Haiku: A Culinary Tour of East Asia in Cape Town

When Haiku opened back in 2005, it pioneered a new and sophisticated approach to Asian cuisine and was the place for date nights and anniversaries. Today, the innercity restaurant is the OG of Cape Town’s now thriving pan-Asian dining scene, the same moody interiors with stone, wood, water and light features, home to a superb Asian tapas menu that remains as contemporary as ever. With a team of specialist chefs across a diverse array of Asian cuisines: Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Mongolian, Thai… from Peking duck to sushi and dim sum, it’s a place to gather for a fabulous shared feast when you’re craving your favourite Asian classics.

A taste tour of Asia

The menu is simply and clearly laid out to avoid overwhelm, with sections for sushi, robata (dinner only), steamed and fried dim sum, wok, soup and salads. After delicious complimentary kimchi to wake the palate, it’s up to you which part of Asia to take your tastebuds to first. The sushi menu centres on tuna, salmon and prawn, then there’s octopus sashimi (with Chinese vinegar and crisps), tuna tacos, and salmon tartare. Or head straight to China for an array of steamed and fried dim sum. The robata grill is fired up for dinner and ranges from Korean chilli chicken to yuzu scallops, chicken satay to ginger beef fillet, a snapshot of Asia from the fire.

From the wok

The main wok dishes come in generous portions and with a variety of dipping sauces, and this section of the menu is where you can do a whistlestop tour through a succession of cuisines: spicy Mongolian rib-eye beef, Thai paneng chicken, Schezwan beef hot pot, moo shu lamb, soft shell crab… the chefs from key provinces in China, Japan and Thailand bring their diverse cuisines to the table. Our waiter was knowledgeable and enthusiastic in describing the dishes, and recommended the sizzling lamb which came to the table in a puff of steam, a nice dramatic touch (that and the Peking duck, served properly with pancakes and finely julienned cucumber, are their most popular dishes). And the beautifully fresh ingredients, careful presentation and well-executed, soul-satisfying flavours in every section of the menu make for a fabulous feast.

An old Cape Town favourite that still delivers on flavour whenever you’re craving delicious Asian food.

Opening times
Monday – Thursday, 12pm – 10pm
Friday +  Saturday, 12pm – 11pm
Good to know From 22 December – 10 January 2025, Haiku is open until 11pm, with two seatingsfor dinner.
Contact 021 424 7000
Where to find it 58 Burg Street, Cape Town
Book through DinePlan

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