Cape Town
Nobu, One&Only, V&A Waterfront. 021 431 5111. Dinner nightly. Price: Expensive.
Nobuyuki Matsuhisa now has 22 restaurants around the world, making his famous “Nobu” line one of the most upmarket chains on the planet. Relative ubiquity notwithstanding, the arrival of the first African Nobu irrevocably changed the South African sushi landscape – this is the place to experience it at its best. Whether you order à la carte or choose a set menu like the omakase (“from the heart”) chef’s selection, the fish is of the highest grade and the presentation true to the precise aesthetic of Japanese culture – every plate beautiful (no coloured plastic here). A South African omakase menu features only local seafoods, while the other menus showcase local and global delicacies. But most importantly, Hideki Maeda, head chef, is a master of the sushi-meshi, the rice – the discernibly individual, firm-to-the-bite grains held together by a delicate magnetism, never bluntly compressed, a mark of the finest. Wines: Sake is the preferred drink, and the choice is intriguing, from the dry Hokusetsu “devil killer” to the “aged music book” – or choose wine from a carefully selected list gleaned from the hotel’s immense cellar. You can of course ask for the maze sommelier to bring his biblical list over.
Sake House, 17 Old Stanhope Rd, Claremont. 021 674 7600. Lunch Mon-Sat and dinner Mon-Sun. Price: Inexpensive to average.
Rather stuck away in an unprepossessing corner of Claremont with views of a taxi parking lot, and inhabiting a cavernous room that could pass as a conference facility, Sake House has what it takes to overcome such obstacles (which would certainly slay a lesser restaurant). Regulars are in tune with the fantastic lunchtime specials that include “lunchbox” or bento-style meals and the reduced price sushi, and the jazzy soundtrack and urbane service show that the team here are no beginners. In fact, head chef Eddie is a veteran of the Cape Town sushi scene and this tenure has also resulted in good relationships with local fishermen for absolutely fresh ingredient. The sushi menu is expansive and often boldly fusion in the modern tradition (lots of American variants and “fried” sushi for those that like their raw cooked). The adventurous chef’s palette includes cheeky options like sushi “boerewors” (spicy tuna) and the “Rainbow Nation Platter” with all manner of colourful rolled sushi, or maki. The technique here is very good and the fish portions are generous, matched to considered presentation. And if you feel like stepping out of Japanese territories, the dim sum is some of the best in town. Wines: A good selection of sauvignon blancs makes it clear they know what the punters want with their seafood, no vintages are given, but the prices are extremely reasonable.
Durban
Daruma, The Elangeni Hotel, Snell Parade, Durban Beachfront. 031 337 0423. Mon-Sat lunch and dinner, Sun dinner. Price: Average.
For a city at the sea, Durban is hard-pressed for sushi options. Fortunately, they do have Daruma, and appropriately it’s right on the beach, though we all know what this means – a hotel ambience… and Daruma has it in spades, though with enough of a patina of the seventies to begin to make incursions into retro-chic (think Sean Connery’s Bond and the colour of the rooms in those movies). Piped cyclical Japanese music, carpets and room dividers are your companions, unless you’re there for the displays of teppanyaki derring-do. The sushi menu is vast and more traditional than most modern spots, even with “Old Fashion Special Sushi” like chirashizushi (scattered rice sushi) that’s served in a lacquered box; as well as good value set menu sushi that comes with trimmings like miso soup. Quality is high across the board – it’s one of those times that old-school is the best school. Presentation perfect and precise, on lovely earthen plates, the cutting technique is spot on and the rice really good. Wines: A workable list that’s not long on exotic options but rather safe-and-sound with a reliance on the traditional workhorses of the industry. But with Durban’s typically softer prices.
Other decent Cape Town options:
Balducci’s Royal Sushi, V&A Waterfront. 021 421 6002. Average to expensive.
The fishbowl that stands outside Balducci’s might not look like a contender, but don’t be fooled – this is quality sushi. While the environs don’t really make for a lingering meal, the vibe is fun and you are right where the action is – about a metre from the business end of a razor-sharp fish knife. Good wine list too.
Hong. Stadium on Main Centre, Main Rd, Claremont. 021 683 6700. Inexpensive.
Stuck in a curious twilight-zone centre that’s the opposite of the high-society Cavendish, Hong is a workaday joint with tables in and out, a TV and soft drink fridge in corner. The menu is vast and packed with unusual combinations in the modern style (though not sure I care for “African Dream” sushi), all at good quality for the very fair prices. Limited wine, but cheap.
Minato. 4 Buiten Str, Cape Town. 021 423 4712. Average.
Many love this poky, gaudy spot with slow service and diverse array of posted instructions to the patron about how to negotiate the menu and kitchen (“order all at once, then relax”) – and the reason is that the sushi is good and the cuts of fish some of the most generous in town. Wine selection small but some less obvious picks for added interest.
Willoughby & Co. V&A Waterfront. 021 418 6115. Average.
A perennial favourite, the action is never-ending at this pan-Asian seafood specialist and fishmonger. Sushi quality is consistent but don’t expect too much care given to presentation – this is high-speed food. The wine list was conquered by a single producer not too long ago, which is seldom a good thing, in this case there are many enjoyable options, and usefully pretty much all by the carafe.
[This information first published in Wine Magazine, February 2010]
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3 Comments
As a regular of Sake House I have been disappointed with my last fiew visists. Portions have gotten smaller (eg tuna tartare missing from the two oceans platter), dim sum plain bad and service bordering on the frightening!
Will continue to go as the sushi is good quality and reasonably priced compared to the competition, but needs to up its game.
Genki in Stellenbosch is well-worth adding to any sushi-lover’s list.
There has been some question around the fact that Cape Town’s Kyoto Garden Sushi did not make it into my round-up. This restaurant was revisited for the story and I had high hopes, as I have previously been impressed by the food here. But on this visit, the sushi was poor with very wet rice being the main glitch… the rest of the seafood was good, but the sushi really did not convince me.