Land of the rising yum: a true taste of Japan in Cape Town

While ramen may be served quickly, and likely slurped up even faster, the cooking is certainly not to be done in a hurry. The rich flavourful broths that are a signature of Ramenhead are allowed plenty of time to simmer and mature in flavour: up to 16 hours in some cases!

‘There is no way to replicate a slow food approach without allowing the flavours time to grow,’ says Tempelhoff. ‘This is a cornerstone in our preparation process, alongside using high-quality ingredients. Every broth should have layers of flavour, combining umami-rich ingredients like kombu, dried fish, or mushrooms with aromatics like garlic, ginger, and onions.’

When it comes to ramen the noodles are as important as the broth, and Ramenhead is the proud owner of the only Yamato Noodle Machine in Africa. That means they have the springy-est, most slurp-worthy noodles in town. Their Yamato was designed by Japanese experts who perfected the machine to produce high protein, low hydration noodles. Because ramen styles differ from region to region in Japan, the Yamato can also produce different styles of ramen noodles. 

Did you know that ramen noodles need rest? At Ramenhead they let the noodles chill out for up to five days before cooking, allowing the gluten structure time to mature through fermentation.

Ramen noodles have a springy, firm texture which comes from their alkalinity. This is created by adding kansui, an alkaline mineral water, to the dough recipe and is the reason ramen noodles are so slurp-worthy. Sticking to traditional practices, our ramen dough is made from the highest quality flour and kansui, ensuring they do not become too soft when cooked. 

Tare, or motodare is the final and main seasoning in every style of ramen broth. The most popular ones are Shoyu (soya sauce) which is from the Tokyo ramen region, Shio (salt) from Kitakata in central Japan, and miso which originates from the north island of Hokkaido ramens. At Ramenhead the chefs like to use all three across the various ramen bowls, offering local palates a variety of styles and flavours. With summer on the horizon, look out for the lighter styles – shoyu and shio – and keep the richer miso style for cooler days. 

Sushiya sources their sushi rice from fourth-generation rice farmers in the prefecture of Ishikawa in Japan. It’s the home prefecture of Sushiya’s co-founder chef Shin Takagi. And given that he has two Michelin stars to his name, he knows his stuff.

After harvest the rice is allowed to mature for two years. But good rice is only half the battle; you need the right seasoning too. Once the rice has been washed and cooked, the rice is flavoured with a mix of rice vinegar, mirin, sugar and salt. And, there’s a lesson for local sushi-lovers here too: in traditional sushi shops in Japan you would never dip your nigiri rice-first into the soy sauce. It’s always done fish-first, to preserve the perfectly balanced flavours of the rice. 

Wondering why there’s no salmon roses on the menu? Well, apart from focusing on classical nigiri, the Sushiya chefs are passionate about supporting local fishermen and tapping into the rich diversity of fish caught along the Cape coastline.

‘The original sushi used only local fish, which is what we’re doing,’ says Tempelhoff. ‘Our fish is super fresh and it’s served at different temperatures. Some is cold, some is room temperature, some is blow-torched.’

At Sushiya you might find yourself tasting local fish you’ve perhaps never tasted before:  from raw yellowtail to Cape bream, local squid and Southern yellowfin tuna. There’s even a ‘fish of the day’ board for you to check out when ordering.

Ramenhead uses imported Japanese soy sauce with 135 years of heritage behind it.

Suehiro Double Fermented Soy Sauce was founded in Tatsuno City, known as the ‘hometown of soy sauce’. Their distinctive usukuchi (light) soy sauce is fermented naturally, using locally sourced soybeans and wheat

While most sushi restaurants use commercial pre-made wasabi paste that contains only a tiny percentage of real wasabi, Sushiya uses real wasabi root from Watanabe Farm in Shizuoka, Japan. Established in 1950, Watanabe Farm specialises in producing fresh wasabi and is based in Japan’s heartland of wasabi cultivation. The wasabi served at Sushiya is freshly grated wasabi that has been freeze-dried and powdered to offer an authentic flavour of Japan.

Forget the slices of lumo-pink pickled ginger you get from that sushi delivery service. At Sushiya you can look forward to authentic sushi gari from Shioda Foods, which has been producing high-quality ginger products for almost 50 years. They meticulously hand-trim and process specific portions of each root to ensure the best quality, making a significant flavour difference to more industrial ginger products. 

Enhancing the experience at both Ramenhead and Sushiya is a selection of some of Japan’s most revered saké. These have been sourced from Fukumitsuya, one of Japan’s oldest and most respected breweries (yup, saké is brewed, not distilled), this saké offers a clean, refreshing complement to both ramen and sushi dishes. Crafted from high-quality rice, pure mountain spring water, and yeast, Fukumitsuya’s saké contains no added distilled alcohol and has an alcohol content of under 20 percent. Although often mistaken for a spirit, saké is classified as ‘rice wine’ and undergoes a brewing process similar to beer. For an authentic Japanese dining experience, this saké is the perfect pairing with your favourite ramen or sushi.