Situated a mere stone’s throw from Carnaby Street, Food Secret will have no trouble attracting hungry shoppers, tourists, and workers on their lunchbreaks into its colourful store. However Food Secret not only intends to feed the starved, it aims to cater to the more health conscious customer thanks to its star ratings, screens with nutritional info throughout and coloured-coded labels.
The pre-packed sandwiches and salads have the percentage of nutritional value they provide for men and women printed on the label along with a colour code alerting you to how much you are indulging. Nothing new so far, it is however the screens at the counter that provide the most fun - as well as a mild heart attack once you realise quite how many calories those pine nuts are adding to your meal.
Confident that a salad by default is healthy, I greedily asked the person behind the counter to add slices of duck, mozzarella, and the delicious Food Secret vinaigrette to my platter of avocado, rocket and tomato. As they tapped in each ingredient into a computer I was able to see on the screen in front of me how many calories each ingredient added, as well as carbs, protein, and the price. The screen also gave me helpful tips such as buffalo mozzarella being easier on the digestion than cheese made from cow’s milk. I walked away with 650 calories worth of salad. The taste was worth it however.
Aside from sandwiches with emmental and gherkin, and Parma ham and caramelised onion, exotic soups such as prawn curry laksa and spicy surf and turf, feta and mango salads, cakes and pomegranate juices in bottles shaped like lightbulbs (priced at £4.50!), Food Secret opens for breakfast with traditional offerings of porridge and muesli too.
Comfy cushioned stools, wooden tables and plenty of natural light and space mean this eatery is a cut above many of its neighbours in terms of style. For those chained to their desks they also offer a delivery service within a 1 mile radius. A relaxed haven for hurried calorie-counters.