Tjing Tjing: Two Restaurants, a Lounge + a Rooftop Bar

For vibey rooftop cocktails, Japanese street food and a sushi-driven omakase menu.

Tjing Tjing House is a one-stop hotspot for an all-out Japanese extravaganza. Fantastic, Shinjuku-inspired decor, and four unique and vastly different spaces sit within a three-level building. At street level is Tjing Tjing Torii, up the stairs are Tjing Tjing Momiji and Momiji Lounge, and right on top is the ever-cool Tjing Tjing Rooftop Bar.

A mutual passion for Japan has inspired the team to travel there regularly, gathering information, inspiration and recipes for their four-in-one emporium. “We wanted to create a little slice of Japan,” explains the owner, “so that the moment you walk in you feel transported.”

And you do… in ambience, vibe and, above all, flavour. The superb Torii food menu is available in the rooftop bar and the Momiji Lounge, while Momiji itself has a special sushi-led omakase menu, and there are cutting-edge cocktail menus designed for each space.

Straight to the top at Tjing Tjing Rooftop Bar

One of the coolest haunts in the CBD, Tjing Tjing Rooftop Bar is a renovated attic beautifully decked out in indigo fabric-wallpaper with embroidered bathing Macaque monkeys and a shrine-inspired red bar, which spills out onto the airy terrace. The stunning new cocktail menu, crafted by bar manager Phil Burrows, takes the classics and puts a Japanese character and twist to each, represented in beautiful illustrations on the menu. Try the Show Me Negroni (which takes four days to make as cocoa nibs and hazelnuts are slowly infused), or the zestily refreshing Murasaki Mojito, prettily tinged with violet from the butterfly pea flower.

Flavour-popping food and on-point decor aside, we fell for the indie-electronica playlist, which is (pun intended) off the charts! Fresh yet familiar, it’s like nothing you’ve heard before. In fact, if utterly hummable cutting-edge beats are your thing, you’ll find yourself Shazaming every song (as we did)!

Opening times Tuesday – Saturday, 4pm – late

Tjing Tjing Momiji: Sushi-driven omakase menu

A suitably calm and zen ambience pervades Momiji, the sophisticated first-floor dining room insulated from the bustle outside. Chefs Adri Morel and Nicola Aucamp have devised a modern interpretation of top-level Japanese sushi in an omakase set menu, bringing in local South African flavours for some delightful creative twists.

Ten exquisite courses progress from classic sashimi and a delightful lime yellowtail nigiri, through a raft of varied flavour profiles (kob, springbok, mushroom, tempura carrot and aged beef rump) to onigiri chazuke (sushi rice filled with pickled mussels with pan-fried buttery trout and a fishbone dashi broth poured over), beautifully balanced and substantial served with a cucumber, edamame and asparagus salad.

Accompanied by a cherry blossom martini (with yuzu and salted cherry blossom), sake or a glass of Saurwein Chi Riesling, with perhaps an umeshu (plum liqueur) with dessert (mochi and a wasabi ice cream sandwich), it’s a Saturday evening taste sensation from start to finish.

Good to know Tjing Tjing Momiji does not take walk-ins, so booking in advance is essential
Opening times Saturday, 6pm – late
Book through DinePlan

Momiji Lounge: Elegantly hushed

For a soigné cocktail experience befitting Tokyo, shimmy across to this intimate lounge where you can order a variety of speciality spirits, folklore-inspired cocktails, Japanese whisky, premium sake and top-drawer wines, and the full Tjing Tjing a la carté food menu. Adjacent to Momiji restaurant, the interiors of the Momiji Lounge are dimly lit, hushed and intimate, with sunken booths and a low-slung sofa.

Opening times Tuesday – Saturday, 4pm – late

Tjing Tjing Torii: For lunch + dinner

You’ll find this brightly coloured street-food joint at street level, where the electrifying, impossible-to-ignore decor reflects the palate-popping menu. The interiors are vibrant and cool, encapsulating the youthful energy of Harajuku (Tokyo’s fashion hub) and the neon lights of Shinjuku (the innercity) with its famous bustling yokocho (narrow alleyways) and their cosy bars and small eateries.

Each and every one of the dishes we tried was bursting with exciting flavours and textures: hirata (bao buns), gyoza, yakitori, tebasaki (deep-fried chicken wings), ramen, bento boxes and donburi (rice bowls), and classic Japanese confections (such as mochi, fluffy cheesecake and Mitarashi dango sweet rice dumplings), with a Tjing Tjing twist. And, as usual, the service is warm, knowledgeable and helpful.

Good to know Tjing Tjing Torii is run on a first-come first-served basis, so arrive early, or put your name down on a list before venturing upstairs for a cocktail.
Opening times Tuesday – Saturday, 12pm – 10pm

Mochi Mochi for street treats

Chef Adri’s mochi sweet sensations have proved so popular, they inspired a vibey new space: Mochi Mochi at Heritage Square (on Buitengracht Street). A raft of sweet and savoury street snacks and mochi, and an irresistible kawaii aesthetic, await.

Opening times Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 6pm (later on First Thursdays)

All that’s left to say is: “Kanpai!” (Cheers!)

Contact 021 422 4374, info@tjingtjing.co.za
Where to find it 165 Longmarket Street, Cape Town

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