Yo!Sushi

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 – in the shops now or buy online.

Stroll through the huge new Silverburn shopping centre and you're likely to stumble across a gaggle of gawping bystanders. The doorless and roofless Yo!Sushi is plonked in the middle of the mall's walkway, and many shoppers find its dinky conveyor belt of colourful plates a mesmerising sight. It's fun for diners, too, bunched up along little booths or upon high stools, swiping at passing dishes of sushi or sashimi. The food is fresh enough to suggest it has not done many revolutions, while hot options are rushed out to order – don't expect them all at once. Even during hectic weekends, smiling staff patiently explain how it all works and quickly point out free top-ups of miso soup, filtered water and green tea. They all recommend chicken katsu curry, tender breaded chicken with a mild sauce, Japanese pickles and rice. Deep-fried octopus balls are gooey and steaming inside, sprinkled with crunchy tuna flakes. But the most interesting fare – dozens of neatly presented choices – is passing by your perch. Overall, this is solid fast food, a good deal more enticing than industrial burgers or rubbery pizzas.

• High point: Fun way to break up shopping monotony
• Low point: Uninspired dessert menu