Ōku’s guiding principle continues to shape every plate: Japanese technique and flavour, paired with locally sourced ingredients. This approach celebrates the abundance of the Cape Winelands while honouring time-honoured Japanese culinary traditions.
The introduction of the à la carte menu makes the Ōku experience more accessible, allowing guests to enjoy a lighter meal, a shorter visit, or a spontaneous midweek dining moment.
“The Kaiseki menu remains the heart of the experience,” says Ōku’s Ryan Shell. Designed as a showcase of the kitchen’s precision and creativity, the Kaiseki menu is now available for both lunch and dinner, including a dedicated vegetarian option.
For those seeking a deeply immersive culinary journey, the Kaiseki menu – particularly when paired with the wine pairing – continues to represent the pinnacle of the Ōku experience.
The newly introduced à la carte menu sits comfortably alongside the tasting menu, offering diners the freedom to tailor their experience while still engaging with Ōku’s refined, seasonal cooking.
Guests can begin with Zensai-style starters and dumplings, including steamed bread served with aubergine chutney, soy kewpie and pak choi kimchi, or nori cylinders filled with mushroom mousse and pickled mushrooms. A cold cucumber broth with soy, dashi, sesame, ginger and chilli offers a refreshing choice for warm summer days.
Starters include the indulgent Kroonstad beef tartare, layered with tahini, kewpie, anchovy, kimchi and egg yolk, as well as the “Mongolian Mosaic” featuring locally farmed Three Streams trout with nori, watermelon, ginger, soy and wasabi pearls.
For mains, highlights include green east coast crayfish with mange tout, sugar snap peas, yuzu and tom yum, and smoked Steynsburg pork belly with pak choi, bulgogi, kimchi and crisp crackling. Vegetarian diners can enjoy smoked miso aubergine paired with tofu, tamarind, sesame and peanuts.
Ōku is one of three restaurants within the group, alongside Eleven and Yama Sushi Emporium. Its name – Ōku, meaning oak in Japanese – reflects the sense of history, quiet strength and spirituality that underpins both the menu and the refined décor.
These values are echoed in the thoughtful application of ancient Japanese techniques to local produce, creating a dining experience that feels both distinctive and grounded in place.
Complementing the food is a considered drinks programme, including premium sake tastings. For those seeking complete harmony between dish and drink, the Kaiseki wine pairing menu remains a standout, showcasing a nuanced balance of flavour and texture.
To book at Ōku, call 021 876 2494 or email [email protected]. For more information, visit https://eat-oku.co.za/. Follow EatOku on Facebook and Oku_Eatery on Instagram.
To book at Yama, call 079 737 1849 or email [email protected]. Its website is located at eat-yama.co.za. Follow YamaEatery on Facebook and Yama_Eatery on Instagram.
Ōku and Yama are both situated at Heritage Square, 9 Huguenot Rd.
