Shack Fuyu popped up on my radar one day on Instagram. I saw the most amazing French toast with matcha soft serve ice cream and knew that this was a place I really wanted to try. It also helped that it came to my attention through one of the chefs on Great British Menu. It is possibly a bit nerdy to follow chefs from a cooking show, but who better to trust when it comes to food? If you are surprised that I still review it despite its retirement, Shack Fuyu might be gone, but this is not the end of it. The business has two other outlets, Bone Daddies and Flesh & Buns, and both serve the infamous Crackly Kinako French Toast. The location in Soho will also turn into another Bone Daddies branch.
The restaurant, right in the middle of Soho, was super busy on the evening of my visit. I had reserved my table months earlier, but eventually ended up with a bar seat at the window.
bar seating @Shack Fuyu
No actual bar here at the window, but at least a view onto Compton Street. While I people-watched, my Mojito Fuyu arrived, a mix of Havana rum, pineapple juice, lime juice, mint, and sugar syrup. The drink was delicious and so refreshing that you needed a glass of water with it just to stop yourself from gulping it all down at once.
Mojito Fuyu @Shack Fuyu
I started the meal with seabass ceviche, a really nice fusion dish with pickled tomatoes, shallots, and shiso leaves. The ceviche was excellent, with finely balanced acidity and sweetness. There was a lot of fish in the bowl, making it an excellent starter as I had become a bit peckish after my day around Leighton House and the waterways of London. Too bad there was not a spoon in sight, as I would have loved to finish every last drop of the dressing.
seabass ceviche @Shack Fuyu
The tuna tacos fell a little flat after the ceviche, as they were rather boring in comparison. Despite a filling of cubed tuna, avocado, pickled daikon radish, and once again shiso, the taco did not quite tickle my taste buds. There was simply not enough acidity to cut through the rich tuna and avocado. The fatty fish and creamy avocado needed a stronger flavour combination to truly shine, but unfortunately that was not the case here.
Tuna taco @Shack Fuyu
I finished the savoury part of my meal with a vegetable dish. Some aubergine wedges glazed with miso and sprinkled with bubu arare, a round toasted Japanese cracker, arrived with a bit of arugula on top. It was quite nice, but left no lasting impression on my palate. At least together with the rocket salad, the eggplant had a slightly sharper bite.
aubergine @Shack Fuyu
Finally it was time for dessert, the reason why I had come all the way from Vienna to this restaurant. I really wanted to see and taste what all the hype was about. Crackly Kinako French Toast with matcha soft serve ice cream sounded heavenly, if perhaps a bit much after the rest of the meal. Nonetheless, this absolutely had to be ordered.
French toast with match soft serve ice cream @Shack Fuyu
The French toast was one of the best things I had eaten in a really long time. The toast had a lightly crunchy caramelised exterior, while the inside reminded me more of pudding: soft, squishy, and unbelievably delicious. Kinako, a roasted soybean flour, together with the slight bitterness of the matcha soft serve ice cream, provided the perfect contrast and made this dessert truly special. Wow, what a treat!
So despite Shack Fuyu having retired, the Crackly Kinako French Toast is still available at their other locations, and soon again in Soho under a new name. I am sure the ramen and izakaya dishes are also tasty, but in any case the French toast is not to be missed. Just make sure to share it, as I could not finish mine. Yours, Pollybert
Shack Fuyu
London W1D 4TJ, 14A Old Compton St
https://shackfuyu.com/
