The best and worst takeouts in Exeter

The pandemic has seen a significant rise in takeaway culture given restrictions on other areas of daily life. Lucy Aylmer provides us with an overview of the best and worst takeouts in Exeter.

Exeter is home to a myriad of quirky restaurants and cafes, ranging from the predictable Pizza Express chains to the one-of-a-kind Devon Coffee. During lockdown my housemates and I have enjoyed getting familiar with the local delicacies now that most of our time is spent indoors. Or is it? Exeter experienced an unusual bout of sunny weather for a weekend in February. As such, both Saturday and Sunday were spent outdoors by the quay embracing the sunshine and eating out. 

Here is my comprehensive overview of the best (and the not so best) takeouts in Exeter:

Ganebis Asian Street Food, Exeter Quay: 7/10

Tucked behind an unassuming alley way and located on Exeter Quay next to Puerto Lounge lies Ganebis Restaurant. Last Saturday was their rather hectic flagship reopening which involved a prolonged lag time between ordering and receiving our food. Nevertheless we were hungry and eager to try something new. The katsu curry was well presented with delicious sticky rice and a sliver of pak choi to brighten up the muted beige of the katsu.  Unfortunately, the sauce distribution was frugal and as a result the curry was dry. 

M&S BLT: 9/10

You can always trust M&S to deliver a hearty sandwich. In particular the pre-eminent BLT’s which are fresh and affordable. The BLT is laden on brown seeded bread with the optimal filling ratio of rich mayonnaise and farmhouse cheddar to marry all the combinations together. The M&S drinks deserve credit too. My personal favourite is the refreshingly sweet mango and pineapple fruit smoothie which is great pairing for a February/March summer’s day picnic.

Shimizu Sushi, 10 Well Street: 5/10

Well Street has long paraded an eclectic mix of eateries from Pure Avida to Heera International Foods (which, incidentally make some of the best samosa’s in Exeter ). We ordered the Ichiban Bento Box which contained chicken teriyaki, California rolls, chicken gyozas, mixed tempura, a dollop of seaweed and some miso soup. The chicken was dry and the teriyaki overwhelmingly sweet whilst the sushi lacked bite and tasted like supermarket sushi. The one defining feature of the meal would be the chicken gyozas: steaming hot with aromatic flavours oozing from the choice of filling, and a crispy texture to produce an authentic taste. 

I think it is really important, particularly in the current climate, to support local restaurants and cafes. By this, I mean the hard working independent restaurants that have suffered considerable damage as a result of COVID-19. Instead of ordering your bog- standard Domino’s or even a cheeky Subway, I encourage you try somewhere new and expand your culinary horizons by visiting different delicacies.