My haircut with the world's oldest barber — still sharp at 108
The barber snips and sculpts deftly, and even has a nice line in ego-massaging banter. 'You must have charmed the ladies,' she observes, with keen insight, 'before you went grey.' One thing sets this apart from every other haircut I have ever had: Hakoishi is 108 years old.
Born in 1916 at the height of the First World War, she is still taming sideburns and reassuring men about their bald patches after almost a century on the job. The scissors she uses, ground down by decades of sharpening, are the pair
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Time Out
6 hours ago
- Time Out
The best spots for Ramen in Cape Town
1. Ramenhead Located on Parliament Street, Ramenhead embodies the true art form of ramen making, preparing fresh noodles using the Yamato machine, an imported machine from Japan, and applying the same principles and commitment of the old age craft to each and every bowl served. With no shortage of flavour in sight, each bowl features an umami-rich broth and daily freshly-made noodles Offering two bowl sizes, the dishes average around R145 for the small bowls and R230 for the regular bowls. Dishes from their ramen section include Tonkotsu, a rich pork bone broth paired with Tokyo-style noodles, pork belly chashu, pickled ginger, ajitamago, mayu, rayi and kikurage. For Wagyu lovers, a torches Cape Wagyu and wagyu sirloin with beef broth, Tokyo-style noodles, shitake, truffled kikurage is the go-to! Led by Head Chef Julia Du Toit, Ramehhead's ramen is an ode to tradition and skilful technique. Be sure to pair your steaming bowl of ramen with Japanese sake from their wide selection available. Address: 37 Parliament St, Cape Town City Centre Open times: Monday to Wednesday from 5pm to 9pm for dinner service, Thursdays to Saturdays from 6pm to 10pm for dinner and Thursday to Saturday from 12pm to 2.30pm for lunch. At the time of publication, Ramenhead is closed for winter break from 1 - 24 July 2025. 2. Bodega Ramen Nestled away in a building on Wale Street, and revered for its steaming and delicious bowls of Ramen, Bodega Ramen is a staple among ramen lovers in the Mother City. As Bodega offers a rotating menu, it's an adventurous opportunity to step out of your comfort zone and try something new. Another alternative is asking the waiters on service what their pick is according to your tastes and preferred spice levels. Ramen dishes that have featured on their menu include prawn tom yum, hot fried chicken tantanmen, hot fried cauli tantanmen and more. One thing is for sure, Bodega does not shy away from portion sizes, offering large bowls that pack a punch of flavour and enough broth to savour each bite. Catering to meat-free eaters, there will always be a vegan ramen dish and starters available for diners. Gluten-free diners will be happy to know that Bodega Ramen offers rice noodles as an alternative. Ramen bowls range from R165 upwards. 3. Yatai Ramen Opening its doors in November 2024, Yatai Ramen provides an elevated Japanese street food dining experience. As no surprise, the star of the show on their menu is their wide selection of ramen. From miso grilled kinglip, served in a rich and creamy broth, with sea veg, fish cake, all within a steaming elderflower dashi broth and topped with marinated egg and chilli crisp oil, to miso dashi tofu. All the ramen dishes on their menu use Tokyo-style noodles, made from wheat with a medium thickness, ensuring maximum noodle to broth coverage for the perfect slurp. Medium and large bowls are available for each of their ramen dishes on offer. If you are looking for a pick-me-up from those Monday blues, Yatai Ramen runs a special offering of medium bowls of ramen for R99, excluding the Truffle Shoyu Wagyu Ramen. Be sure to book in advance to avoid missing out on this special, as it has become a hit amongst diners. 4. Downtown Ramen With an unassuming entrance as you walk up the stairway, Downtown Ramen prides itself on offering dishes made from scratch and only sources what it cannot make from local producers. Authentic to the culinary roots of ramen, fresh noodles are handmade daily, and each bowl is served with nori, egg, and chilli, if you are feeling adventurous or have a palate for all things hot. Ramen bowls are offered in small and large sizes, with classics available such as the Shoyu ramen, also known as Tokyo ramen, served with a rich, smoky broth and pork. There is a vegetarian option, the Kimiko, which features vegetables and tofu, for those opting to go meat-free. 5. Three Wise Monkeys Often, the first spot that comes to mind for many diners when they think of ramen is Three Wise Monkeys in Sea Point. Preparing fresh noodles daily, the menu features five ramen options to choose from, each featuring an alternative protein option: chicken, beef brisket, beef fillet, tofu or duck. Diners opting for the chicken ramen can expect a chicken-based broth, with a secret (we do not even know, soy sauce), pickled mushrooms, den miso corn, a five-minute marinated egg, spinach, leeks and nori, a true hug in a bowl of comfort. If you are in the mood for dessert, opt for their matcha & salted custard Bun, a 'match-a' of flavour made in heaven. 6. Kanji Ramen Located on the bustling Kloof Nek road in Tamboerskloof, Kanji Ramen's setting may be small, but their ramen bowls are anything but that. Founded by Chef Seelan Sundoo and seasoned restaurateur Gavin Hagger, the restaurant's menu is a showcase of traditional ramen alongside Japanese street food-style dishes served as small plates. Each of their ramen dishes features hand-pulled noodles and is usually paired with tender slices of meat. Pricing for their ramen starts from R160 to R180. With only four ramen options available, great attention to detail is placed with each bowl served. Waygu fans will be delighted to know that Kanji offers a beef fillet, wagyu beef mince, chilli oil, baby spinach with bean sprouts and miso corn ramen dish, one that has crave-inducing abilities. If you are feeling a bit extra peckish before you dive into a bowl of bouncy noodles and broth, opt to try out their gyoza dumplings, fried dumplings either filled with spinach and wild mushrooms or chicken and cabbage. With limited seating available, be sure to make a reservation in advance. 7. Izakaya Matsuri Tucked away in Green Point and not easy to spot by walking by, Izakaya Matsuri, somewhat of a truly hidden restaurant. With its dim and low lighting, Japanese-themed art and interior decor, and ramen options that brim with bold flavours, tender and crunchy toppings, it's the ideal hideaway for a cosy lunch or dinner. A must-try is the rich and creamy Tonkatsu ramen, prepared with pork broth and served with Chashu pork, which is pork belly rolled and sliced, topped with spring onions, boiled egg and sesame seeds. The menu currently does not feature any vegan or vegetarian ramen options. Address: 6, The Rockwell, 32 Prestwich St, Green Point, Cape Town Open times: Monday to Saturday from 11.30am to 10pm and Sunday from 11.30am to 9pm 8. Tomo Japanese Restaurant Located in the heart of the CBD, Tomo Japanese Restaurant is a dining escape from the hustle and bustle of the surrounding area. With a non-fusion approach, Tomo Japanese Restaurant aims to provide an authentic dining experience. At the helm of the kitchen is chef David Yan, who ensures that each of the Japanese and Asian dishes is prepared with utmost precision. Serving up beef (a signature dish), veggie, lamb and seafood miso ramen in a broth that wraps around you like a blanket with each spoonful savoured, paired with the freshly made noodles, it transports you to the bustling streets of Tokyo. Time Out Insider Info: Make the most of their ramen offering by opting for their winter special. From 12pm to 3pm daily, a hearty bowl of ramen will cost you R98. View this post on Instagram A post shared by TOMO Japanese Restaurant CPT (@tomocapetown) 9. Obi Restaurant If you have scrolled through Instagram, the chances are that you have spotted chef Hatsushiro Muraoka, a sushi icon in Cape Town, alongside chef Ben Bettendorf, are very high. This unlikely duo are the co-founders and powerhouse behind the loved Obi Restaurant on Long Street. Celebrating nine years since it opened its doors, Obi restaurant has cemented itself as a cornerstone restaurant offering refined Japanese cuisine in Cape Town. While the restaurant may often be visited by diners for its celebrated and excellent sushi offering, the ramen of the day is not to be missed, prepared in a broth of the day, with pork belly chashu, and topped with a six-minute egg, spring onions and nori. Open times: Closed on Mondays. Tuesday to Saturday for lunch service from 12pm - 2pm and at 6pm for dinner. 10. Tjing Tjing Tjing Tjing House on Longmarket Street is home to three levels, with the base level, Torii, serving up a selection of bowls of ramen that are worth a second trip back for. With a curated selection, each ramen dish featured house-made wheat noodles, ajitsuke tamago, soft-boiled eggs marinated in a sweet and salty soy sauce, nori, spring onions and sesame seeds. The ramen section features classic pork Tonkotsu ramen, Chicken paitan ramen, a hearty bowl of grilled chicken thighs and tsukudane mushrooms, miso mushroom for the plant-based diners that features mixed mushrooms and spinach and last but not least, the smokey beef ramen, with beef mince, pickled shimeji mushrooms and charred corn. For those who love an extra kick, be sure to ask for the addition of spicy sansho tare. Time Out Insider Info: While many people may believe that ramen originated in Japan, it is important to note that the noodles actually have their origins in China. According to the Japan National Tourism Organisation, ramen was first found steaming up the kitchens and glasses of diners as they ate, in 1910 at a Chinese restaurant in Asakusa, Tokyo. This restaurant served a Chinese-style wheat noodle, a noodle prepared with Kansui, an alkaline solution, served in a meat or fish-based broth, which is now known as Ramen.
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
Tsukudani and hot rice: Still a go-to meal in Japan centuries after its creation
Their morning starts at 5 a.m. The father and son don't speak to each other. They don't need to. They barely look at each other as they go briskly, almost mechanically, from task to task. Beads of sweat glisten on their foreheads. It's the same work they've been doing at their shop for years: Cooking in big metal pots the ancient Japanese food tsukudani. It's preserved food invented long before the advent of modern refrigeration, dating back to the samurai Edo Era more than 200 years ago. Pieces of tuna, tiny shrimp, seaweed and other ingredients get simmered in a sweet syrup of soy sauce, sake and sugar. The air in the shop becomes damp, pungent, sweet. Today, it's clam tsukudani: Two pots from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m., and two more from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. They'll cook other items in the afternoon, depending on the orders that come in from restaurants and stores. They can't stir what's cooking much. The tiny pieces are fragile and will break. 'My father is very old school,' Yoshihiro Kobayashi says with a mix of exasperation and resignation in his voice. Somewhere hidden behind his matter-of-fact tone is his deep love and respect for what he has inherited. Working first at a fashion brand, then a department store, the younger Kobayashi initially had no plans to take up his father's work. But he later made up his mind to return. He says his father is strict and opinionated, yet today Nobuo Kobayashi leaves all the talking to his son, laughing when this reporter aims the camera, 'Don't take me. Your camera might break.' Where it's from and how it's made Tsukushin, the Kobayashis' factory-turned-shop, is tucked away in a corner of a quaint humble Tsukuda neighborhood by the Sumida River in downtown Tokyo. It's where tsukudani was born — the dish's name fittingly translates to 'cooked in Tsukuda.' 'The original,' 'founding,' 'first and foremost' read big wooden signs hanging by the roofs of the rickety tsukudani stores. These days, tsukudani is standard Japanese fare, often mass-produced at modern factories far away from the dish's birthplace. At Kobayashi's shop, tsukudani gets cooked in vats over earthen vessels called 'kamados' that were fired up with wood and charcoal in the olden days, but these days use gas. It's then placed in a large, wooden 'handai' serving plate — just the way the ancestors did it. It's a painstaking procedure requiring about an hour of steady simmering, and the amount that can be produced at one time is limited. Yoshihiro Kobayashi says the closest equivalent in the West is jam. To be eaten the right way Tsukudani is a prime example of how Japan, despite its high-tech modernity and an economy driven by global corporates like Toyota and Sony, maintains traditions passed down over generations, much of them through small businesses. Although the basic way to eat tsukudani is with a bowl of hot rice, often served with miso or soy-bean paste soup, it also makes a good snack with sake. Tsukudani can also be used as filling for rice balls or as an easy side dish for 'bento,' or packed lunch, and it makes for a good topping on 'chazuke,' which is rice with hot green tea poured over it. Overall, rice is tudkudani's best pairing. Tsukudani ice cream or tsukudani potato chip isn't the direction to go, Kobayashi said. If it's not eaten the right way, it won't taste good. The novelty comes with communicating that basic message to people — foreigners and younger Japanese alike — who might not even know what tsukudani is. Noriko Kobayashi, who is not related to the tsukudani makers, runs a tiny store in Tokyo that sells artwork, wooden figures, patterned clothing and other knickknacks from Africa, Scandinavia and other faraway places. She said she likes to eat seaweed tsukudani with cheese, while sipping on sake, usually for dinner. 'It's nothing special,' she said, noting she's been eating it since childhood. Now that she's older, she appreciates the way it aids one's intestines. 'It's a kind of health food,' she said. ___
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
A simple recipe for tsukudani, an everyday Japanese side dish to eat with hot rice
Tsukudani, a sweet, Japanese side dish often served with hot rice, originated in the samurai era in a tiny neighborhood called Tsukuda in the old part of Tokyo. Adding 'ni' at the end of a word in Japanese means that's where it's cooked. Professional tsukudani is sold packaged at some Asian food stores and, of course, in modern-day Tsukuda. A Tokyo correspondent for The Associated Press is sharing her basic tsukudani recipe. Tsukudani involves simmering bite-sized bits of meat or vegetables in a dark, sweet sauce in a pot over low heat. The ideal flavor emerges after about an hour, enough time for all the juice to infuse the food. And be sure to keep watching your pot. Serve tsukudani with hot rice or sake, or use it as filling for rice balls. Easy tsukudani, from AP's Yuri Kageyama Start to finish: One hour Servings: 5 Ingredients: ½ cup of clams, tuna, seaweed, shrimp, meat or other food item to make into tsukudani ¼ cup sliced ginger 2 tablespoons sugar ½ teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon mirin, or sweet rice wine 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 teaspoon sake, or rice wine 2 teaspoons roasted sesame seeds Directions: Chop the clams, tuna, seaweed, shrimp or meat into small pieces about the size of a pea. Slice the ginger into thin pieces. Pour the ingredients into a large pot and cook over low heat for about an hour until the juice disappears. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
