It's on just about every menu, done in every possible way. Luxurious salmon. It’s usually Norwegian, sometimes Scottish, but the only time I have eaten that was at Restaurant Mosaic in Pretoria. I prefer the raw version, with its buttery taste and melt-in-the-mouth texture. The flavour is best enhanced by salty soya or, surprisingly, jalapeno, which I experienced over the weekend at Nobu at Cape Town’s One&Only. They also do a salmon tartare mixed with ginger, soya and minced onion, which is quite a taste explosion.

I’m sure I don’t need to mention that freshness is key. Chef Laurent Deslandes of Bizerca Bistro in Cape Town has a blackboard menu that changes daily, but one of his starters has stood the test of time. In fact, he prepared this dish a couple of years ago at the Eat Out Restaurant Awards. It's simple but magnificent. Ultra-thin slices of salmon topped with creamy goat’s cheese, drizzled with a soya dressing and served with a pile of lemony leaves and a crispy baguette.

Down at the V&A Waterfront and at Hyde Park in Joburg, Willoughby's is famous for its new-style sashimi. I can't resist it surrounded by a puddle of soya and sesame oil. It seems that salmon loves soya – and so do I!

Happy eating!

Abigail