Wasabi onigiri seaweed salad

I love sushi. I can make my own but there are sometimes when out and about that you just want something light but filling to get you through the day. On a recent trip into London, my husband and I decided to try Wasabi for lunch. Now we are normally Itsu people, purely because there are so many Itsu’s around London and our surrounding area that it is easier to come across. But we were feeling like something new and I’ve always heard good things about Wasabi.

I tried some of their sushi which was very good. The rice was fluffy and light, and the cucumber and the avocado filling was very tasty. Very simply put, they do make good sushi. I know a lot of people rave about their hot meals (I believe these are called Bento boxes?) so I will definitely try one of these next time. But the thing that really caught my eye was this onigiri wrap. Again, I have always seen people say online that onigiri is a great food option as I understand they can be savoury or sweet. Plus, I have seen them so many times used in manga and anime scenes that make them look so yummy I just had to try one.

Let’s start this off by saying that I very clearly did not read, nor understand, the instructions on how to actually assemble the onigiri. The instructions should have been clear but clearly by brain chose to ignore all of those in the moment. I could not figure it out, so I had to improvise. So please no judgement for how it ended up looking – it is clearly not meant to look like this and I have not done this little treat any real service.

This one was a seaweed salad, which appeared to be just…more seaweed. I did enjoy it, it was very light. The rice was soft and fluffy, as expected, and the seaweed was very light and fresh. I would say it tasted similar to cucumber, but just ever so slightly more salty. If anything I was expecting it to be a lot saltier than it was. Not necessarily a bad thing, just something to take note of. It is definitely a savoury meal. I believe that this is meant to be more of a snack than an actual lunch, but I did find that it was the perfect size for lunch when coupled with the sushi. It was very satisfactory. I have to admit it doesn’t do anything special for me, but I would be intrigued to find out what the sweet versions are like in comparison. If anyone knows where to find this, please let me know!

Wasabi is kind of expensive, but again I think all sushi places are expensive in comparison to your usual lunch time spots. This onigiri wrap cost £4, which is often the same price as a supermarket meal deal or sandwich, so it is definitely on the more expensive side. Especially when you consider that it is not enough for a whole lunch meal and so you’re likely having to spend about £10 total to have a proper meal. I know for some people £10 for lunch is standard but for me, that’s a little pricey. However as a once in a while quick fix, this would be a very pleasant lunch.

Overall: 6/10. It was tasty, but not a lot of substance and quite pricey.

T xxx