Yono’s Restaurant, located at 25 Chapel Street inside the Hampton Inn & Suites, is Albany’s premiere restaurant for world class fine dining. Owned and operated by Proprietors Donna and Certified Executive Chef Yono Purnomo, the Purnomo’s are there nightly to ensure that you have a truly unique gastronomic experience. It has been a restaurant for memorable dining experiences since 1986.
The Purnomos’ and their restaurant are esteemed equally. Yono’s has been awarded some of the most highly regarded awards in the industry. In 2001, Yono’s Restaurant received the coveted Wine Spectator Award for Excellence in only it’s first year applying! In that same year Chef Yono Purnomo also received Sante Magazine’s award for “Cooking for Wine” for the second time in three years. Chef Yono is currently a member of scores of Professional and trade organizations. Chef Yono and Donna were awarded the New York State Restaurant Association Chapter’s inaugural “Restaurateur(s) of the Year” award in 1990. They were also awarded the inaugural “Community Service Award”, recognizing the Purnomos for their hard work and dedication in helping to serve well over One hundred and twenty five charitable organizations. Chef Yono has twice been named Chef of the Year by his chapter of the American Culinary Federation. Chef Yono has been a featured Guest Chef at the James Beard House an Astounding six times, more than all Albany area Chefs combined. Yono’s Restaurant has also been featured on all of the Albany Broadcast network affiliates as well as the Today Show and The TV Food Network.
Chef Yono’s menu is split, with half of the menu featuring his unique blend of Indonesian cuisine with French presentations, and the remaining half being derived from classical continental Cuisine. This gives the freedom for people to choose from some of Chef’s renowned Indonesian cuisine, featuring lemon grass, coconut milk, lime leaves, and dragon mouthed sambals. It also gives the less adventurous the opportunity to select some more European style dinners that they are more familiar with. In addition to the printed menu, Chef Yono also presents features, which change on a nightly basis. This allows Chef Yono to reserve the menu that his customers have come to know and love, while at the same time, use the features to present some trendy cooking techniques and specialty items. The meal is then capped off with Donna’s Decadent Desserts, homemade European style pastries, featuring the renowned Chocolate Rendezvous.
The Yono’s dining room is truly magnificent. Seating only 66 guests for a more intimate evening, it is a 19th century townhouse re-creation, featuring tin ceilings, bronzed mirrors, original nineteenth century woodwork, sprays of floral arrangements, a mantled fire place and some of the Purnomo’s personal collection of Indonesian artifacts and artwork. All centered around a magnificent crystal chandelier suspended over a beautiful mahogany service table, with a gorgeous larger than life floral arrangement. The tables at Yono’s are artistically set with beautiful custom made china, glistening Austrian Imported Riedel Crystal and adorned with fresh flower arrangements by Fleurtacious Floral Designs www.fleurtaciousdesigns.com. On Friday and Saturday evenings, Hamilton Street, a piano and acoustic bass duo, entertain the dining room with light jazz and pop standards.
The beverage program at Yono’s simply puts the icing on the cake. It is anchored by a six hundred selection, award winning wine list. Yono’s also features in excess of two-dozen wines by glass. For distilled beverages, Yono’s features well over forty vodkas, fifteen single malt scotches, and twenty brandies and cognacs, giving it the largest selection to be found in the surrounding area.
Isn’t it time You…”Taste what everyone’s talking about?” TM
