TOP 10 1. BAO DOWN 7. SHIO MODERN JAPANESE IZAKAYA Located on the fringe of residential , Stylish and sociable are the prevailing themes of De Waterkant, and Shio does Bao Down brings new excitement to the term them proud with an edgy interior and dishes made to share. Thank goodness for ‘neighbourhood eatery’. Graham Oldfield (formerly the latter, because it would be a real shame to experience order envy here. The of Chefs Warehouse) and his wife, Phillippa, have menu is divided into umi (ocean), tochi (land), chikyuu (earth) and amai (sweet), put together an innovative menu of Asian-American- and includes flavour explosions such as short-rib gyoza, yellowtail sashimi with inspired cuisine, from pillowy pork bao and prawn toast green mango pickle and yuzu grape gel, crispy duck on ginger dumplings, duck- with dipping sauces, to Korean spicy chicken wings and fat fries, a nori tuna taco and forbidden risotto, to name a few crowd favourites. a hot-and-sour soup with beef brisket. The intimate Shio is the third restaurant opened by chef Cheyne Morrisby (of Lucky Bao interior has a vintage aesthetic Wes Anderson would and the eponymous Cheyne’s in ), and some say it’s his best yet. be proud of, with blush walls, mint leather chairs and THE GREY BOUTIQUE HOTEL, 49 NAPIER STREET, DE WATERKANT an assortment of green glass tableware. It’s open for thegreyhotel.co.za/shio dinner Tuesday to Saturday from 6 to 10 pm, with a set Sunday lunch menu. At the time of going to print, Bao Down did not yet have a liquor licence, so remember to BYOB (with no corkage charged). 8. TOMO 3 VREDEHOEK AVENUE, VREDEHOEK 6. SOUTH CHINA Long-time fans of the sushi at DIM SUM BAR Willoughby & Co in the V&A Waterfront If plate after plate of made-to-order are thrilled that Japanese chef David dumplings, pot stickers, bao, soup and Yen has opened his own restaurant. noodles sounds like your cup of tea, You’ll spot familiar favourites on the then this is the spot to pull up a stool menu (Reloaded rolls, anyone?), but at. It’s small and unfussy, with tiny tables we’d recommend branching out to get 5. OBI that encourage ordering, enjoying and the full Tomo experience, which runs the This eatery is the moving on. The walls feature vintage gamut of teppanyaki, dumplings, robata, latest venture by the legendary martial arts movie posters, and an open noodles, sushi and sashimi. Dishes are Hatsushiro Muraoka, affectionately kitchen allows you to see your meal designed to be shared, but if you known by Capetonians as Papa San. coming to you straight from the pan struggle to come to a unanimous His previous two restaurants, Minato or steamer. The à la carte menu is decision, the bento box offers a great and Takumi, were runaway successes supplemented by daily fusion specials, introduction to Japanese cuisine. Not thanks to the consistently excellent and there’s a wine list should you quite ready for dinner yet? Ascend the Japanese cuisine on offer, and Obi wish to linger a little longer. spiral staircase to the tea room. continues this tradition. The fresh 289 LONG STREET, CBD 86 LOOP STREET, CORNER OF LOOP sushi, made to order, is perfect every AND SHORTMARKET STREETS, CBD 2. BU YA RAMEN & SAKE BAR facebook.com/SouthChinaDimSumBar time, with the menu rounded out facebook.com/tomocapetown ‘Fusion ramen’ is the theme at this hip by a small but satisfying selection Kloof Street restaurant, so don’t expect EAsTEr n of tempura, ramen and house 9. THREE WISE MONKEYS a strictly traditional bowl of noodles. The specialities. If you’re in the inner IZAKAYA AND RAMEN menu is inspired by the cuisine of Korea, city between noon and 2 pm, An izakaya is a casual Japanese bar or pub serving food, and Japan and Vietnam, and is therefore prOmIsEs you can’t go wrong with the the owners of Three Wise Monkeys have cleverly transplanted a melting pot of flavours. Looking for lunchtime bento-box special. the idea into the market. It’s usually full and festive, something lighter? Try the tapas menu, OUR PICK OF THE BEST ASIAN-INSPIRED 14 LONG STREET, CBD with patrons cheerfully slurping ramen or snaffling up sushi amid which offers the likes of coconut tempura EATERIES AROUND THE CITY obirestaurant.co.za the custom Dragon Ball Z murals. As well as Japanese cuisine, prawns, crab cakes in a black bean and the menu offers a few Chinese, Korean and fusion favourites, garlic sauce, and crispy wontons. If you from a sushi donut to fried-buttermilk-chicken bao. There’s like your Asian experience accompanied a small but decent wine list, as well as beer on tap and a ‘sake by an acid-coloured cocktail and some 4. DOWNTOWN RAMEN monkey’ cocktail to get you prepped for a night out. sweet beats, this is the spot for you; a It’s all in the name here: Downtown Ramen delivers 77 REGENT ROAD, range of imported sake is available, to steaming, traditionally prepared bowls of this Japanese 10. TJING TJING threewisemonkeys.co.za be enjoyed neat or in one of the heady staple in a dive setting that makes you feel as though Tjing Tjing has stood the test of time in signature cocktails, and there’s a you’re in on the foodie underground. The menu is short notoriously fickle Cape Town – long enough DJ spinning house music from and scrawled on a blackboard, offering a choice of four images.co.za to see this rooftop bar morph into the three- the early evening. kinds of ramen: the signature shoyu (light broth with storey dining experience it is today. On the 64 KLOOF STREET, GARDENS chashu pork belly), kimiko (clear broth with tofu), laksa ground floor, you have the newly renovated facebook.com/buyaramenbar (a spicy coconut broth with chicken or tofu) and spicy miso (with braised beef). Start with a serving of bao if Tjing Tjing Torii, open from brunch to late you’re extra-hungry (though the ramen portions are for everything from pan-fried dumplings sizeable to say the least), and complete the experience and tamago (Japanese omelette) to ramen with a carafe of sake. Tampopo would be proud. and bento boxes. A level up – literally and 106 HARRINGTON STREET, CBD figuratively – is the new Tjing Tjing Momiji, offering a 10- to 12-course tasting menu 3. KYOTO GARDEN SUSHI inspired by the traditional Japanese kaiseki Kyoto specialises in fresh seafood, so if you’re willing to venture beyond salmon (multi-course menu) and expertly paired SCAN and tuna into the realm of eel, sea urchin, Mozambican conch, farmed abalone and with sake and wine. (Book your party into HERE Alaskan king crab, this is the place to do it. Though ‘sushi’ is in the name, it’s not all the Momiji Lounge for after dinner, with its FEAST YOUR EYES ON SOME that’s on the menu, which includes a selection of soups (try The Sea, with prawns, exclusive cocktails, sake and spirits.) Holding OF THESE ASIAN clams, octopus, mussels, scallops and seaweed in a clear broth), salads, tempura strong on the rooftop is the original Tjing DINING SPOTS and specialities. Each plate is delicately innovative and full of subtle flavour and Tjing bar, with its bespoke cocktails, hot indie IN THE CITY

texture, making this arguably the best Japanese dining experience in the city. TONDER/HM VAN JOTHAM PHOTOGRAPHY: COOKE; TEXT: TAYLOR JADE playlists and new otsumami (bar snack) menu. 11 LOWER , GARDENS 165 LONGMARKET STREET, CBD kyotogardensushict.com tjingtjing.co.za 25