If there is a word in the world gets me excited, it’s… and yes, this is SFW, “snacks”. Hotdaym do I love a snack. Why? You can get a whole bunch and you can share, which means that you can taste everything. Best life ever.
So when I saw that Manga in Mouille Point had an entire section dedicated to snacks AND they sell sushi, I asked if I could move in. They said no, which was awkward, but I still went for dinner.
Manga is a big, bright, colourful and open space, with giant glass sliding doors opening on to the Mouille Point prom. Cape Town’s ridiculous sunset times (which I’ve still not gotten used to) means that you can sit down, have a drink and dinner with the gentle evening sun keeping your shoulders warm.
But wait, let’s get to the food. Ahem…
Manga Mouille Point Review
STARTERS
Poke Bowl // 80
If you spend any time on Instagram, you’ll know that Poke (Poh-keh) is very trendy. This one was flipping phenomenal and definitely the highlight of my meal. Rice, topped with meaty fresh tuna, avo, seaweed, red onion, crunchy macadamia nuts and then topped with a sriracha-soya dressing. The nuts added an unexpected crunch and the onion melded into the dressing. Sriracha is a very strong flavour with it’s deep garlic undertone and sometimes overwhelming sweetness, but it was balanced perfectly with the soya sauce. An absolute joy.
Crispy Calamari // 70
A really nice sized portion of calamari in a light batter with a great kick of chilli. I loved the deep-fried garlic chips and coriander and the fruitiness of the hoisin sauce and yogurt dressing brought it all together. This one will definitely be a crowd pleaser.
Grilled Beef Tataki // 95
Served cool, the perfectly seared beef was slightly charred, but deliciously rare and tender, with those delish garlic chips, nutty sesame (people don’t realise how a tiny sprinkle can add to a dish!) fiery ginger, and a sharp soya and black vinegar dressing. While it’s not a huge portion, the flavour it packs is a knockout.
Pork Belly // 70
I don’t eat pork, but ol’ Marv-dawg tasted this little bowl of sticky goodness. These chunks of crispy pork belly, were fatty, without being frighteningly too fatty. The sweet-chilli and ginger sauce made Marvin go “ooh!”, so I assume it had quite a bite (in a nice way).
(I forgot to take a picture, because if I can’t eat something, it doesn’t exist to me ;))
MAINS (SORT OF)
They do have a real mains menu that looks damn fine, but we decided to try some sushi.
Manga Rainbow Reloaded & Spicy Tuna Tataki // both 105
Simple and unfussy with a ‘lil dollop of mayo, each mouthful of this trio of fish – salmon, tuna and linefish – tastes slightly different and has varied texture. Manga have that charred sear down. Seared tuna atop a spicy tuna tartar roll, with a slightly sweet and sticky sauce, gives these little bundles of happiness a balanced kick.
DESSERT
Rice Pudding // 48
The rice pudding didn’t float my boat. It was too stodgy and lacked flavour to the point of being neither sweet nor savoury, but somewhere in the middle. It was served with grilled mango, which was a nice touch, and a really delicious coconut ice cream, but unfortunately they didn’t save the day.
Sago Pudding // 45
Everything the rie pudding wasn’t, the sago pudding was – seriously delicious, a true taste and flavour party in my mouth. A layer of coconut milk sago, topped with a sticky caramelised pineapple ring that brought sweetness and intensity to the dish. This was then topped with a fresh mango and chilli sorbet and a litchi granita. It was very cool (pun intended) to have two forms of “ice cream” that worked so well together both flavour- and texture-wise. A fresh fruit salad topped it all off. Diiiii-vine.
A beautiful location, staff who know what’s what, and a truly interesting menu that’s packed with love, means that your Manga-experience is a special one. It’s not a cheapie meal out, but the quality of the ingredients speak for themselves. They also have a great special that I will link to below. Trust me, have the Poke Bowl, I just hope they add more varieties to the menu.
FYI: Half price sushi specials on Tuesdays! Get involved.
Directions to Manga
Cnr Rothesay and Beach Road
Mouille Point
021 202 2720
