Riebeek Kasteel is a town that moves at its own pace. Mornings begin over coffee, lunch tends to run long, and by late afternoon the light has settled across the Swartland hills. It might seem an unlikely landing place for Cheyne Morrisby’s high-impact Pacific Rim cooking, but it works.
Morrisby has left Cape Town for the village and opened Saisei, meaning “rebirth”, along with its scruffier little sibling, Ding Dong, and a coffee offering at Pan-Ya. For diners who followed him through Cheyne’s, Lucky Bao, Shio and Hiro, there is plenty that feels familiar: the four-part menus, Japanese technique, punchy sauces and a particular talent for balancing spice, acid, sweetness and umami.
This is not a reinvention so much as the next iteration.
Ding Dong Brings Lucky Bao Favourites to the Swartland
Ding Dong is a tiny garden-set street-food bar with a punchy menu and edgy vibe. The space is still taking shape and will continue to evolve over time. There is one long communal table and some two-seaters, so sharing space with strangers is part of the arrangement. It feels relaxed and slightly improvised – the right setting for food that requires serviettes and a willingness to get involved.
Ding Dong is a tiny garden-set street-food bar with menu full of punchy flavours and an edgy vibe…
The bao, Japanese fried chicken and Tokyo dirty fries were among our favourites at Lucky Bao in Hout Bay, so ordering them again was a no-brainer.
Crisp roasted pork belly, drizzled with miso aioli, sriracha and toasted peanuts is hugged by soft steamed buns. The JFC (Japanese Fried Chicken) is sticky and crunchy, with teriyaki, gochujang and honey balancing the swicy flavours. The Tokyo dirty fries are unapologetically loaded with kewpie mayonnaise, sriracha and nori and we scoffed them down.
There is a lot going on, but it never becomes muddled. The team (most of whom have come with Cheyne from Cape Town) understand the mechanics of food: crisp things stay crisp, crunchy elements retain their bite, and creamy sauces are checked by chilli, citrus or something sharp or pickled and often made in-house.
The cocktail menu plays in the same territory. My Tokyo Sour – Japanese Toki whisky, citrus, egg white and Angostura bitters – had enough acidity to hold its own alongside the fried chicken and fries.
Saisei: Moody Dining Without the Stiffness
Inside Saisei, the energy changes. The room is dark and atmospheric, with a sense of occasion but without stiff formality. It is Morrisby’s moodier, elevated dining side, but there are no hushed voices or elaborate rituals. The plates are considered and beautiful but the experience remains easy.
The menu follows a format familiar from his previous restaurants: Ichi – Sea, Ni – Land, San – Earth and Shi – Happy Ending. The idea is to choose one dish from every section, but they are not precious about sticking to that. This makes it flexible but no less difficult to choose – there are a lot of tasty things to consider, so if your dining partners are up for it, sharing is a great way to go. At R480 per person (when we visited), it felt like remarkably good value, particularly for a table willing to share.
Inside Saisei, the energy changes. The room is dark and atmospheric, with a sense of occasion but without stiff formality
My river prawn tempura came with tamarind unagi and a garlic-truffle emulsion. The batter was light, the prawns properly cooked and the sauce the perfect creamy counterpart. The Yellowtail ceviche was an intricate composition of nam jim, pickled daikon, tiger’s milk and unagi gel. It was delicate but not timid, full of flavour and delish.
The 48-hour short-rib gyoza were neatly folded dumplings filled with rich, finely pulled beef, with flavours of star anise and chilli XO. My beef tataki arrived on a crisp buttered nori tortilla with daikon and miso aioli, combining the pleasure of a crunchy bar snack with the precision of a composed plate. The food is built in layers, with nuance, balance and texture, which has become Morrisby’s signature style.
The food is built in layers, with nuance, balance and texture, which has become Morrisby’s signature style.
Dessert was a split decision at the table, so we ordered a few. The Fuji apple crumble came with cinnamon ice cream and ginger cream. A 70% dark-chocolate fondant was paired with an unforgettable miso ice cream – salty, savoury and sweet, and very good at keeping the rich chocolate in line.
Coffee and the Red Thread at Pan-Ya
Pan-Ya is the coffee bar just outside Sasei, serving a fabulous cup of coffee alongside muffin-style pan. It’s well worth stopping by before heading off to browse around town
The coffee bar is also home to Akai Ito, or the Red Thread. Buy a coffee for someone you may never meet, write a short message on a tag and hang it on the thread. Someone who needs it can later choose a note and redeem the drink – a lovely gesture in a small town where travellers and locals are constantly crossing paths.
Saisei, Ding Dong and Pan-Ya still feel unmistakably like Morrisby’s restaurants: bold, irreverent and precise where it counts. They have simply found a new rhythm in Riebeek Kasteel. We can’t wait to return.
saiseirestaurant.com | Ding Dong Instagram
Sasei Images by Andrew Morgan
