Feng Sushi: Southbank BBQ

I think it would be good to clarify at the start of this piece that I'm a big fan of both sushi and barbecues. So when I heard Feng Sushi was barbecuing sushi you can probably imagine how incredibly excited I was, and if you can't, try harder. This was a winner. 

However, the good times were about to take a rude knock and, unfortunately for me and my companion, we were met with the mortal enemy of the BBQ: rain. Uh oh.

It's always awkward when it rains at a barbecue. Do you call it off? Do you plough on and hope the rain doesn't come to anything? These are decisions that need to be made with conviction, this is not a time for umm-ing and ahh-ing.

We opted to do the brave thing and pretend the rain wasn't happening. Summer cocktail anyone? Thankfully, Feng Sushi had the same idea as us and resolutely prepared delicious Japanese cocktails for us to enjoy. The drinks were made with shochu, a Japanese spirit becoming increasingly popular around London and at a gentle 25% abv you can drink as many as you want. (Note: that isn't sound medical advice.)

The food is also delicious and is the perfect snack size to have either after work or before the theatre. It is a bit fiddly to eat though, especially the giant Indonesian tiger prawns, so try to find somewhere to sit down or you'll likely find yourself in a world of trouble. However, you will soon forgive any eating difficulties when you taste the food; the prawns are flavoured brilliantly, the seasoning never overpowering the meat and the chicken yakitori is light and succulent; it's clear that 'barbecue' isn't a code word for dry and overcooked here.

The best kind of barbecue is one you can enjoy even if the weather is sub-par, and Feng Sushi gets this spot on. The second you slake your thirst on a shochu cocktail and grab yourself some chicken yakitori you'll be right in the middle of summertime, British or otherwise.

The summer BBQ will run every Thursday- Sunday 12-9pm until 4 September. Weather permitting.
fengsushi.co.uk