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When leaving the parking lot, my colleague Rosetta Msimango and I questioned whether positioning a restaurant in that part of Rosebank was sensible for the lack of human traffic. But as we walked down Keyes Art Mile, it became clear that the intimate space that is the Japanese restaurant, Kanpai, did not belong in the hustle and bustle of The Zone.
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As if to personify its hidden gem status, the Kanpai design is inspired by the four elements of nature (earth, fire, wind and water.) The natural colour scheme of the décor speaks to earth, and as you enter the premises, you are greeted by the flowy water element. The fire element is a bit out of view, but there is a very good reason for that, which our readers will discover in due time.
If your loved ones have the nasty habit of stealing food from your plate, Kanpai’s sharing theme is your solution to this problem. My colleague and I initially found the presentation of multiple dishes at once overwhelming.
However, when we started engaging in our communal dining, the Zulu girl in me found the set-up reminiscent of neighbours and friends gathered around a traditional meat platter and uphuthu (a Zulu version of pap) during a traditional ceremony.
I am very particular about my cocktails, so any restaurant or cocktail lounge that uses tequila as one of the ingredients gets my vote. I enjoyed their Frost Poloma which also contains sparkling wine. The taste of their Classic Negroni, which contains gin, was rather off-putting.
It was not the alcohol potency that I could not stomach but the grapefruity aftertaste, which was peculiar since this is not one of the ingredients. Very few foods are as popular as chicken wings, but I have never heard of stuffed chicken wings, especially in South Africa.
It would be disingenuous for me not to note outright that Kanpai did the lord’s work with this ten out of ten snack. All I can really fault them on is that they only gave us a measly three pieces to share.
Kanpai, the newest addition to Jhb’s bustling culinary & bubble scene, is set to tantalise taste buds with its exotic flavours and chic ambiance.
— More Than Food Magazine (@MoreThanFoodMag) April 29, 2024
Nestled in the heart of Rosebank’s premium art precinct, Kanpai promises an unforgettable dining experience.#MoreThanFoodMag pic.twitter.com/FqMpDH7Qg5
With that said, we were at a Japanese restaurant, so sushi was a given. My colleague and our host enjoyed my chopstick illiteracy just a tad too much. Anyway, I have always been a lover of sushi, but the crispy duck roll was too oily for my liking, although my colleague said she enjoyed it.
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Replacing raw fish with duck makes the dish more suitable for eaters whose palate does not get along well with the traditional Japanese methods. As for me, I shall stick to the classical take on sushi.
I did mention that I am Zulu, so it goes without saying that meat is a need, yes a need. The beef short rib was not only juicy and full of flavour, but it was so tender that had it been a bony part of beef, it would have undoubtedly fallen off the bone.
There is also the Bejitarian Tataki, which is a watermelon nibble and the bang bang cauliflower, which is tossed in Korean and peanut sauce; non-meat eaters finally do not have to be subjected to rabbit food.
I’m just going to be blunt here and declare that I absolutely hate dessert. I did not want to be rude, so I gave in and had a few spoonfuls of their mochi brownie with ice cream. I thought it was quite nice but my colleague, who actually has a sweet tooth, did not like it much. Not being much of a sugar fan myself, I would advise you to go with Rosetta’s opinion on this one.
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Of all the reviews my colleague and I have done in the past, we both agreed that Kanpai takes the cake, hands down. Even the bathrooms are more charming than those of some hotels.
