Sesame

I’ve been here a few times, and mainly for take-​away. I used to go in for the sushi and japanese soups, but since Sesame underwent a bit of a revamp last year, they’ve either stopped doing sushi or the menu has just become too complex that I can’t find it!
The last couple of times I have visited, I opted for a coffee on the first visit and a falafel wrap on the second. The coffee was a standard well known brand and was ok. The Falafel wrap was nice enough, but the wrap was actually a flatbread and was pretty chewy, the falafel was good, but was out of a packet.
The menu looks really good but it is really confusing, and it takes a lot of neck craning and standing on your tip toes to take everything in, and even then its hard to know where to stand to order what. The place is always busy and I imagine you have to know what you want before coming in to avoid making a panic order just so you don’t hold the queue up!
On my last visit I had to wait 15 minutes for my wrap and with 5 or 6 others doing to same, the little establishment became more than a little full and squishy.
However, ALL this aside, when it gets to Summer, I will definitely be coming back here to get a salad (once I work out how to order one) and a bottle of Arizona Green Tea. With a park just around the corner, eating out will definitely be the option I will be taking!

Three stars is a shame as there is much potential and I reckon a summer visit could bump it up to 4.
The food is nice and the choice is ridiculous. So many options you can not actually compute them all!
Coffee is blah but you don’t go for the coffee. Seating is odd but like i said more suited to outdoor. I like the mosaic tables.
I can not get over how complicated this place is. Salad section, Sandwich section, Noodle section then specials. Drinks are dotted all over and prices vary widely.
If you know what you want and this place stocks it (which it will) then the food is good so get a takeaway. If you are indecisive do not go here as you will never leave: P

I wanted to like Sesame. I really did. Fate had conspired against me to stop me visiting in the past, despite walking past every day for months, but finally it was my time.
When word got around the office that I was going to Sesame, we gathered around and fired up their menu online. It all looked good. I pocketed some cash from the boss and scribbled down his order, and marched off into the fog. There was a queue almost to the door, which looked promising, but I came to realise this was just due to a confusing layout. Queue here for salads, but there for sandwiches — and only if you’re able to get past the salad queue. Prepare to be queue-​jumped.
Finally getting to the counter, I yelled my order over the noise of blenders and around a few customers/​members of staff passing each other things across my face. I placed my order, stepped back, and waited for the magic to happen.
Minutes later, I was told that sandwich was no longer on the menu. I consuted the menu on the wall — or the bits that weren’t obstructed — and hastily made a choice to avoid riling the angry-​looking punters. Moments pass, and i’m told they don’t have what my boss wants, OR what I want. Hasty choices again. My third choice isn’t availble, but I accept a recommended replacement and try to stay out of the way. It’s tough going.
Eventually, sandwich in hand, I make for the office. The fresh bread feels great through the paper bag and I want to make it mine.
I was right on this at least; the bread is lovely. It’s freshly baked on-​site, I’m told. Shame then, that there’s really not much of it. Even more so that the filling makes me want to wretch a little.
Opening the sandwich, I find that the honey-​roast ham I was promised appears to have been bought at the Tesco Express opposite. A few tasteless, wafer-​thin slices with rounded corners, almost exactly like I bought days earlier from the same Tesco for £1, but this time I paid £3.50 for it in a tiny ciabatta. The stilton isn’t much better either. It’s definitely stilton but… cheap.
My boss loved his sandwich, as did my mate who came with me. The staff were mostly lovely too, despite being rushed. But the trauma caused by being in the shop and being told my first three orders weren’t do-​able, followed by a tiny, unsatisfying sandwich have soured Sesame.
I wanted to try their sushi or the specials. I really did. But I won’t.

I should have written a review about Sesame when I first discovered it, not sure why I didn’t but hey hoo, better late than never.
I was dubious about Sesame when I first started working near Park Square. A bit pricey I thought. Probably a bit pretentious? — I’M SORRY AND I WAS VERY VERY WRONG!
There’s something for everyone here but it was the salad bar and the noodles made by the lovely Ed the Noodle Man, that got me going back for more. This is a salad bar like no other — you can choose from healthy goodness AND they’re not afraid of carbs — HALLELUJAH!
Thursdays is chicken schnitzel sandwich day and of course there is fish finger Friday. Lunchtimes were made for Thursdays and Fridays at Sesame. I don’t know where thy get the bread from but this is the crack of bread. Addictive, beautiful and fat free.
It would be remiss of me to leave you with the impression that all they do is a great salad bar and good Thursday and Friday sandwiches. There’s so much more to Sesame than that. All i’m saying is Eton Mess, Lasagne, Breakfast Yogurt Pot. Although not necessarily in this order.
If the daytime spoils don’t tickle your tastebuds (perhaps you don’t have any?!?) then they also do Japanese delivery and takeout, including sushi, during the evenings. The tempura veg with spicy mayo is so good it makes working late in the office worth it.
There have been days when i’ve eaten breakfast, lunch and dinner from Sesame for about a tenner. Now surely that can’t be bad.

‘Twas a glorious sunny day in late May — and unfortunately, as with most days in May, I was at work. After much deliberation, starting as usual at around 8am, my colleagues and I decided that we would have a wander up to Sesame, and eat lunch in Park Square. After a deal as always, we all decided before-​hand that we would go for the ‘Half-​Pizza and Salad for £4′ — as advertised on FB /​Twitter. Seemingly a great price for a box pizza and deli salad.
Upon arrival, it became apparent that every man and his dog had the same idea as us. We queued out of the doorway, but it took less than ten minutes to be served. Unfortunately, by the time we got to the front of the queue, there was only one-​and-​a-​half Margherita pizza’s left — enough for my colleagues but not me! I wasn’t overly bothered, I had my eye on the noodles anyway, so I picked up a large Salmon Teriyaki Noodles, priced at £4.90. I picked up a drink too, which brought my total spend to £5.65 — the top end of what I’d be happy spending on my lunch hour at work.
What was confusing was the apparent lack of communication between staff — I was offered pizza one minute, then told I couldn’t have any, then told I could only have ham & mushroom, then again told I couldn’t?!
Anyway. after having my noodles warmed we made our way around the corner to Park Sq to find a patch of grass to sit on. There are several tables inside Sesame, but on a day like today, quite understandably, nobody was sat inside.
I must say, as soon as I opened the pot, the noodles smelled superb. Upon inspection, there was plenty of salmon hidden amongst the Japanese noodles and veggies too — in fact more than I’d expected. I was happy with my noodles, however I did find towards the end that the majority of the pot was made up of water — making it slightly overpriced overall.
As for the guys and their pizza — well let’s just say I’m glad I was at the back of the queue and ended up with noodles! The consensus was that the base was way too hard, and the toppings dry, as though it had been sat there for a good couple of hours. This was of course, the last pizza of the day, but still was way below expectation. The salad too was rather disappointing — quality was there but unfortunately quantity not.
All in all — I my noodles were good, but overpriced for what they were — I could have got more from my money at Wok-​On or similar — and the pizza wasn’t at all good. Perhaps this is due to the lovely weather, or perhaps the deal was over-​advertised online, but we felt that Sesame had bitten off more than they could chew with the pizza deal on this particular Wednesday — which undoubtedly detracted from the experience.
Don’t think I’ll be going again — but judging by the other reviews we may have caught them on a bad day? Still — enough to put me off when I know how much my £5.65 could have got me elsewhere in town.

If I could give this place 0 stars I would.
Let me start by saying I ordered online via JustEat at 6:22pm. My food was suppose to be here at 7:40. A long wait — but the husband and I wanted Sushi. He has just come back from New York so it was a special date night for the two of us.
Anyhow, the manager rings me at 7:38 and tells me my food is ready but they are waiting for the driver to come back and then it will be with me shortly.
Roll on 8:30 and the husband and I are wondering where the hell our food is. We tried calling the restaurant _​NO ANSWER.
We got in touch with Just Eat — who could not get in touch with them either due to the fact that these people don’t answer their phone.
at 8:55 my phone rings and it’s the delivery driver with my food. I am not happy at this point and inspected the food to make sure it was still cold. Bearing in mind I’m about to consume RAW FISH.
The food seemed ok so we paid and the guy was on his way. BIG MISTAKE!!!
Only the packaging was cold. the food inside was cool but not cold and the fish slimy. The Spicy chicken and rice salad had obviously set for a while and the rice was clumpy. Completely disgusting.
We tried eating it but ended up throwing it away instead. It was a waste of £32 — a mistake which I will never make again.
I suppose if you are going into this place it’s a different experience, but do not order from them for delivery. As you will regret it.
I’ve also received a call from the manager who stands by her food. She assures me it was fresh — my taste buds say otherwise.
Date Night ruined !

Sesame is like the dream sandwich shop but better as it revolves around not the boring lunchtime bread and cheese combo but something far superior, exotic and trendy — sushi! It is a pretty large compared to all the other shops selling lunchtime based foodstuff which allows it to branch out into all sorts of exciting areas. Aside from the sushi — which is really good, comes in individual or group portions so you can mix and match — it sells popcorn, pies and a homemade soup of the day. You can easily cover all the food groups here as there are also yoghurts, crisps, noodles and fruit. Wow there — you could end up having a gourmet lunch from this place! To top it off they have sell Tea Pigs tea, which is far superior than any other tea, as any tea connoisseur like myself should know.

Sesame bills itself as ‘purveyors of good stuff’, and I concur with the most vehemence I can muster. This urban deli is surrounded by businesses and more than justifies its status amongst the overbearing presence of chains.
A range of Yorkshire based i’s Pies are available from Sesame, devoid of damaging chemicals and with all of the ingredients chopped by hand, I have sampled their products on numerous occasions and always been highly satisfied. Clive’s Organic Pies provide a vegetarian alternative of the pastry, the Hungarian Goulash one being a particular favourite of mine.
The handmade sushi at Sesame is a true highlight on the menu alongside Asian inspired salads, the taste encompassing fresh quality at its finest. Having to resign oneself to an insipid lunch time feast is no longer a reality.
Although it may not be an area of the city that one would think to frequent aside from business purposes, I would certainly recommend a jaunt. During spells of favourable weather, nearby Park Square offers a peaceful haven to sample Sesame’s fare, whilst simultaneously indulging in a spot of people watching. With the abundance of lawyers, solicitors and other such high-​powered workers in the area, all manner of fictitious sagas can be created when eating lunch. Failing that, the vintage furniture inside the store provides a welcome place to relax, away from the commotion of the day.
Sesame’s activity on a multi media platform is impressive. As well as having a Facebook fan page and being able to follow them via Twitter, their blog keeps the reader fully informed with regards to their commendable presence in the community. They sporadically supply stalls for festivals, hold events in shopping centres, hold sushi making sessions in schools and also have a second site at Leeds University.
The service offered in the shop extends to the evening, as Sesame offers a takeaway and delivery service which is available daily from 5pm to 10:30pm. This is a great tip if a lazy supper is required. As a consumer, I feel passionate about being offered an alternative to the banal options which are presented by chain vendors. Although the prices at Sesame are slightly higher, the quality of the food is infinitely superior.

Oh my word. Hold the front page. I think I’ve come across another top banana find in our great city. Take a bow Melissa and take a bow Sesame.
This is a excellent shop for all your delicious take away food needs. Seriously, I’m in love. It’s a really funky menu with a big dash of originality thrown in. You’ll get great freshly packed sushi. The noodles are preety scrummy. The gormet salads are so much better than your usual dull and boring offerings and the orgainc pots for the children look great. Plus super healthy as well. What a little beauty! Fear not, you can even get pies but with a sesame twist.
It’s busy, it’s funky, it’s the future. You’ve got to love it for trying to take on a different slant to the over populated market. I doth my cap.