A couple of weeks ago it was #InternetFriendsDay – ok yes, it’s a made up holiday but it is something that got me thinking about all the wonderful people who I’ve met via blogging, Twitter and Instagram. I’ve met so many fantastic friends who I now tweet, what’s app and actually meet up with IN REAL LIFE! I love the idea of having a special day to commemorate these people and perhaps next year we’ll all be sending each other Happy #InternetFriendsDay cards – yes I’m determined to make this a thing.
There were nine of us celebrating this auspicious occasion: Lauren, May, Sheepha, Gary, Mehreen, Tahira, Aftab and our fantastic organiser, Andrea. The destination of choice was Shackfuyu in Soho, a Japanese restaurant that I’d been wanting to try for a while. I liked the lively atmosphere and the pared down decor but nine of sitting on stools around a smallish table wasn’t ideal – I’m not a fan of having my feet dangling while I’m eating!
*Apologies for the photo quality, it’s not easy to take photos at a group dinner so I put my camera on auto mode and the focus is a bit off*
Though a few of us had dietary requirements, the £30 tasting menu seemed the perfect way to try lots of the menu whilst not spending a fortune. We kicked off with some edamame beans in sweet chilli sauce, I didn’t like these as I found them too sweet but I was very much in the minority, everyone else on the table loved them. 
Next a wagyu beef tartar which was really just perfect, high quality meat and just the right amount of seasoning served with peppered prawn crackers which added a little Asian twist to this French dish. 
The sweet potato fries didn’t come with the tasting menu but we were keen to try them and ordered them separately. They were amazing – probably the best I’ve had in London – perfectly crisp, the kind of thing you want to eat like no one’s watching. Or Dance. Whatever…
The Korean fried chicken wings were devoured hungrily, leaving lots of sticky fingers around the table. 
This dish was prawn toast but nothing like your average greasy Chinese takeaway. Beautifully crispy morsels of perfectly cooked prawns covered in bonito flakes and a creamy Japanese mayo. 
Next a hot stone rice hot-pot full of vegetables and a perfectly cooked egg gleaming in the centre which we mixed into the dish (after about ten minutes of photo-taking…). The comforting carb fest was another of my favourite dishes of the night with the rice at the bottom beautifully crunchy. We were told it also contained beef though none of us were sure that we could actually find any – either way it was delicious as both a side dish and a standalone. 
I didn’t try the Iberico pork plumo with spring onion and black pepper sauce but it was probably the least successful dish on the table as there was quite a bit left at the end. 
Miso aubergine is one of my favourite Japanese dishes when done right. For me this wasn’t quite there as it was a little overly sweet but the flesh of the aubergine just melted apart under my fork and it was still a very enjoyable dish.
We all agreed that the whole fried sea bass looked evil, but it certainly tasted good. A delicious crunchy coating enveloped soft, perfectly cooked flesh and the dish was another very successful one on the table.
And finally *drumroll please* the bit we’d all been waiting for. Currently one of London’s most Instagrammed dish – the kinako French toast with matcha soft serve ice cream. I was slightly worried that the famous dessert wouldn’t live up to the hype but we weren’t disappointed.
With a slightly crisp exterior and chewy yet firm on the inside the French toast itself was delicious. Sweet but not too sweet, substantial yet light…we all loved it. And the soft serve ice cream was the perfect accompaniment. Though we were all really full from the generous portions of food – nothing could stop enjoying this super dessert.
Shackfuyu was a great place to celebrate #Internetfriends day and the tasting menu was great value for money as we had so much food we couldn’t finish it. I’d highly recommend Shackfuyu for a fun night out with really impressive food.
Shackfuyu
14a Old Compton Street
London
W1D 4TJ
0207 734 7492
