201 The Promenade, Victoria Road, Marly Hotel, Camps Bay, South Africa
Cuisine:
Seafood, Sushi
Good for:
Bar Scene, Breakfast/Brunch, Dinner, Late Night, Lunch
Umi
20 Visitor Photos +
REVIEWS
2 Reviews
Expert Review
Located on trendy Camps Bay beachfront, Umi is that place everyone keeps talking about, and for good reason! They serve...
Located on trendy Camps Bay beachfront, Umi is that place everyone keeps talking about, and for good reason! They serve an Asian fusion and Japanese menu that will blow you away, as if the spectacular view isn’t enough. If you’re lucky enough to get a table at Umi during the summer months, you’re guaranteed to have any amazing dining experience only Cape Town can offer. Although a lot of people are wary of the high prices at Umi, the wonderful service, amazing food and unbeatable atmosphere is all worth it. Save up your pennies and experience Umi before you regret it! It’s not often a restaurant truly deserve a 5 star rating, but on this occasion, Umi is 100% worthy!
For starters, I ordered the Vegetable Tempura which I’d never tried before. It was absolutely scrumptious and served with citrus soy which was a phenomenal combination of flavours. Umi makes the best tempura I’ve tasted in Cape Town and I can’t wait to go back and try more!
For mains, I enjoyed the Beer Marinated Beef Fillet served with a trio of dipping sauces. What an incredible dish and each dipping sauce bought its own flavour, volume and palate to the meal. The portion was a little small for my liking, but that’s something you should expect from a restaurant of this quality. If you’re looking for value for money and a meal that will leave you feeling full to the brim, Umi is not the place for you!
To end a delicious meal, I ordered the Apple Crumble for dessert. Umi’s rendition of an Apple Crumble was beautifully, different and absolutely delicious. I couldn’t believe I was served such a spectacular dessert when all I ordered was Apple Crumble. I would definitely recommend this dish, and everything else Umi has to offer!
Expert Review
Right across from the beach in the heart of trendy Camps Bay, Umi occupies a shaded deck and interior space...
Right across from the beach in the heart of trendy Camps Bay, Umi occupies a shaded deck and interior space on the second floor of the boutique Marly Hotel. The interior décor is minimalist mod chic with a Japanese influence and the feel of a high-end club lounge. Outside on the patio, tables come with ocean views and heat lamps keep the chill out on windy evenings.
The menu focuses on Japanese and Asian fusion, and includes a lengthy sushi menu. Dining with two other travel writers, we began with the charred asparagus and an order of edamame. Both were excellent choices – the asparagus was perfectly charred and the lemon butter sauce accompanying it had just the right amount of tang.
We moved on to mostly sushi for the main course, ordering a variety of rolls including the Umi House Roll, spicy tuna and salmon salmon rolls. I must admit I was a bit disappointed by the sushi rolls. It wasn’t that the fish wasn’t fresh, it was. It was more the presentation. I’m not sure what the fascination is with topping every style of sushi roll with mayo in Cape Town, but it seems to come standard at even the most authentic restaurants. This alone ruins a good spicy tuna roll for me. But even after scraping off the mayo, I found the rolls to just be a bit bland especially considering the relatively high price tag (R145 for the Umi House Roll for instance).
What was delicious, however, were the non-sushi choices — we also ordered the crispy soft shell crab and prawn tempurua. The crab was the best item I tried, and I would have been happy to have not shared. The black pepper soy sauce accompanying it was also a refreshing change from the mayo heavy sushi.
Overall, Umi is a visually appealing restaurant in a great location that makes for an atmospheric lunch or romantic dinner spot. I’d just recommend skipping the sushi and sticking with the seafood and grilled entrees, which is where the restaurant excels. There is also a lengthy cocktail menu. The service is attentive and the atmosphere can’t be beat.