It’s hard enough to get half the population of Belfast to eat fish at the best of times, never mind having it raw, yet the people at Sakura have been holding the fort when it comes to freshly prepared fish, barring the recent opening of the slick and shiny Yo! Sushi at Victoria Square. Last year it opened it’s sister store on Royal Avenue, Obento, a move that’s proved to be very popular with hungry shoppers and passing tourists.
Ignore the underwhelming display cabinet to your right as you come through the door of the small, but perfectly formed canteen style eatery. There’s thought been put into the design - every table has it’s own wall plug for powering tech- savvy punters’ gadgets and the dining area up the spiral staircase is deceptively roomy.
And while there’s plenty of options for Asian buffet in the city centre, Obento wins out with the simple step of providing its customers with a proper plate and real metal cutlery, avoiding that whole uncomfortable feeling that you’re eating in an institution that doesn’t trust you with the real thing.
There’s generally four options with the speedy meal - Honey Chilli, takeaway style Curry, Black Bean Sauce and tofu for the veggies. Smile sweetly at the pleasant staff and you might even get a spring roll or dumpling. It’s a substantial lunch for anyone hankering the guilty pleasures of an MSG hit.
The more adventurous diner should sample the Bento boxes - a local spin on the fast food that is practically de rigueur in Japan. Each box has everything you’ll need for your meal, starting with the aforementioned (and very tasty) Honey Chilli Chicken, and running to BBQ Eel and Teriyaki Steak.Â
Soup noodle is also available - hearty broth with tons of stocky goodness and plenty of flavours on offer. Sushi is as good as you can get in the city, with the hand rolls an healthy and convenient option for busy city centre workers. There’s a selection of pre-packed sushi on the go as well, below the shelf full of authentic Asian soft drinks.
There’s no drinks licence in place, so no sake sessions are on offer and there’s not much in the way of access in the tiny venue but, those caveats aside, Obento’s pretty much got it all boxed off.
Shane Horan
