On Thursday afternoon, my business partner and I made our way to the beautiful setting of Hiro Izakaya in the Constantia Utsig Wine Farm. It was like the heavens blessed us with the impeccable weather we had that day, especially after all the rain. We moved our reservation from inside to outside on the patio. The atmosphere was so tranquil and serene. It was still quite quiet as we got there when it opened. We were spoiled for choice in terms of seating, so we chose a spot with just the right sunlight to shade ratio. We had the most stunning view of the mountain, and the lush green landscape. It was truly peaceful. The decor was rustic with the wooden tables and chairs but I absolutely loved the addition of the single red rose on each table, it added a pop of colour and elegance to the space.
Soon after taking it all in, we were greeted by our waiter, he took our order and told us about the incredible special they were running, eight plates for R500. I couldn’t believe it! He told us that normally two people would share the eight plates, but Tumi and I are quite set in our ways, we decided to get four each, no sharing that day! Their menu is divided into four sections: Sea (fish), Land (meat), Earth (vegetarian), and Sweet (dessert). We thought it would only be fitting to get a dish per category.
Our sparkling water arrived (I was driving), and we placed our orders. We weren’t in a rush so we opted in getting a dish each at a time, and in the order of the menu.
“Hiro isn’t just a meal, it’s an experience, and one I already can’t wait to relive”
For my first course, I ordered the chilli salt Patagonia squid. Normally, I wouldn’t order calamari because it seems a bit basic and can be a bit oily to me, but this was truly like no other. The beautifully presented plate was placed in front of me, I don’t know what hit me first. The wonderful sight of it, or the smell that had me salivating. This dish was far from basic. My first bite was truly heavenly. The calamari was perfectly crispy and soft, there was just the right amount of the creamy mayo, but the real star of the show for me was the soy and sake reduction drizzled over the fish. It was sweet, sticky, and filled with umami flavour that helped cut through the richness of the mayo and batter. This dish was perfectly balanced, in my opinion anyway. I also found it was just the right size too, generous for a small plate but also not too much. Even the microgreens as garnish played a crucial role, it added that necessary freshness.
Let’s just say I was a very happy chappie.
Next up, we had Land coming our way. I chose the short rib gyoza. I mean, how could you say no to dumplings? I believe they should be a staple of everyone’s diet. After just the right amount of time to start digesting the first course, my dumplings arrived. Three golden pillows of perfection sat in front of me. Glazed with just the right amount of glistening drizzle, and once again, topped with richly coloured microgreens. I could not wait to get involved in this. Now, I did struggle a bit with the chopsticks because these parcels were heavy, and best believe I was not complaining. They were incredibly well filled and packed with flavour. The dumpling wrapping was nice and crispy yet perfectly al dente at the same time. The filling was beautifully seasoned and I was incredibly happy that the meat was not fatty at all, but very juicy. This trio didn’t stand a chance, I gobbled them up and then melted into my chair. The sun was shining now on me and I must say, I was truly satisfied and content at this point.
After two rather rich but well balanced courses, I was quite looking forward to my next dish. I chose something that was somewhat on the fresher side. My Earth dish was chilled soba noodles. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much from this course but wow was I wrong. This actually turned out to be my favourite meal of the day. It was presented in a darling little, yet deceiving bowl. Deceiving in a very good way, a lot more noodles fitted into this bowl that I initially thought. I’m normally not one for cold dishes, but this might of changed my mind on that. I honestly wasn’t too sure what to expect, but it exceeded my expectations. The noodles were well coated in this luscious sweet chilli sauce. It had just the right amount of heat as well as sweetness. It was truly moreish. I started out with small bites, and as I got more involved, more and more noodles were on my chopsticks. I think Tumi and I were silent for this whole course. This is, not maybe, the best noodle dish I’ve ever had. I think it was a very clever idea to make this a cold dish, it acted as a cooling agent for the heat of the chilli. This was a well thought out and absolutely delicious meal.
At this point, I didn’t have much space for dessert but best believe I wasn’t going to let that stop me. Maybe not the smartest idea on my part, I chose the richest dessert on the menu. But how could I not? It would be a crime to not order the chocolate fondant. Right…? Exactly.
Our waiter was making his way to our table with our dessert. I sat up from my slouched position, caused by a full blown food coma. I looked down, and there she was. A decadent chocolate fondant with a perfectly round scoop of vanilla ice cream. Just wow. The center was oozing with warm, thick chocolatey goodness. I gathered myself, and took my first bite. It was rich and silky and complimented so well with the cool and creamy ice cream. Classic and spot on. That’s all I have to say.
Overall, I had an absolute amazing afternoon at Hiro Izakaya. The picture perfect setting, incredible atmosphere, great staff, and the food? Chef’s kiss. I was expecting good things but it definitely exceeded my expectations. I can highly recommend this restaurant, there are so many unique dishes on the menu, it’s definitely a place to keep going back to. Please do yourself a favour, and give the noodles a go. You will not be disappointed. Hiro isn’t just a meal, it’s an experience, and one I already can’t wait to relive.
Thank you team!