Situated on the first floor of 165 Longmarket Street in Cape Town, Tjing Tjing Torii feels like a brilliant secret. The restaurant and bar was voted Best Asian Eatery in the Western Cape by Eat Out readers in 2015. Katharine Jacobs went to investigate – and thinks she may just have an inkling why.

A photo posted by Lesedi Ramonyane (@sedi_ramone) on Sep 12, 2015 at 12:11am PDT

Fast facts

Average meal: tapas portions from R25 to R75; larger boards range from R40 to R170
Serves: Japanese-inspired tapas
Best for: a special occasion, or a dinner at any time, really
Parking: On-street. Can be a bit challenging – so rather take an Uber
Star ratings: Food 4, Ambience 4, Service 5

Food

Named for a traditional Japanese gate usually found at the entrance to a shrine, Torii acts as a gateway to Japanese flavours. The menu is full of fun, delicious teasers, the flavours inspired by owner Ilse Koekemoer and chef Christi Semczyszyn’s love of Japan and Japanese cuisine.

A photo posted by Christi Semczyszyn (@pepper_annarchy) on Aug 28, 2015 at 1:13pm PDT

We start off with one of sharing boards, a fabulously refreshing platter of self-assembly lettuce wraps. It might sound simple, but it’s actually pretty special thanks to an excellent peanut sauce, which pairs beautifully with the pickled ginger and some segments of lemon.

Then it’s on to a small side of nasu dengaku – cubes of miso-roasted aubergines that are nothing short of transcendent. This, for anyone who’s still not sure about the mysterious fifth taste, is what umami is all about. These are aubergines as you’ve never had them before: meaty, salty, and unctous in the way that roast lamb, still swimming in its flavour-rich fat, or powerful exotic mushrooms, might be.

From here, we tackle some dishes from the plates portion of the menu: lime-cured fish, prettily plated with chilli aioli; and panko beef tataki, with butter-soft cubes of fillet, crumbed and fried and sprinkled with sweet, crispy fried onions.

A Pork Atsui Dog from Tjing Tjing Torii. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

Next comes a special for the night, a plate of fall-off-the-bone pork ribs in five-spice and the sweet, sticky glaze that my heart yearns for. A minute of total silence passes between my dining companion and me as we gnaw on our respective ribs, until he pauses to say “Chat later”, before returning his full attention to his meal. They’re the best ribs I’ve eaten all year.

A photo posted by Jaime Waddington (@jaimewaddington) on Aug 6, 2015 at 12:27pm PDT

For dessert, we try the Japanese cheesecake – a little lighter and eggier than the Western version – and the ice cream and dorayaki. The latter features balls of creamy matcha and stunning black-sesame ice cream, topped with what looks like a macaron. It is, in fact, two little pancakes filled with sweet, earthy red bean paste.

Drinks

An excellent, interesting wine list is complemented by something you might not expect at a tapas-style restaurant like Torii: a sommelier. Samuel Ross is the perfect man for the job. He’s friendly, relaxed and is good at reading diners, so he adds a fun touch to the experience. Allow Samuel to suggest something you haven’t tried before, or something that’ll pair well with the flavours you’re about to experience. There’s also sherry, straw wine, port and sake.

A photo posted by Joey (@sarishajoey) on Aug 5, 2015 at 8:27am PDT

Service

Everyone we encounter is relaxed and friendly, but attentive. Dishes come out of the Torii kitchen as they’re ready, so place your order in stages if you’d prefer to stagger the evening.

Ambience

The former White Room space has been transformed: it’s equally beautiful, but perhaps a little more playful now. Moody navy walls, a chandelier and Philippe Starck Ghost chairs contrast with illustrations on the blinds featuring young girls with cats, tattoos, bats, skulls and a miniature dinosaur.

A photo posted by InstaEatsCapeTown (@instaeatscapetown) on Sep 16, 2015 at 6:53am PDT

And…

This is a fun, contemporary take on Japanese flavours rather than an attempt at an authentic, pure version of ancient dishes. Dishes are easy to love as there’s a clear focus on making things delicious, and the tables surrounding ours are voluble with their compliments to the chef. We have a small feast for under R500, which, considering the quality of the food, is great value for money.

Eat Out critics dine anonymously and pay for their meals in full. Read the editorial policy here.

Do you think Tjing Tjing Torii deserves its title of Best Asian Eatery in the Western Cape? Let us know in a review.

A photo posted by Desrie (@desrieg) on Nov 26, 2015 at 8:54am PST