In a prime location over looking the regal steps of St Paul’s Cathedral, Yo Sushi is the space age, innovative cafeteria that’s offers a new spin on the fast food restaurant with a massive selection of food for people on the move.

The Venue
Over looking the grandeur of St Paul’s Cathedral through large voyeuristic windows, the interior of this eatery couldn’t be any farther from the grandiose steps of one of London’s greatest landmarks. The stainless steel surfaces and kitchen area in the centre give the restaurant a slightly industrial feel, whilst the funky lighting and brightly coloured wall fittings imply a more fun feeling. The majority of the seating is in the form of the long bar that surrounds Yo Sushi’s main attraction – the perpetual motion conveyor belt that acts as both waiter and culinary entertainment. However, there are also large comfy white leather booths available at the back of the restaurant for those customers wanting to take a bit more time ogling the passing delights on the belt.

The Atmosphere
Particularly busy at lunchtime, the clientele is mostly local workers and tourists visiting the cathedral looking for a quick, cool place to stop and snack. Quieter in the evenings, this is not the venue to come to for a relaxed, intimate meal. The modern, space age interior can seem quite clinical when you first sit down, but with the friendly staff and helpful chefs ready to take any orders not found on the belt, your hosts more than make up for the impersonal automated service.

The Food
Yo! Sushi’s food is based on traditional Japanese dishes, featuring sashimi, maki, hand rolls, gunkans, tempura, terriyaki, and rice and noodle dishes. With over a hundred items on the menu, it can be quite daunting choosing what to eat and it could take a while to sift through the menu and try to catch your desired dish on the passing belt. However, with the simple colour coding system, it’s not too hard too find something you will like, but pay close attention to the picture in the menu, as some dishes looks deceptively similar. 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 silver dishes (£5) that offer more speciality meals such as Miso Black Cod and Eel Dragon Roll.

A great dish to start on is the Hairy Prawns. This pink selection (priced at £3.70) looks as good on the plate as it tastes in your mouth. Large prawns are served wrapped in kadaifi pastry, topped with wasabi mayonnaise. The strange, crunchy, hair-like batter has the consistency of sweet shredded wheat, but is complimented wonderfully by the tangy mayonnaise and tastes delicious surrounding the chewy shrimp. It would be wise to have a tissue at hand as the brittle pastry flies all over the place but is certainly worth the mess.

Another popular dish is the vegetable Gyoza. Rather similar to a vegetable spring roll, these hot crispy dumplings with a vegetable filling are served with a sweet soy sauce perfect for dipping and sharing. The salty and crunchy pastry tastes delicious with the sweet, stringy vegetable filling and sour dipping sauce. The portion is a bit on the small side but being a purple dish (£2.70) if you need a couple more it’s not too pricey.

The Drink
A selection of delicious but slightly pricey Japanese beers are available that compliment the picky style of food, the most popular being the Sapporo at £6.00 for a whopping 650ml can. There is also a limited selection of wine on the menu offering white, red and rose at £12.50 upwards for a bottle and around £4.50 a glass. If you are looking for a more traditional drink, sake is available, served either hot or chilled at £3.50. However if you are looking for an after dinner tea or coffee, unfortunately you won’t find it here. The only other hot drink on the menu is Yo Sushi’s simple green tea served at £1.20 with unlimited refills. There is also water available on your table via two handy little taps that supply an unlimited amount of sparkling or still for just £1.00.

The Last Word
Perfect for the local workers and tourists visiting St Paul’s, Yo Sushi is a slick, cool and easy place to grab some alternative fast food. The contrasting differences between this modern eatery and the splendour of the cathedral make it a novel place to dine with tasty, healthy food and a brilliant view from every seat, however for diners looking for a more refined meal to go with their surroundings, perhaps Yo Sushi is not for everyone.

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