We Tried It: Ukkō Restaurant Opens In Greater Sandton

Stylish Mediterranean Tapas and Sushi restaurant Ukkō has opened its doors this month, bringing a fresh new food offering to Nicolway Shopping Centre, inspired by ‘Kalevala’, better known as Finnish mythology.

Ukkō gets its name from “Ukkonen”, a Finnish mythology referencing the god of the sky, weather, harvest, and thunder.
The restaurant is the latest solo venture of seasoned restaurateur, Mun Manal.
On the menu, discover the signature Mediterr-Asian Raw Bar offering Salmon, Tuna, and Beef as a Crudo, as well as Tataki, and Peruvian Ceviche.
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Greater Sandton has a hot new dining spot to look forward to this December! Ukkō restaurant, with a wine and mixology bar, brings a fresh new style to dining out with a mythological theme at the heart of it and The Sandton Times went along to try this new eatery.

The brainchild of seasoned restaurateur, Mun Manal, Ukkō has little to do with serving Finnish-inspired food but rather draws from its mythology “Ukkonen”, in which it was customary to come together and consume food and alcoholic beverages as a sacrifice. The celebration was believed to guarantee good weather and harvest for the year ahead.

The name Ukkō is an extension of the idea of a space where people come together to celebrate special moments.

// Restaurateur, Mun Manal

With 22 years in the restaurant industry, Manal (who previously operated Mezepoli and Plaka Group), has brought together a menu featuring dishes with well-prepared, quality ingredients, meticulously put together to deliver mouth-watering flavours, paired with great South African wines and crafted cocktails.

The restaurant’s interior has a modern Med-Asian feel, with warm wood tones and natural stone finishes, in a relaxed setting, giving the space a cozy yet trendy feel that transports you to a tranquil space. The Tapas style serving is a focus and well-crafted to cater for all pallets through extensive offerings of Mediterranean small dishes – we tried the Camembert in Phyllo, Squid Heads, and the gorgeous Onion Bloom.

Asian influence dictates the Sushi offering on the menu with a modern twist, teriyaki brushed, ponzu drenched, and torch seared finish. We tried a selection including the MediterrAsian Crunch (6pc) and the Shrimp Tempura Roll (6pc).

For those with a sweet-tooth, be sure to order the Tiramisu, which is light and a delight with every spoonful. There is also the Baked Chocolate which features a melted Lindt centre. At the mixology bar lookout for the signature cocktails. There’s the aptly named Akka (female deity of Ukkō), featuring vodka, strawberry, and rose essence and lime, as well as Ether (God of Air) featuring Gin, Fresh passionfruit, elderflower, prosecco, and aromatic bitters.