Nikkei refers to Japanese Peruvian cuisine, it’s also the name of Cape Town’s newest restaurant.
In 1899, the first Japanese immigrants arrived in Peru; the last in 1936. Mostly men between 20 and 45, they were contracted to work on cane plantations. It was a hard life.
But still, the Japanese community thrived, influencing all social spheres.
And gave rise to Japanese Peruvian food, which is called Nikkei. The Japanese introduced new ingredients to Peruvian cuisine such as miso, ginger, soy, wasabi and rice vinegar, while integrating Peruvian ingredients like aji or yellow pepper, Andes potatoes and corn. The Japanese even influenced ceviche, that quintessential Peruvian staple, for example (they marinate it in lime juice for a few minutes rather than hours, and add ginger and soy sauce, in case you were wondering).
Nikkei is in the Hacienda, Scala Pasta, Iron Steak and Burger & Lobster stable, so you know you’re in for a treat. The team gutted the old Gate69 to create a mysterious dark green space, with influences from the 1920s seen in the lines, panels and lighting. And you can watch the chefs seamlessly working over the hot coals and robatayaki.
One Michelin star chef chef Rikku O’Donnchu consulted on the menu, which is ably executed by group executive chef Justin Barker.
Start your meal with a cocktail at the bar. While tasty, my classic pisco sour was the poor cousin to my friend’s Stars of Machu Picchu, a singing combination of La Diablada Pisco, agave and pink peppercorns. We would have had another (several others?), and moved on to the sake cocktail menu, but our table was ready.
The waitrons are dressed in pink kimono-like jackets and black trousers. Impressively, although the ceiling is high, the floor tiled and the music part of the vibe, the sound is manageable. You can even have a conversation.
My friend and I are both vegetarian, so we got the vegan amuse bouche of edamame with tiger’s milk foam and beetroot on an edible oyster shell. It sets up your palate nicely for what’s to come. Edamame is always a win in my books, and so we ordered the edamame starter too, dressed with fermented chilli ketchup and cooling radish and cucumber salad. The crispy citrus tofu with green garlic aioli is delicious. It is very (very) easy to get tofu wrong. Nikkei does not.
But the stand out for us was the truffle maki with black truffle mousse, nori and fresh black truffle. Nikkei sushi differs from the Japanese in the rice. It is less sticky, a longer and almost imperceptibly crunchy grain.
We have it on good authority (the table seated next to us) that the citrus and kelp cured seabass with yuzu emulsion, chilli, red pepper salsa and ginger dressing, and the salmon teriyaki with sesame and red onion salsa are deliciously palette-pleasing.
Nikkei is a tasty and fun new addition to Cape Town’s restaurant offerings, and recommended for a happy evening (or lunch). There are also specials:
Pisco Hour is half price on all pisco cocktails, Monday to Saturday, 4pm ‒ 5.30pm.
Sushi & Sake Sundays is a special 25-piece sushi platter for R199 and half price on all sake cocktails – and there is usually a live DJ on the decks, noon to 6pm.
Note: Nikkei is not disabled friendly. Wide stairs up to the entrance from the street, and narrow down to the facilities.
Note 2: there are some vegan options, but not many – four on the Entradas (appetisers), two on the Piqueos (small plates) menus.
Operating hours: Monday to Sunday, noon to 10.30pm
Address: 87 Bree Street, Cape Town
Contact: 021 109 0081
Visit nikkei.co.za or see @nikkei_za on Instagram.
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Words and images: Lorraine Kearney
