Yo Sushi’s main selling point is alternative, fast food at your own convenience, and tucked away amidst the bustling Piccadilly crowds on Haymarket Road, this Yo! Sushi restaurant could be the perfect option for food on the move...

The Venue
Walking into this small restaurant feels like you are more likely to be going into outer space rather than have a meal. As the swish of the automatic door glides open you are greeted with a rather minimalist but modern interior, with stainless steel surfaces and bright vivid colours jumping out at you from every corner. Adding to the futuristic feel is Yo Sushi’s novelty attraction – the conveyor belt. The belt runs the length of the restaurant and acts as your waiter for your meal, presenting you with an array of brightly coloured bowls and dishes. The main seating is the bar that runs parallel to the conveyor belt, giving the venue a cafeteria feeling. However, there are also booths available with big white leather seats and ample sized tables for the diner who would like to stay a little longer and stack up bowls for a meal rather than a quick bite.

The Atmosphere
The venue is particularly busy at lunchtime and with its central location the clientele mostly consists of tourists and local workers on their lunch break or catching a quick after work snack. With atmospheric chill out music playing quietly in the background, combined with the bright colours and parading food on the conveyor belt, it’s hard not to enjoy yourself as you indulge in choosing your passing meal. In regards to the service, it can be as pleasant or as present as you like. Each seating area comes with a large red button, so that when the dish you require is not present on the belt, you can summon either a waiter or the nearby chef cooking the food in front of you to prepare your choice. Two taps offering still or sparkling water rise out of the table in front of you and a selection of condiments are already present upon seating, so if it is your inclination, it is possible to go through a whole meal at Yo Sushi without having to speak to anyone until you pay your bill.

The Food
Sushi is often misinterpreted to be a solely fish based meal, but there are many different dishes offering all kinds of meat and vegetables that come under the sushi title. With near a hundred items on the menu, at first it can seem daunting choosing what to eat, but with the conveyor belt parading the food before your eyes and their simple colour coding system, it’s easy to make a choice. Continuing with the easy, fast, help-your-self service, all dishes are classified by a colour that implies the price of the dish, ranging from green (starter or side dishes) priced at £1.50 through to pink main dishes for £3.50.

A good dish to start with is a classic Californian Roll. This purple selection (priced at £2.50) is a typical sushi dish - an ISO roll (rice on the outside of the nori.) Fresh crabsticks and avocado in mayonnaise are surrounded by rice and sesame seeds rolled in nori (Japanese seaweed). Best eaten in one large mouthful (If you dare), the flavours compliment each other perfectly. The mild taste of the crabsticks and the avocado add an almost sweet taste to the rice and partnered with the slightly sour flavour of the seaweed, it makes a deliciously chewy start to your meal.

For a more filling dish, the chicken Katsu curry is a popular favourite. Strips of crispy fried chicken in Japanese breadcrumbs are served over a bed of rice and drizzled in Katsu sauce and garnished with Japanese pickles. The Katsu curried sauce is mildly spicy but with a delicious fruity aftertaste and acts as an excellent sauce for the crunchy, tender chicken strips. If you are not in the mood to sample a large selection of small dishes, then this filling choice will sort you out for a quick and tasty snack.

The Drink
At YoSushi the concept of quick, alternative food continues with the drink. More of a cafeteria than a restaurant, the drinks menu is quite limited. For diners in need of alcohol, a small selection of good speciality Japanese beers are available at £3.20 and a very short wine list offering white, rose and red at £12.50 a bottle. There is also traditional sake available, served either hot or old at £3.50 onwards. You won’t find any coffee on the menu and the only tea on offer is simple green tea at £1.20 with unlimited refills.

The Last Word
Yo Sushi has the perfect concept for its location. With all the surrounding fast food restaurants and overly priced sandwich bars, it is an alternative, healthy, fast food restaurant aimed at the abundance of tourists and local workers looking for something a bit more than bland junk food as a quick bite. With its cafeteria themed layout, automatic service and idiot proof menu, the lack of service required could feel impersonal and it is certainly not for everyone, but if you are looking for a quick, fun place to (literally) grab some good food, then this is the place to head.

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