Izakaya Kúkai

Located in the Victoria Mall in Hout Bay, Izakaya Kúkai is quietly serving some of the best Japanese cuisine in Cape Town (and, dare we say it, the country). At the helm is renowned Japanese chef Arata Koga, formerly of Tank and Genki. A concise menu offers interesting Japanese starters (think sweetcorn and edamame tempura, and a grilled swordfish skewer), flavourful ramen and, of course, a variety of sushi. This place is also heaven for vegetarians – the options abound and are, without fail, interesting and delicious. Most of the praise belong to the sushi menu, however, in particular the chef’s special sashimi options. It’s a small, cosy spot and when the restaurant gets busy you might have to settle in and wait a little longer for the sushi to arrive – Koga is a sushi master after all, and takes pride in his meticulous preparation and presentation. Our advice is to book ahead, leave enough time for a proper meal, and sit back to enjoy all those masterful flavours.

Don't leave without trying:
The seared tuna on the Chef’s Special sashimi section gets rave reviews.