We love Restaurant Week, even when it's nearly five weeks long
It gives us a chance to try out some restaurants that we couldn't normally afford
and others that are new and in our own neigbourhood
There are always some very good specials
We love Peter Tempelhof's restaurant Fyn and had not yet managed to get to his Ramenhead
which is below Fyn, in the same building, near Parliament Square
So, seeing it listed on Restaurant week inspired Lynne to book it for lunch on the very first day
We so need occasional treats in our lives and, this having been a very tough year, we were ready for some
If you look up the definition of Ramen you will find many varied descriptions
The one we like the most is: "Ramen is a type of Japanese noodle soup
Once a simple street food, it's now become a gourmet phenomenon around the world"
Lynne makes us miso soup with noodles and veg when we need a boost but Ramenhead is next level
You need to go and try them at this airy and spacious venue
A long bar where you can eat your ramen and have a cocktail or two, some Japanese Sake
or some carefully chosen wines or beers
or eat at one of the small tables opposite or in the next room
The serving staff are wonderful, full of good explanations and chat
Do not expect to be rushed; it's a contemplative kind of place, lots of zen and feng shui
John began with a complimentary glass of this imported dry sake
Served well-chilled
They have a selection to tempt you, even a sparkling one
The table setting is simple and fun, we even learnt some more Japanese words from the place mat
Lynne was given a Nagasaki Smash cocktail made with Japanese gin, basil, cucumber, szechuan pepper,
mint, lime and sesame seed oil
Despite her dislike of cucumber, she rather enjoyed it. A good match with the ramen
A glass of Wolf and Woman rosé for John to sip with his ramen
The menu is simple and the explanations are clear. The Restaurant Week special is three different bowls for R395
The first bowl was a very simple starter served cold. Thin chewy noodles in a deliciously light soy based broth
topped with shredded spring onions topped with wasabi and sesame oil
Next came the Miso Tonkatsu, a flavourful dish of rich bone broth, topped with thinly sliced Chashu pork belly
Bean sprouts with garlic, corn butter, Ajitamago (a marinated egg, still with the runny yolk)spring onions, nori
and strips of warm ginger and Sapporo style noodles which are thick and lovely and chewy
Very reminiscent of the dish Lynne had in a bar on Mount Fuji many years ago
Next came Ebi Abura Soba noodles, which are not served with a broth, but come with prawns,
a seaweed salad with yuzu and garlic in a prawn shell emulsion on Kitakate flat straight and chewy noodles
The emulsion was thick, dense and delicious and coated everything
The picture was taken after we had begun as we could not wait to taste the dish
Lynne has to admit that she could not finish everything (she is a small eater) but was grateful for the remains
of her two unfinished dishes in take-home containers to enjoy for lunch the following day..
Mint Chocolate Ice cream with crisp sprinkles was the dessert. It was a bit like eating a Peppermint crisp,
a chocolate bar much loved by many South Africans, often an ingredient in sweet tarts
Our bill
Hannah, one of the lovely young ladies who attended to us
Signs of Spring in Parliament Square
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