Kyoto Garden Sushi introduces magical six-course tasting menu

Shallow Seas, Into the Cold, Rising Sun, Deep Ika, Ocean Blue, and Kori Cream; the course titles for Kyoto Garden Sushi's current six-course tasting menu reads like an enchanting poem or titles of captivating artworks.

Luckily the food behind the evocative titles lives up to its promise, and the tasting menu is a surprising, moving and exciting Japanese culinary adventure, with no need to travel across seas, as Kyoto resides on the hip Kloof Nek corner in Cape Town.

Kyoto Garden Sushi introduces magical six-course tasting menu

Unfamiliar taste bud territory

Starting with the most adventurous course Shallow Seas, which includes eel, scallop and sea urchin, one is immediately ushered into unfamiliar taste bud territory. The eel is pungently fishy, the urchin, which is wrapped in rice and nori rich and decadent and the scallops draped over rice, super clean and pure. What an excellent start!

Shallow Seas
Shallow Seas
Deep Ika
Deep Ika

Second course Deep Ika simply consists of a grilled squid tube and tentacles resting in a pool of squid ink. Perfectly cooked squid and a subtly salty and inky black sauce, that’s all you need.

Masters in the art of tempura

Rising Sun, the third course is a delicate arrangement of tempura leaves and oysters accompanied by a well-balanced dipping sauce. Crisp and light, the chefs at Kyoto are absolute masters in the art of tempura.

The following course, Into the Cold was my absolute favourite and is definitely going up on the ultimate list of delicious things I have ever eaten. This might sound unusual once the ingredients are revealed as the dish only really consists of four items, noodles, fresh lime, broth and ice-cubes. As the name suggests this a cold dish and is wonderfully refreshing. The noodles are thick and udon-like, wonderfully chewy and slurpable while the broth, though similar to water in appearance and consistency, packs such a flavour punch one is happily surprised; zingy, fresh and unami-full it’s soul reviving stuff, I could just drink a cup full of it.

Rising Sun
Rising Sun
Into the Cold
Into the Cold

Last of the savoury dishes, Ocean Blue consists of lobster claws and a sweet caramel like a brown butter sauce. Super moreish, this is one dish you just dive into, brown butter sauce dribbling down your chin and all.

Unusual ice-creams

Final and dessert course Kori Cream is a trio of unusually flavoured ice-creams; matcha, miso and sesame seed. The matcha is fresh and herbaceous with a slightly bitter note, while the sesame is comforting and earthy however the miso was the most unusual and in my opinion the best flavour of the three. Fermented fish meets indulgent caramel, not an ice-cream flavour profile you think would work but it does.

Ocean Blue
Ocean Blue
Kori Cream
Kori Cream

If your budget allows don't miss out on sampling some of the Japanese whiskeys and sake on offer, the perfect night cap!

The special tasting menu is R1,400 for two and is highly recommended for adventurous diners looking for a magical night out.

Kyoto Garden Sushi is situated at 11 Kloof Nek Road, Gardens, Cape Town and is open from Monday to Saturday from 5.30pm to 11pm. To make a reservation call +27 (0)21 422 2001.

kyotogardensushict.com

Photography by Claire Gunn

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