Itsu’s sure grown on me these past few months. The half price pre-closing sales are fantastic for saving a dollar (I mean, pound) and the food is fresh, health(ier) and fuss-free. This evening I picked up the bento of the month which was the sesame chicken tenderstem. It’s usually around the £5 mark. And it’s one of the more loaded boxes – including a few sushi rolls, salad, edamame and broccolini. And the sesame dressing is a low calorie one and a super tasty one. But my issue with Itsu is there is never enough of it. It’s a huge departure from proper Japanese but for a fast, vegetable-loaded meal, I’m plenty happy.

Perfect healthy lunch on the run!

I am still naturally wary of franchises and automatically think they will be tasteless and over priced. I will soon have to change my stubborn opinion if I keep having tasty, great value lunches such as these! 

Naturally being in the middle of a busy business area the place was packed but it was brightly lit and looked fresh and inviting. You barely have enough time to decide what you want to order by the time you’re at the counter due to the large amount of staff they have working. I didn’t get enough time to browse the delightful array of sushi and fresh salad and headed straight in to order some hot food.

Itsu serves a variety of take away hot and cold lunches. The rice pots and the soups are ideal for the winter months. I ordered the Thai chicken potsu, which was delicious and still piping hot by the time I got back to the office. Shredded chicken breast served with beans and greens on top of brown and wild rice with the perfect hint of spice and ginger sauce. I ordered a medium sized which cost 5 pound and was the perfect amount for lunch.

Like a kid in a supermarket I can never resist the treats that call out to me as I wait to place my order. Chocolate covered corn thins… never heard of them so of course I should try them. They were a little strange but really good, a healthy version of a digestive biscuit I guess.

Another example of how franchises aren’t all bad, cant wait to try the soups!

Itsu has an array of noodle soups, rice bowls, and sushi platters. It can get quite packed during lunch time but is definitely a go to place if you work in the area. The service is efficient even though they're usually busy. I usually like going for a steaming bowl of tofu, brown rice and steamed green vegetables since I love my veggies but it's all up to personal preferences. Luckily they have enough choices for veggie lovers and for meat/chicken lovers.