YO! SUSHI
I have to be careful to try to retain an objective view when writing about Yo! Sushi's new restaurant in Edinburgh's Rose Street. I returned from holiday to an offer of a VIP invitation to the opening ceremony. When I phoned for my ticket I was told there were none left- obviously I'm not a very VIP. The company offered to send a voucher to use the restaurant some other time but that did not arrive for 3 months.

The restaurant is large bright and lively. On entering you are faced by the stainless steel of the sushi conveyer belt. Circling round are not just sushi but a wide range of other dishes such as tempura and a rather startling array of desserts. I stuck to sushi. I started with tuna, first sushi and then some sashimi. Well presented and fresh, the taste was a bit disappointing but acceptable. The problem lies with the rice. I am not an expert but I doubt if the rice is sticky short grain rice, vinegared and sugared. It tasted very much like the more common, in this country at least, long grain - and to my view, indigestible - rice. This will not bother those who have never experienced the 'real' thing but is a blow to anyone who has. On the plus side, the scallop was absolutely delicious, quite the equal of anything I tasted in Japan and the quality of the other dishes I tried was high. In total then a good meal washed down with a glass of British-brewed Kirin beer.

The best bit of the visit is definitely the automated drinks trolley which circles the bar like a unmanned, guided missile.

The sting was in the tail. I had 7 plates of sushi which struck me as normal and had lingered about 20 minutes. The cost of £23 was not a surprise as I had studied the price list on the wall but it was high. More than double what I would have paid in Tokyo.
Downstairs is a popular bar where you can serve your beer yourself while sitting at the table.

Yo! is lively and fun. It has become the place to be in Edinburgh and is boasting weekly takings of £30,000. I enjoyed it a lot and I'll be back. It is a great addition to the small number of Japanese style restaurants in Scotland even if it does make a lot of concessions to British palettes. But, I wish the prices were a bit lower.