Located in the open area at Nelson Mandela Square, it's got a very nice, open air, cool breeze feel to it. And even in the middle of summer it still feels pretty nice.
After ordering, I look around and almost everyone is having oysters. I've never been a fan of oysters myself so I can't share in the joy - but at least I do have some multigrain bread to keep me company. It's a poor start to the meal, though - the bread is cold, which makes properly spreading the cold butter over it impossible.
In my haste & hunger I forgot to take a photo of the Salmon Roses (R 69 or $10.90 for four) with my camera, so you'll have to excuse the (poor) quality of this iPhone photo :)
Not that it matters though. As with many non-dedicated Japanese/sushi joints, the sushi is sub-par. Cold and clammy vinegared rice that has been squeezed so hard that it tastes more like ketupat than sushi rice.
The Scallop & Prawn Kebab (R 79 or $12.48), was ordered off the Chef's Recommendations section and turns out to be a disaster. I've never had prawns as tough as these. Actually, I've never even imagined that prawns could even be this tough. Chewy and rubbery, I've no idea how this starter made it to the recommendations list.
Heading on to the main course, the Peppered Tuna Steak (R 129 or $20.40) was a breath of fresh air after the starters. I'd perhaps have preferred it to be more strongly seasoned (seeing as it's described as "Peppered" but didn't have much pepper taste). I liked the flavor, though, and the accompanying mango salsa & mashed potatoes complemented the fish very well.
If you've never had a tuna steak, they typically come medium rare, so the middle 75% is basically raw. Which is a good thing, because I can't imagine being served a dry tuna steak cooked all the way through.
Overall, a disappointing start to the meal rescued by a solid tuna steak. If I ever do come back to visit, I'll definitely skip the sushi and go for the other grilled seafood items on the menu - things like lobster, langoustines, prawns and other fish. And maybe by that time I'll be an Oyster connoisseur :)
wow, so when this place opened, we were all still ins school! hmmmm, maybe the food here was better back in the '90s, and they've continued to survive based on their reputation =)
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