Nudo greets its punters (largely made up of suited and booted professionals, looking for a bite on-the-go) with a front resembling pre-assembled food giant, Pret A Manger. The wall is adorned with lines of soup tubs and a colourful assortment of sushi boxes; so enticing that they would leave a sushi lover feeling like a child in a sweet shop. The queue snakes almost to the door; Oxford Road’s Nudo is clearly a popular lunchtime haunt for many.
Astonishingly reasonable prices are the wasabi on the California roll here. But there’s a catch; the usual Japanese adornments one would expect to find within reach on their table come at a price. You do of course, get a small sample of soy and wasabi in your Nudo box, but for those who enjoy the Airwaves-like sensation of wasabi to be mellowed by the sweet and sour tang of pickled ginger, there will be a charge for the privilege. In consideration of the deliciously low price tag on the sushi boxes themselves, one really cannot complain; after all, good sushi is not the cheapest lunchtime treat.
Fast food is the game in this restaurant and, as such, the setting is a little cold and oddly unwelcoming to those who might wish to eat in. For those who wish to grab and go, the service is quick and efficient and the place has the air of sophistication and cleanliness that instils a sense of confidence into the quality of your meal; though the cool blue interior is not the place you want to stay in for a leisurely green tea for hours on end.
That’s not to say, however, that the sushi is anything less than flavourful morsels of seafood and rice combos. Cool, fresh fish on a base of sticky white rice, the nigiri hit the spot. What’s more, their combinations are endless, ranging from vegetarian to swordfish for the more experienced. Alternatives such as the King Prawn Miso Soup Ramen are plentiful, and considerably filling for their rather unobtrusive price.
For food on the go, Nudo is a fresh Eastern alternative, good enough to tear you away from that dull sandwich lingering in your lunchbox. But for those who wish to enjoy their sushi at leisure, take out is recommended to allow you ample opportunity to appreciate good sushi in comfort.
