Itsu

Trendy Japanese food at the Marina Walk Discuss this article

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From Time Out Dubai Eating Out 2009

It’s almost a shame that Itsu has such an imaginative interior. Most guests eat alfresco, enjoying the balmy evening air and twinkling marina views. But the scene is set inside with a tropical fish tank stretching down the sushi bar, colossal wall hangings and Philippe Starck-esque ghost chairs.

Unfortunately, the food falls short of expectations. Itsu prides itself on ‘fusion sushi’ – zany inspirations bound in rice and seaweed. After a tankful of seaweed-chocked miso soup, out comes a tray loaded with salt and pepper cuttlefish maki and Peking duck maki with hoisin sauce.

The first disappointment is the portion size – three rather than the standard six. Then, the cuttlefish has a pleasant crunch but the taste is masked by some extreme salting. And there is something inherently wrong about duck sushi.

Come the mains, the chicken and vegetable yakitori is similarly disenchanting. While the vegetables are fresh and deliciously al dente, the chicken is chewy and comes drenched in a nameless sauce. While it might offer the most adorable interior design, Itsu just doesn’t stack up against the other offerings along Marina Walk.

• Previous reviews
  • 02 June,2008- reviewed by Becky Lucas
  • 26 March,2008- reviewed by Time Out Dubai Staff
  • 30 May,2007- reviewed by Time Out Dubai Staff
  • 12 March,2007- reviewed by Time Out Dubai Staff
  • 12 September,2005- reviewed by Matthew Lee

Time Out reviews restaurants anonymously and pays for meals. Of course, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or independence of user reviews.