Sushi was never this interesting

Takaimi Sushi Bar

Where: 1 Clifton Rd, Clifton Park, Gillitts

Open: Tuesday to Sunday 10am - 9pm

Call: 078 900 8694

I battle these days to get excited by sushi. Many of the restaurants that serve sushi are all serving the same stuff in much the same way with much the same flavours. There’s little to excite one. It’s almost like it comes out of one central kitchen somewhere.

And then when establishments do try something novel we’re confronted with some horror like the ice-cold pink and green sushi creations food writer Ingrid Shevlin and I were subjected to last year. (need I say the establishment is no more). But one almost gives up trying.

The Glass Guy insisted he would prove me wrong and force me out of my been-there-done-that attitude to sushi. And so we ended up at Takaimi Sushi Bar in Gillitts.

From the outside it looks like a glorified take away, with a few tables crammed into an overlit interior. But it spills out onto a courtyard at the back which it shares with Gate of India and a local pub. We’re happy to sit out in the cool and join in the conviviality. It improves the ambience immensely.

We soon have cold Tsingtaos in hand as we peruse a complex menu that includes treatments with calamari and eel and even a roll with salmon and strawberries - although our friendly waitress said they were out of strawberries that day. There’s also a small hot food section and a buy one get one free menu. We ordered the pork dim-sum to snack on while we made up out minds. These were beautifully fresh and had some real flavour with the spring onions coming through nicely. They were a cut above the many dumplings you order in Durban restaurants which also have that same-same feel.

Then came this enormous sushi platter. Our eyes were much bigger than our stomachs. The tuna sashimi was beautifully fresh. I loved, too, the freshness of the Takaimi roll, a thin slice of salmon wrapping salad greens and a prawn (no rice). The salmon skin rolls had wonderful umami flavour from the crisp salmon skin. The Glass Guy really loved the crispy salmon roses. These were topped with crispy pieces of fried fish which had a whole “anchovy” thing going on. There was a hot rock roll which was salmon wrapped around lettuce and spicy tempura rock shrimp. All distinctive. All with interesting individual flavours.

And yes we enjoyed the eel which we enjoyed.

For those wanting the more conventional offerings they’re all present and correct; salmon roses, Californian rolls, maki rolls etc. But what a treat to find some interesting options - and sushi that was so beautifully fresh.

We enjoyed a few more Tsingtaos while munching away happily, until we really thought we’d overstayed out welcome and everything around us was packed up. We will come again for the salmon strawberry roll.

Food: 4

Service: 3 ½

Ambience: 3

Noah’s

The Glass Guy and I also had breakfast recently at a newly opened spot in the Mushroom Farm in Assagay.

Noah’s is where the bakery used to be on a much smarter and much improved deck. Yes the children’s playground is still there below, but you don’t quite feel like you’re sitting on top of the jungle gym.

We enjoyed a good cappuccino while contemplating an array of breakfasts, all bearing someone’s name. We wondered who Noah was to have so many friends. There was The Amy, The Ian, The Ingrid or The Robert. There are also a selection of sandwiches, wraps and pizzas - and crumble jars which sounded interesting. These were various stewed or fresh fruit options topped with a muesli or granola type crumble.

The Glass Guy went for The Edward, which was French Toast with bacon and maple syrup. It was perhaps not the most exciting of options. He was especially disappointed by the fact it wasn’t real maple syrup.

I however enjoyed mine. Called the Stacker, it was poached eggs atop streaky bacon, avo on sourdough and topped with a very pleasant lemon Hollandiase. The eggs were nice and soft too.

We relished a second coffee.

Food: 3

Service: 3

Ambience: 3