Kyoto Garden Sushi 

At this Japanese restaurant the exquisitely fresh ingredients are treated with the same delicate minimalism as the contemporary decor. The sushi is good, but many find they return for the other Japanese delicacies like clams, gently steamed in sake, the feather-light tempura or The Saute: a tantalising gentle aromatic seafood mix that includes prawns, octopus and scallops served on slabs of caramel tofu. For dessert, the green-tea crêpes are perfection.

Only a very basic selection of about five white and five red wines, as well as some Japanese beers and whiskeys. The cocktails are absolutely delicious and highly recommended.

The service is unhurried, precise and shows Asian hospitality, often by the eccentric owner himself.

A tranquil and contemporary minimalist space of light woods and a murmuring water feature where time slows down. It is ideal for an intimate or romantic evening.

The ingredients are incredibly fresh, especially the oysters. The fresh wasabi root that is grated onto your plate is a real treat. (AL, September 2010)

Jane Hughes
1-Feb-2012

The best sushi in Cape Town: Kyoto Garden Sushi

I am a frequent globe trotter with some certainty that I’ve been in some very good sushi joints world wide enough to say I have a fair standard of sushi-judging.



I have visited Beluga, Sevruga, Willoughby and Nobu which have been so-called rated as the best for quality of sushi. I was just scanning through my lonely planet tourist guide to find something to do, when I saw an article on Kyoto garden sushi. Tucked away on Lower Kloofnek Road, very easy to find parking not too over crowded.



Upon entering Kyoto Garden Sushi, I felt like I was transported to a Japanese restaurant in Tokyo. The place definitely had a lot of thought and taste put in to it - Japanese style at its best. The Zen-like atmosphere was so relaxing. Mini water feature next to the bathrooms only added to this.



The menu confirmed the Japanese authenticity along with the Japanese sushi. I had never had abalone sushi. While the menu doesn’t have what you’d expect as the full range of Japanese dishes, I had never thought of having tempura oysters.



We were handed a cocktail menu on being seated, the boyfriend had a drink mix of whisky, lime, fresh ginger and I had a drink called the dirty ninja, it was not the name that sold it but the fact of putting cucumber with sake, I had to try it to see if it worked. The drinks were very well thought of and tasted great.



After ordering we were served snacks - edamame beans, baby clams, prawns, fried squid and jellyfish. What you have to love about Japanese people is they’ll eat anything. You could never accuse them of unadventurous eating. It all felt very authentic.



For starters, the boyfriend had Miso soup, and I tried The Sea - both were delicious.

We moved onto the highlight of the evening: a chef’s choice sushi platter of sashimi, nigiri and california rolls. I can’t effuse enough praise on the sushi: it was unfaultable. The fish was the freshest I’ve ever had in a long time even when I have been for sushi in London and New York, the rice was perfectly soft and flavoured and even the wasabi paste tasted better than at other sushi restaurants. I could have eaten piles more.



We got told about the dessert by the polite waiter who told us about Green tea ice cream with a green tea crêpe, that topped off my evening.

But seeing as the rest of the food was so top-notch, I decided I had to come back before we left back to the UK. I felt that we had not even delved deep enough into how good the rest of the menu is and I felt I am going to miss out on some very special foods.



Scott, the owner, told us that he only uses the freshest ingredients available and had also traveled extensively. It’s this attention to freshness that is clearly evident in the dishes and makes Kyoto Garden Sushi stand out from its competitors.



Kyoto Garden Sushi is a bit more pricey than your average sushi restaurant, but then it’s definitely not your average sushi restaurant. It’s more a special occasion kind of place



This is the place to go for fine sushi and fantastic cooked Japanese food for sure. I have never been so impressed.



Best regards

Jane

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