Oodles of noodles and bowls full of umami bliss.
Ramenhead is the streetfood expression of chefs Peter Tempelhoff and Ashley Moss’ obsession with authentic Japanese flavours. It’s downstairs at street level on Speakers Corner (below their award-winning fine-dining restaurant FYN), tables spilling out onto Church Square, the entrance easy to identify by the queue of eager ramen devotees waiting for their umami comfort-food fix. Dark and moody inside with elements echoing Japanese design, blackened oak creates a perfectly Zen backdrop, along with a display of handcrafted ramen bowls. At the coveted counter seats, patrons can watch the chefs assemble the beautiful bowls in the open kitchen and make the silky smooth noodles from scratch.
Bowls of umami bliss
There are four main bowls to choose from: classic Tonkotsu with pork belly; sesame miso with tofu, mushrooms and vegetables; Tori Chintan with chicken and bamboo; or soupless wagyu beef “hamburger junk ramen” with BBQ brisket. Sounds simple enough, but the flavours are deeply delicious and complex. The broths simmer for hours to gain maximum extraction and concentration of flavour, complemented by additional ingredients such as dashi powder, ginger, nori, bean sprouts, star anise oil, menma (fermented bamboo shoots), leek oil and negi (a variety of spring onion). Authentic seasonings such as shio tare (salt sauce), shoyu tare (soya sauce) and miso tare are used. You can also add extra yummy bits, such as ajitamago (marinated jammy soft-boiled egg).
Streetfood snacks
If you’re really hungry (and only then!) explore the other streetfood dishes on the menu: moreish karaage (crumbed fried chicken); gorgeous gyoza (either mushroom or iberico pork) with a dipping sauce – so delicious, you’ll down it if there’s any left after you’ve eaten your dumplings; a Japanese cabbage salad; and tuna tataki. Nibbles (to go with pre-dinner drinks) include edamame, wagyu biltong, traditional Japanese tsukemono pickles and ramen chips with an aubergine and miso dip.
Japanese-inspired cocktails
The bar serves craft beers, wines, spirits (including Japanese whisky and gin), Sukoshi shots, exotic cocktails made with various infusions, specialist teas and sake served in traditional square wooden masu cups. We fell for the lemongrass and yuzu spritz mocktail, a zesty contrast to the rich umami broth.
Book your Ramenhead table
When it opened in 2022 Peter and Ashley decreed that in true Japanese ramen tradition Ramenhead would be walk-ins only… your steaming bowl of noodles arrives quickly, you slurp, drink up the delicious and nutritious broth and move on, happily replete. By popular demand, after last year’s festive-season block-long queues, they are now accepting bookings at the indoor tables, so you can #screwthequeue and plan ahead for your ramenfest. The vibey counter seating, the bar and the atmospheric outdoor seating (complete with sofas and fairy lights) remains the preserve of spontaneous walk-ins.
Ramenhead’s craveworthy appeal all comes down to Peter’s food philosophy: “If it’s delicious, people will come.” He adds that ramen has been perfected over the centuries to ensure everything (bone nutrients, lean proteins and amino acids) comes together to provide that “highly addictive taste and a feeling of euphoria”.
Good to know No cash payments.
You’ll also find Ramenhead at Time Out Market at the V&A Waterfront, offering a compact list of Japanese snack plates and ramen bowls.
Times Tuesday – Thursday, 12pm – 2.30pm; 6pm – 9pm
Friday + Saturday, 12pm – 2.30pm; 6pm – 10pm
Contact 067 312 8061, ramenheadct@gmail.com
Where to find it Speakers Corner, Church Square, 37 Parliament Street, Cape Town
Book through DinePlan
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