I have been craving the food at two places lately – so much so that I ended up crossing both of them off my list in the same week.

A few days ago I got my fix of bao and ramen at Downtown Ramen. The soft, pillowy bao stuffed with smoked brinjal, tofu and pickles, and the dark and sticky beer and pork buns are such good value at only R35 a pop. I dived into my oversized dish of beef broth, ramen, seaweed, soft-boiled egg and smoky pork, slurping all the way. It brought back many noodle memories from Republic in New York, where bowls and bowls of Asian noodles and broth come out the pass in all shapes, colours and flavours. At the moment downstairs at Lefty’s they have super gin special on: R45 for two double gin and tonics. A perfect match, I thought. All in all, great value for money.

Downtown Ramen. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

Another craving was satisfied a few days later at lunchtime eat Chefs Warehouse, our 2014 Best Everyday Eatery. It’s not cheap – R380 for tapas for two – but the food is sensational. It’s at the top of my list at the moment for flavour, style and innovation. It’s the kind of food I want to eat anytime, and all the time!

In our tapas assortment we had delicate slices of beef tataki with a fragrant dressing and a bowl of the sweetest beet-flavoured sushi rice topped with salmon, fine shreds of nori, ginger and a wasabi sticky paste that had been baked – definitely not just piped out of a tube. The potato fondant was as good as I have ever had it, as was the creamy risotto with crispy grana padano crisps, and the plate of crispy calamari with aioli and tomato salad caused a taste sensation. Luckily, the tuna tartare gently tossed in soy sauce sat close to me, so I managed to eat most of it and not fairly share.

Chefs Warehouse interior. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

The service is fast and slick, and I love the fact that you can pop in without making booking (because they don’t take them) and have the most delicious meal in under an hour. It just makes perfect sense. Liam Tomlin is an incredible chef and I’m thrilled that he’s in the kitchen, with a formidable team alongside him, cooking food that excites and delights. I always leave happy and in high spirits.