MBS Inspiration
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A slice of Tokyo in Market Place
Toilet humour is not my stock in trade, but do you remember when I wrote last year about the Gucci of lavatories, the Japanese-designed Toto, in Colette in Paris? Well, yesterday I was delighted to discover that the Toto can now be found this side of the Channel, in the newest and, to my mind, best Yo! Sushi restaurant, just off Great Portland Street, in central London.
The latest incarnation of Yo! Sushi (each of their 50 restaurants has a different fit-out and is, therefore, unique) boasts a cutting-edge and futuristic store design you would expect to see only in Tokyo. Bringing the outdoors indoors is an overhead, bird’s nest-style canopy with tree-like branches, something Robin Rowland, CEO of Yo! Sushi, says was inspired by iconic Japanese designer Toyo Ito. And the signature Yo! conveyor belt has grown: it now weaves around the entire restaurant and can be reached by every diner, whether on the bar stools or the sunken seating.
As for the food? Divine! They’ve added 30 new dishes, ranging from seared beef and truffle soy tataki, to snow crab and Keta caviar. When it came to the desserts, I was almost able to control myself… until I had half a glutinous chocolate ball and undid weeks of restraint!
There is so much in this site that’s new – the cocktail bar, the illuminating pods that indicate you require assistance and, of course, the unforgettable Toto! – but you feel as if you’re greeting an old friend who has lost a few pounds, changed her hairstyle and updated her wardrobe! I can’t wait for the next Yo! to open, next to the Festival Hall. Apparently, it will have the first outdoor sushi conveyor belt in the UK!
What great store designs have you seen recently? Let me know: moira@thembsgroup.co.uk. Have a great week-end.
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