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Inshoku is a Japanese restaurant situated on Lower Marsh SE1, just a few metres further up (on the opposite side) from the Queen of Cheap Eats – Marie’s Café.

I’d been recommended Inshoku by a lady I’d met the week before at a work-related event and she claimed it served “the best sushi in London” (everyone’s got a favourite cheap eat it seems…). So when we went on a Friday night after work, expectations were high.

The restaurant’s a fair size with lots of tables but on the night we went, somewhat surprisingly we were one of only two other couples in there (although it got busier as the night progressed).

Inshoku offers a wide range of Japanese food. Both my fellow diner and I plumped for a bento box for £7 (which I think are only available ‘til 8pm): chicken katsu (breaded chicken) and chicken teriyaki respectively.

The miso soup (included in the price) arrived promptly and the rest of the meal soon followed. Both dishes came with rice and half an orange (presumably to cleanse the palette after eating); the chicken katsu also included a salad and the teriyaki deep fried battered vegetables (similar to tempura). We also ordered a small plate of mixed sushi for about £5.

Overall the food was pretty good and reasonably priced, and the service quick and efficient, if a little unfriendly.

And how was the sushi I hear you ask; was it the best in London? Well, not having tried every sushi restaurant in the capital, I’m not sure I’m really in a position to confirm or refute such a claim. However, two businessmen behind us ordered the sushi platter and I have to admit, it looked pretty damn good…

7.5/10

This is one of the great cheap eats in London and certainly one to try out. I’ve been eating here for a good couple of years, both at lunch and in the evening, and I’ve never been disappointed.

It’s a small cafe tucked in behind Waterloo Station on Lower Marsh. At lunch times you’ll often be lucky to get a table, but once you’re in, I can guarantee you’ll be leaving with a smile.

At lunch you have the choice of a hearty pie and chips from the cafe menu, or as I recommend, you can choose something from the Thai menu. Either way, you will definitely not be left with an empty feeling.

The Thai food is as authentic as you’re likely to get and you can choose anything from Pad Thai, to chicken with sweet basil and cashew nut, or one of the fantastically flavoursome curries - red, green or yellow. If you need an extra kick, which most of you won’t, there’s a powerful home made chilli oil that when applied liberally is likely to blow your head off.

In the evenings, the cafe turns into a BYO Thai restaurant, with a large menu and smiley service. The set meals offer great value and although the portion sizes are smaller than at lunch, there’s also a selection of deserts for you to choose from. I can recommend the coconut sticky rice or some of the delicious banana fritters.

Overall this place deserves a plaque for cheap eating excellence. At lunch you can easily eat for under a fiver (£5 or $10 USD) and in the evening you should have some change from a tenner (£10 or $20 USD).

9.5/10