Food & drink

Restaurant Feature: Kyoto Garden

by Karisa
written by Karisa

Kyoto Garden is one of those cult Cape Town eateries that’s been around for a while and continues to impress year after year. They recently invited me over for dinner to check out a few menu & decor updates, but most importantly also to get a look at the Covid protocols that they’re implemented to ensure every single guest feels as safe and comfortable as possible.

Located at: 11 Kloof Nek Road, Gardens, Cape Town

Upon arrival all guests are screened which includes a temperature check as well. Masks are mandatory for all staff at all times & also for guests when moving around. Tables are also spaced out to ensure that social distancing is in place & of course being a restaurant kitchen hygiene is always a number 1 priority. All in all, I felt completely comfortable that all precautions were being taken & that I could enjoy a lovely meal in a beautiful setting without any stress.

Have always loved their neutral colour palette and natural wood furnishings. It creates a completely zen atmosphere and sets the scene perfectly for an authentic Japanese experience.
You also have the option of sitting at the sushi bar which features a pop of colour with its beautiful lime green backdrop – something I’m very much drawn to because when I renovated my kitchen I went for lime green splashbacks too! #GreatMinds

So what has given Kyoto Garden such a cult status over the years?

  • They source unusual ingredients from around the world. Think anything from farmed abalone to Mozambican conch, eel, sea urchin, and even Alaskan king crab, deep-sea scallops and wild salmon. So really things you won’t easily find elsewhere in Cape Town.
  • They have SA’s largest collection of Japanese whisky with a very unique cocktail selection to boot. So a definite must for any whisky lover.
  • Owner, Scott Wood, offers hands-on advice on specialties and combinations for those new to Japanese dining.
  • In 2018 they won Eat Out’s award for Best Seafood Restaurant in Cape Town.

So what’s on the menu? You can have a look at the full menu over here. The menu is broken up as follows: To Begin, The Grill, Soup / Osuimono, Salads, Tempura, Curry, Mains, Sides, Sushi & Dessert. I always find myself hovering around the first few categories (plus some sushi) and never really end up making it to a full blown main. That’s just because I like to sample a variety of things & can never decide on just one dish. But if you’re wanting to jump right into something more substantial, I can highly recommend any of their noodles dishes as well as the steamed fish.

On this particular night I did what I usually do and went for a selection of smaller dishes, starting with
Ceviche of fresh Yellowtail:

Looks simple, but is anything but… a must try if you’re a sashimi / ceviche lover.

Scott then recommended that we try the Tuna Tartare of Big Eye as well as the Soya Paper Rolls with Prawns & Scallops:

Simple, but the freshness & quality of the tuna speaks for itself. I also need to add a special shout-out to the non-alcoholic cocktail that they made for my dining partner in crime. She loved it so much she referred to it as “a tropical holiday in a glass”.
Tricky to photograph, but these were delicious too. Don’t forget the dipping sauce! It’s what give this dish an extra punch.

Scott then also recommended the Somen Noodles and Clams and even though this dish is from the “To Begin” section of the menu, it’s still quite a substantial portion:

Their noodle dishes are always winners. This one was no different.

And then to finish we had a selection of Grilled Scallops, Kingflip Tempura & (my personal favourite of the night) Scallop Nigiri:

Could really do with another portion of that nigiri… it’s literally dreamworthy.

Of course no evening is complete without atleast a little something sweet, and at Kyoto you definitely want to leave some space for an Ice Cream & Crêpe combo. This is a very light dessert, so easy to make space for it & their ice creams are truly something to experience.

In the back is their vegan chocolate ice cream & in the front was a special ice cream they had on the night that I for the life of me can’t remember what it was! All I can say is that it was absolutely delicious. I’ve also had their green tea & black sesame ice creams on previous occasions and am a HUGE fan girl of both.

So ja, another very enjoyable evening at a really lovely restaurant that I always happily recommend to anyone who is looking for a unique seafood experience. This is a not a traditional seafood platter style restaurant, this is really something in its own category. Price-wise it is on the higher end due to the special ingredients on offer, but not out of place when compared to other Cape Town eateries of this caliber. The service is friendly & attentive and the Covid protocols that they’ve implemented allow you to enjoy your meal with complete peace of mind.

Not yet comfortable with dining out? No problem at all – you can also order via Dineplan or Mr D. Ready to dive in? Then give them a call on +27 21 422 2001 or book via DinePlan over here. They are open: Monday to Saturday from 5.30pm to 11pm.

ALSO: If you’re looking for a bit of privacy or have a special event in mind, they also have a private dining room available:

So that’s something to keep in mind.

I’m no longer doing my Miss K Kiss-o-Meter rating scale for restaurant features. Why? A mix of reasons really… 1) I feel like I’ve outgrown it, 2) I was only ever featuring restaurants that I really loved, so scores always ended up being on the top end of the scale & therefore the whole scoring thing became a bit redundant, and 3) With the impacts of Covid 19 our restaurant industry needs all the love & support it can get. If I have a bad experience, I’d rather raise it with the restaurant directly. This is something I was doing before Covid anyway and something I’ll continue to do. But ja, long story short, please trust that if I feature a restaurant here on the blog it’s because I loved the experience & think it’s worth adding to your “must try” list. I will also always be upfront about review invites & gifted meals and will add this in the form of the hashtags you will see below.

#gifted #reviewinvite

%d bloggers like this: