Shuka with Sanam and Jessica

Dinner at Shuka (38 MacDougal St, Soho) with Sanam and Jessica Gill. Written up 2026-08-28 from memory, the night before a return visit with Jess and friends — so the date is approximate (the planning chat ran 2026-08-01 to 08-02) and dish notes are what stuck, not what I felt in the moment.

How we picked it

  • Brief was a nice Soho dinner. I’d shortlisted Or’esh and Sloane’s; Amandeep’s list (Shuka, Piccola Cucina, Odd Sister, 5ive Spice, Raku) tipped it — “food’s bangin, vibes are nice.”

What we ordered

  • Whipped feta with pistachio — the standout by a wide margin. I liked it enough that I’d go back almost purely for this.
  • Babaganoush — okay, nothing memorable, didn’t have much flavour to it. Don’t reorder.
  • Fried halloumi — really good; one of the things they’re known for.
  • Squash blossoms — no memory of these either way.
  • Lamb kebab — good. Nothing more specific stuck.
  • Grilled Arctic Char kebab — good. (I’d remembered this as “fish achar”; the menu says arctic char.)
  • IPA.

Room

  • Nice interior, on the darker side — good for photos.

Loose ends

  • No record of the bill or of what Sanam and Jess thought.
  • Return visit 2026-08-29 with Jess, Vicky and Nithu, 9 PM res — see that day’s entry. Plan is to try the breaded chicken and steak kebab this time.