The pod couple

Emma Wevill and a friend share a Japanese bento box in stylishly reappointed Satsuma

After a complete redesign, including pod-style seating, Satsuma now aligns seamlessly with its trendy Soho setting. All that remains is its signature coloring of bright orange and grey. On a rainy, cold evening, it certainly lifted my spirits.

First thing’s first: beverages. My dining partner had a hunch the dark Asahi was the one to drink.  As it arrived I had a hunch it wasn’t. A very bitter beer is definitely not something that agrees with my taste buds, so after a couple of sips I edged the beer towards him and ordered a house white wine, which I found very agreeable.

Since the re-open, Satsuma has shifted its focus towards the Japanese bento box. It had previously specialized in katsu curry (breaded cutlets in curry sauce), although this is still a strong contender on the menu.

Of course, you cannot go for a Japanese meal without some edamame beans. We nibbled on some of these in the privacy of our pod while selecting from the menu.

I loved the slits, which allow for the chatty atmosphere of the place to drift through in a subtle and inoffensive way.

Right, our decisions were made; we were going to try a Satsuma bento and a chicken katsu curry. But not before a mixed tempura and miso aubergine.  The aubergine really was something special that I’d never tried before — melt-in-your-mouth, fulfilling, tasty chunks. The tempura was lightly battered and tasty too.

The friendly staffed bounced over to top up our drinks. Never say no is my motto.

The delight as the bento box of freshness was placed in front of us! I do enjoy a selection of everything, certainly if I know it’s all of a healthy variety. My partner enjoyed his chicken katsu curry but claimed it was nothing extraordinary, and I could see the green in his eye throughout the meal. A particular highlight were the chunks of salmon sashimi that had a clean, bold flavour and succulent texture.

In short, this new-look Satsuma is bright, fresh and friendly. I’ll certainly return to enjoy more bento in a pod.