There is something dark and mysterious about Ramenhead Izakaya when you first arrive. Tucked away on Kloof Street, it feels like the sort of place where something interesting is happening behind the door.
Once inside, though, it becomes remarkably easy. Comfortable, relaxed and fun, Ramenhead embraces the spirit of an izakaya, Japan’s informal style of drinking and dining where drinks flow, food keeps coming and nobody is particularly concerned about how long you are going to sit there.
We were led inside and seated directly in front of the kitchen, giving me a front-row seat to the chefs at work. Around us, manga wallpaper, traditional screens and the familiar display cases of Japanese ramen shops paid homage to the culture without making the restaurant feel like a theme park.
Ramenhead is also home to what it describes as South Africa’s first sake bar, introducing diners to the roughly 2,500-year-old tradition of fermented rice alcohol.
I started with a traditional Japanese highball cocktail, while my companion went for the strawberry sakura slushy, served in a kagatobi sake jar and topped with strawberry boba pearls.
But we weren’t there for the drinks. Well, not only the drinks.
We were there for one thing: the omakase experience.
Roughly translating to “I leave it up to you”, omakase puts the selection of the meal in the chef’s hands. Ramenhead’s version takes diners through four stops, showcasing the sushi and kitchen teams working hand in hand.
At the helm of the kitchen is Executive Chef Julia du Toit, with restaurateurs Peter Tempelhoff and Ashley Moss behind the wider Ramenhead vision. At the new Kloof Street address, that vision has expanded beyond the bowl, bringing together sushi, izakaya plates, sake and a four-stop omakase alongside the ramen that made the name.
Stop One: Sushi
The first course brought sashimi and tataki, octopus in vinegar, oshizushi and futomaki.
The Osaka-style oshizushi came as tuna with daikon, spring onion and shichimi, and yellowtail with lemon aioli, green chilli, coriander and sesame. The futomaki packed seven ingredients into one substantial roll, including tuna loin, fried tuna belly, tuna tartare scraped from the bones and Namibian crab mayonnaise.
The sushi was delicate, melt-in-your-mouth and beautifully balanced, but what also deserves a mention was the rice. Served at room temperature rather than fridge-cold, it allowed the fish and seasoning to speak for themselves.
Stop Two: Agemono
Next came vegetable and prawn tempura, chicken karaage and kingklip with tempura crumb.
The karaage was one of my favourite bites of the evening: tender chicken thigh, fried crisp and served with dill and yuzu ranch. The tempura was hot, crisp and perfectly cooked, while the kingklip was a nod to a previous FYN dish I remember very well.
Naturally, this seemed like the appropriate moment for another drink. The Sakura Negroni, made with sakura vermouth, was complex and evolving, with a freeze-dried strawberry adding an aromatic fruitiness.
Stop Three: Ramen
Then came the course we had really come to try. The ramen.
I went for the tonkotsu, and the broth was superb. Deep, rich and layered, the roasted pork bones giving it a depth of flavour that I honestly can’t remember encountering quite like this elsewhere.
House-made Hakata noodles, flame-kissed chashu, a perfectly soft marinated egg, pickled ginger, mayu and chilli oil completed the bowl. Hearty, deeply savoury and delicious, it was the sort of ramen that makes you understand the obsession.
My partner chose the miso ramen, made with thicker, wavier Sapporo-style noodles and served with smoked shiitake, tofu and bok choy. It proved that a deep, satisfying ramen experience doesn’t need to revolve around meat.
Stop Four: Dessert
Finally, and thankfully for my waistband, came dessert.
Miso ice cream and white chocolate furikake arrived alongside the Ramenhead Izakaya Konbini Sando, a clever take on the Japanese convenience-store sandwiches that have become an internet phenomenon. Made from cake, crème bavaroise and strawberry, it looked almost exactly like the picture in your head, while being considerably more sophisticated.
And so, four stops later, we reached the end. Before I go further, though, we have to shout out our server, Shay, who not only guided us through everything with expert knowledge, but did so with a friendly demeanour and contagious smile.
What I enjoyed most about Ramenhead is that it takes Japanese food seriously without making the restaurant feel like they need to take themselves seriously too. There is plenty of technique here, but none of it gets in the way of having a good time.
For Japanese food fans, there is plenty to explore. For newcomers, it is an inviting place to start.
Recommendation: 9/10
Location: 75 Kloof Street, Cape Town
Omakase (4 courses): R850pp
Website: www.ramenhead.co.za
Bookings: Dineplan