a corn cheese skillet, which all of us shared. This is where the downward spiral began.
Steam rises from a corn cheese appetizer Feb. 21 at Yori in Cambridge, England. Patrons order through a QR code at the table. (Kyle Alvarez/Stars and Stripes)
The servers never brought the chicken dish and the third bowl of rice. Also, nobody came to check on us, which could have been due in part to the fact that orders are placed with a QR code stamped onto the table.
A free appetizer at Yori in Cambridge, England. (Kyle Alvarez/Stars and Stripes)
But given that the servers have their load lightened by this setup, the customer service should have been better, one would think.
The horrendous service wasn’t limited to the four of us. A fellow customer seated before us at the table next to ours was still waiting for his entire order an hour later. We had finished our meal and paid for it by that time.
Before leaving, we commiserated with him. The young man was quite annoyed and rightfully so. I would have left but it seemed his appetite was winning the battle over his wallet.
Could the waitstaff at Yori just have been having a bad day? Possibly. However, if our experience is at all representative of how people are treated at the Cambridge location of Britain’s Korean restaurant of the year, then I can’t help but consider that honor meaningless.
Yori
Address: 35 St. Andrew’s St., Cambridge, England
Prices: Appetizers from 3 to 13 pounds; stir-fry dishes from 11.50 to 22.50 pounds; stews, rice and noodles from 3 to 14 pounds; barbecue selections from 11.50 to 70 pounds; drinks from 3 to 39.50 pounds
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 12-10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 12-10:30 p.m.; Sunday, 12-9 p.m.
Information: Phone: +44 1223 316886; Online: yoriuk.com
