Shackfuyu (Old Compton St): where we found our match(a)

I had mine in one go and it just burst with such freshness and texture, I had to refrain from giggling like a school girl.

The hot stone rice (£7.8) reminded me of many childhood visits in Kimpura, a Japanese teppanyaki restaurant in Manila where my parents would rejoice in my ability to enjoy rice as it was the only way I’d eat it. Shakfuyu’s may not compare but it’s as close as it can get. A well-balanced bowl of aromatics and texture, this is definitely a winner in my book.

Everyone seemed to enjoy the aubergine marinated in miso (£5.8). A testament to Shackfuyu’s smart play on texture, these sweet and smoky melt-in-your-mouth aubergine strips were pleasantly lifted with a sprinkle of crispy bubu arare (puffed rice). Please order this when you visit.

Opinions were divided on the mac and cheese (£5.4). I’m partial to classic mac-n’-cheese recipes but Shackfuyu’s twist of mentaiko (fish roe) and cock scratchings was quite interesting. It’s not at all unpleasant but it isn’t something I’d prefer to order next time around.

I thoroughly enjoyed the beef picanha (£12.5) although the other half of our table had theirs a bit overdone. The kimchee tare butter sauce was pretty tasty, and I don’t even like sauce with my beef.

(Pardon the dark photos coming up, with bloggers torching for other ‘grammers, it was difficult to find light in such settings.)

One of the popular dishes on the menu is the prawn toast masquerading as okonomiyaki (£5.2) and though I do get the appeal, it’s not one of my favourites. Don’t take my word for it, though. I’m really not keen on prawn toast. Even if it’s topped with bonito flakes and Kewpie.

As a sweet gesture, we were given five extra pots of matcha ice cream (they had some issues with the soft serve machine and some of us had to wait for the ice cream) which was a very sweet (har har) gesture indeed. Brave the queues for this one, folks. Finding your match(a) is definitely worth the weight.

Overall Shackfuyu follows on the success of the other BoneDaddies ventures, but I honestly think they should find a permanent home sooner than later because that French toast alone is worthy of all the investments of an institution.

L-R: Chopstick Panorama, Bloomzy, French Gourmet‘s bouffant, Alex, E Cooks, A Certain Adventure, Wander to Wonder, Girl Next Shore. Hecticophilia took the photo.

Shackfuyu
14a Old Compton St, London W1D
Average spend pp: £30
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