itsu

Fast food chains don’t appeal to me in the same way they do to many Brightonians. It is especially hard for them to impress in a city where there is such a vibrant local food culture.

However, itsu recently captured my attention. I don’t know about you, but pre-packaged lunches don’t get me too excited, but there’s something about the food at itsu, they look colourful and delicious as well as supposedly high in protein and low in fat. It was great to check it out this week after several friends of mine have already converted, so I was eager to see if it lived up to the hype.

From the Menu

Japanese cuisine is served at itsu. Guests can enjoy a wide range of dishes here, such as rice salads, sushi, and noodle soups.

The detox miso soup was delicious. It turned out to have a certain taste to it that might have been missed by some. There’s no denying that it’s light and healthy, with a savoury green miso broth and citrus flavours, plus an abundance of supple glass noodles and vegetables that remain crisp and refreshing.

The soup includes two veggie gyoza dumplings floating in it, giving it a pleasing appearance and interesting texture without compromising much on flavour. For its price, it’s a decent size pot. It is not heavy enough to serve as a meal on its own, but it makes a great meal when paired with one of the snack pots of salmon or tuna salad to boost the protein content.

Along with my soup, I ate grilled chicken over sticky rice topped with teriyaki dressing. The chicken is incredibly moist, which is impressive enough. The rice has a wonderful texture, slightly sticky without being gritty, with sesame seeds, bits of ginger, and tasty peas and spring onions. A side of teriyaki dressing makes it more satisfying. The sauce is served separate from the food so that you can savour it as you go along.

Food and More

In addition to my meal, I had a green veggie smoothie. It certainly looks worthwhile. Among the sweet treats, I included was fat-free yoghurt with sweet strawberries. Natural yoghurt is evidently used to make this product.

Itsu provides a better value for money. There is now an excellent take-out option on North Street that offers soup, including, rice and protein salad. It’s definitely varied enough to keep me interested.

Whenever you’re looking for a quick bite on North Street, this is the place to go. You can count on my coming back again for lunch.

Service options: Dine-in · Takeaway · Delivery

Address: 68-70 North St, Brighton BN1 1RH