A culinary love letter to umami

July 7, 2025 By Tania Griffin 0

Located on Bree Street, Yatai Ramen Bar is your ideal first stop to satisfy your hunger before heading out for a romantic stroll along the Sea Point promenade.

The restaurant isn’t large, nor does it need to be. It’s designed for small, intimate groups looking to savour both conversation and a culinary experience.

The staff strike the perfect balance: attentive and friendly without being overbearing. You’re given space to talk, linger, and enjoy, without ever having to wave someone down.

The décor is elevated and leans toward the semi-formal—just the excuse you need to pull out that dress you rarely wear and a pair of heels that deserve a night out.

It’s a beautifully curated space. The kind that will make the Instagram foodie itch to pull out their phone, whether to capture the dry ice cloud surrounding your cocktail or the artful plating of each dish.

Now, the food. Simply delicious—and different. I genuinely can’t say I’ve had a meal quite like this before. There were flavours and ingredients that were completely new to me, and I’ll absolutely be seeking them out again.

Flavours are fresh, nuanced, and distinctly umami. If you’ve never fully understood the obsession with this flavour profile, you will now.

The menu isn’t intimidating. There are flavour notes that will remind you of comforting Indian curries—familiar, yet new enough to intrigue and impress.

We began with a complimentary starter: a Miso Bomb, served in a shallow bowl and consumed like a shot. A bold blend of salty, sweet, and acidic—like soy sauce with a zingy twist. Beneath that, the Chawamushi, a savoury custard dotted with micro mushrooms, delivered a creamy mouthfeel that kicked off the meal experience with a bang.

From the starters, my highlight was the Pork Cheek Skewers. Smoky, tender, and melt-in-your-mouth good. I could have devoured 50 of them, and though it’s a shared menu, I’d gladly guard that plate with my life.

One of the joys of the evening was getting to try new things. I had never heard of wood-ear mushrooms before—and while they weren’t my favourite, I appreciated the texture and the light tang of the salad dressing they were served with.

Then came the main event. A cold and rainy Cape Town evening practically begs for a hot bowl of ramen. And if, like me, you’ve been swept up in the wave of K-pop and K-dramas, you’ll understand the pure delight of slurping udon noodles with the glee of your favourite onscreen idols.

This bowl was everything.
The udon noodles were the perfect vehicle for the rich, velvety Katsu Curry, paired with katsu fried chicken—a comfort meal that warms you from the inside out.

Every dish is plated with intention, so much so that I almost felt guilty digging in. Thankfully, I captured each course in photos before indulging, and now I have keepsakes of the edible art.

Dessert didn’t disappoint either. I’m a full-blown sweet tooth and usually make a beeline for the cheesecake section of any menu. But here, the final course was something else: Wakame Crumble, Shiso Sorbet and a Soy Mirin Custard. A textural delight—crumbly, cold, sweet and salty. The perfect end to a rich menu, leaving me satisfied, not overly stuffed.

Just when I thought I couldn’t eat another bite, I tasted the Matcha Tiramisu—green tea and white chocolate, slightly bitter but subtly sweet—and the Black Sesame Ice Cream Sandwiches. Think sesame crackers encasing velvety sesame ice cream. Salty, sweet perfection.

Service was on point throughout. Staff were informative and open to all our questions. We were asked about allergies early on, and you could tell they were happy to accommodate where needed. Courses arrived with just the right pacing—no long waits, no awkward lulls.

Ladies—take note. The true MVP of the night was our waitress. Her drink recommendation? The pink drink with smoke. Yes. YES. Think strawberry shortcake milkshake meets grown-up cocktail. Ask for the Mekishiko. I need 20 more.