have a yen for (something)
To have a very strong and persistent desire or craving for something. I've had a yen for sushi ever since I came back from Tokyo last month.
have a yen for
Crave or desire, as in I have a yen for a thick juicy steak. The yen in this expression comes from the Chinese yan, meaning "a craving" (probably for opium). The term was first recorded in English in 1906.