ITSU in Soho, London

Russian spies don’t get poisoned here no more.

“Detectives have pinpointed Itsu, a sushi restaurant in Piccadilly, as the most likely place that the former KGB colonel Litvinenko was poisoned with polonium 210, a radioactive metal used to trigger nuclear weapons. The restaurant was sealed off yesterday after radiation was detected in several places. Itsu was a regular haunt of Mr Litvinenko, one of the fiercest critics of the Russian president.” – Taken from a London news report in 2006.

It’s all part of history now as Itsu is currently more focused on healthy food. They stir, they steam, and they slice. Light calories are displayed on the menu boards. This is a place for those who are not into fish & chips anymore but far from going on a carrot & celery diet. The chicken here is farm assured, salmon is superior farmed, eggs are free ranged, and the soy sauce is low in sodium. Itsu is also against using Blue fin tuna, doing their bit in preventing it from extinction.

Must tries are:

- DYNAMITE BROTH
Itsu’s famous Dynamite Broth is made using miso soup as the base, to which we add a little coconut milk, fresh citrus juice, lime leaf, tamarind, freshly pressed ginger and a little garlic. The seasoning is sashimi pepper and hondashi.

- VEGETABLE DUMPLINGS
Itsu dumplings or gyoza are made with leeks, onions, spring onions, seasoning, a little ginger, and a dash of sesame oil. Unlike most Asian dumplings and dim sum, Itsu dumplings do not contain any flavour enhancers.

- CHOCOLATE RICE CAKES
Organic dark chocolate contains soya lecithin E322, which is naturally extracted from soybeans and used to aid emulsification. The rice cake base contains sesame seeds and 0.31% salt.

-DUCK
Asian countries consume lots of duck. They are the masters of good duck!

-SPICY SALMON MIX
Superior grade salmon, with tabasco and mayonnaise.

-YELLOW FIN TUNA
Itsu tuna is approved by ‘Friends of the Sea’. Tuna for Itsu is only caught with deep set lines, which avoids the horrors of by catch. We only use grade-A tuna loin, adult fish. This protects the long-term sustainability of the species.

- FROZEN YOGURTS!
New big thing in London.

Or, just go for the sushi! Sushi boxes, sashimi, sushi sandwiches. Polish up with the healthy option of whole leaf tea (perfect detox for hangover), or choose a cocktail from the extensive drinks menu. Bell’itsu is Itsu’s version of Bellini (they add some sweet lychee) and Itsumatra with fresh strawberries is one of the specials, but the classic ones with Martini, Gin or Vodka base are also present.

When you’re done, wander around Soho, you can see a lot of freakishly-dressed pub crawlers (fancy dress pub drinking is another big thing in London). And, don’t forget about the distinct red telephone booths – see if you can Lomograph it somehow differently.

Bon appetite!

Opening hours:
Mon to Fri: 11am – 9pm
Sat: 12pm – 7pm
Sun: 12pm – 5pm

ITSU
167 Piccadilly, London W1J 9EG

written by neja on 2011-03-30 #places #people #food #bar #beer #drinks #eat #soho #restaurant #wine #sushi #colors #drink #europe #alcohol #location #juice #colorsplash #london #uk #venue #central #cocktails #eatery #lcg #itsu