Hear the word Sushi and you immediately think of Japan and raw fish, but that’s a modern idea. Originally it was a way of preserving left over rice in China and using food leftovers for toppings. The Japanese imported this idea and Sushi became an everyday staple. Today’s Sushi has emerged as a special occasion food in Japan, where it is quite expensive because of the top quality ingredients used in making stunning food. Being authentic, Tenkaichi also uses the best and freshest ingredients possible, and you can taste the difference, which is why we are known for our quality Sushi which has won Tenkaichi several awards.

We are best known for our Spider Maki which is a big seller, but the most popular Maki is our Rainbow Maki, which not only looks amazing but has such a range of different flavours, and so great for sharing and comparing.

It’s a common misconception that Sushi is all about raw fish, ITS NOT! We have an amazing selection of Sushi that is either meat or vegetable-based Sushi.

It depends on your taste obviously, but if it’s a vegetable sushi you would like to start on, look at our vegetarian or vegan selection, if you want; meat, we suggest Chicken Terimaki; cooked shellfish, go for Tempura Maki and if you want to dive in at the deep end, go for the Rainbow Maki. Main thing is, go for something you are comfortable with trying and prepare to be amazed at how good it tastes.

Sushi can be meat, cooked shellfish, vegetable, or raw fish, but always served with vinegared Sushi Rice. Sashimi is always raw fish and without rice. Both are usually served with pickled ginger and wasabi.

There’s a couple of misconceptions to put right here. Sushi isn’t necessarily raw fish, please look at the dish descriptions, we have meat, vegetable, cooked prawn and cooked crab Sushi, but even raw fish isn’t the danger you might think it is. Under UK and EU law all fish served raw in Sushi or Sashimi must have been subjected to a freeze cycle treatment to make it safe.

Rich in fatty acids and protein, Salmon and Tuna is super healthy and our vegan and vegetarian Sushi options are also great for people looking for a ‘clean’ diet. At Tenkaichi we use the freshest and best ingredients available and buy direct from the farm where possible. This is where the true health benefits are!

European flour does not produce such good quality noodles as those found and demanded in Japan, where the noodles are expected to have a smooth, silky texture. Japanese flour produces a lighter coloured noodle that also cooks faster, retaining the freshness of the other ingredients and so enhancing the dish flavours. At Tenkaichi we serve quality, so import our noodles from Japan, by the most environmentally friendly method available, cargo boat. You can taste the difference!

It’s all about the preparation method and the size of the noodles. Wheat noodles are prepared in Japan by mixing salt water with organic flour that has been freshly milled, the quantity of salt used is often a family secret as it dictates how fresh and tasty the noodles are after the drying process is completed. The mix is rolled as opposed to pulled and cut to thickness for either Soba, which is usually thinner, or Udon. The thickness of the noodle changes the noodle/sauce/ingredient ratio for each mouthful. Soba noodles are also often oil coated, changing their texture and absorbance characteristics, however, the main difference is the addition of various amounts of buckwheat flour to the noodle dough. This makes soba noodles have a nuttier taste, firmer texture and darker appearance than udon noodles. You really need to try both, so a great excuse to visit Tenkaichi again!

Our udon and soba noodles are Vegan, however ramen noodles do contain eggs. You can substitute ramen noodles for vermicelli noodles though, allowing you to enjoy a bowl of Japan’s favourite noodle soup!

Yes, we have a gluten free option which is also suitable for a vegan diet in the form of vermicelli noodles which are made from rice and so suitable for coeliacs and those with gluten intolerances.

Japanese rice is either short or medium grain rice; very different to long grain rice’s such as basmati rice which you will know from Indian cooking. From a chef’s perspective long grain rice is very forgiving to cook with, whilst short grain rice commands more attention. In fact, Sushi chefs in Japan, spend many years perfecting the art of cooking rice before they are allowed to even think about adding a topping! Short grain rice is a far softer, stickier rice, but its properties vary according to growing region and weather. With over 500 varieties to choose from; at Tenkaichi, we consult with Japanese experts before purchasing the best Sushi rice available that season, and change the variety year on year, dependant on the yield and quality in the various rice growing regions or prefectures.

Its not actually and most commercial rice cookers do an adequate job, however the techniques involved in washing and removing rice polishing residues along with control of the timings, which are temperature dependant, are where the expertise lies. We always say that our chefs are true craftsmen, and now you too have an appreciation for why we say that! They have such a wealth of experience and knowledge and demonstrate it daily.

Without doubt, its ‘Katsu Curry!’ And, its not like any other curry you will have tasted. It is sweeter and a lot milder than the Indian curries people immediately think of when they see or hear the word curry and carries a distinct sweet fruitiness about it, from the caramelisation of the base ingredients. The Japanese rice we serve with our curry is also different, rice served in Indian restaurants is usually long grain rice, Chinese restaurants use medium to long grain, but in Japan tradition is to use short to medium grain rice, which gives a softer clumpier rice, which is also easier to enjoy when using chopsticks.

The Japanese way of eating encompasses enjoying a range of flavours at one meal, normally served in separate bowls, or serving dishes, keeping the various dishes and flavours segregated. At Tenkaichi, we offer traditional side dishes, which allow you to enjoy the full Japanese dining experience during your visit. We recommend you try Gyoza, Edamame which are great to snack on whilst your rice and noodle dishes are being cooked, or Sushi being assembled. You might also like to try Takoyaki, or one of our Tempura dishes!

• Scan the QR code on your table, with your mobile device’s QR app
• Select ‘Dine –in’ and press the “view dine-in menu” button.
• Choose either of the two main tabs— food & drink and scroll sideways through the different categories to select what you wish

Yes, please feel free to use Tenkaichi’s free high speed broadband internet, the password is tenkaichi

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Please speak to your server, we will be happy to help you or take a manual order.

Yes, please tell your server and we will process your order manually

Yes, if you are using Yoello, you can get a receipt for your transaction online. If you ordered manually, please ask your server. Please note that if you are using Yoello, we are unable to issue a manual vat receipt.

Please speak to your server who will help or process your order manually.

We have limited tables, the largest of which accommodates up to 6 people and so it’s probable all tables are fully booked for that party size

If you wish to book a larger party (the biggest table can take more than 20 people, but is normally reserved in 2 or 4 seaters) please contact us and we will try and arrange something to suit your party’s size, desired day, and time

We are a small intimate family restaurant and tables are allotted a start and end time which the booking system automatically apportions. If your desired date/time slot is not showing, there are no tables available at that time for the size of party you wish to book for. Please select an alternative day or time, we would love to see you

Please check your Email, you will receive a confirmation Email at the Email address you gave during the booking process

We are only a small restaurant and our small team both answers the phone and serves our customers. When you phone, you form part of the line of things that person needs to attend to. As you would want, when you dine with us, our priority is making sure you have a lovely evening and that you get great service, rather than us answering the phone to speak to what is often a sales call! Having explained the issue, we hope you will understand.

Please contact us via [email protected] and we will get back to you

We have an air conditioning system coupled with an extraction system in our open kitchen, this circulates a constant supply of fresh cold air in summer or heated air in winter into the restaurant and then out of the extraction system, to be vented safely outdoors.

Yes, we offer rice noodles and can make our dishes using gluten free soy sauce etc as required. Please inform your server, we will be more than happy to help and guide you through our menu and suggest alternative ingredients.

We have a dedicated allergen preparation area and dedicated allergen cooking equipment, kept spotlessly clean and disinfected inside its own hermetically sealed storage containers. We also have an allergen list for every item on our menu and even a list of allergens present in every single ingredient we use. This enables us to explain what you can eat or should avoid dependant on your individual circumstances.
Whilst most of the common allergens are found in most restaurants and we therefore can’t say that any allergen isn’t present on our premises, we do take the utmost care and precautions to protect any customer with a food intolerance or allergy.
The one allergy that we would especially highlight though would be Soya, as soya is found in many things served at Tenkaichi and would be very difficult to avoid completely, especially as it will be on the plates of nearby diners and is likely to be airborne.
If you have an allergy, please let us know!

Tenkaichi is a friendly family run restaurant and “Good friends, Great Food” is the ethos we live by every single day. When you visit Tenkaichi, you are becoming one of the Tenkaichi family, we love all our guests and want to give you the hospitality and welcome that a family member deserves. Our aim is to provide outstanding value for money, highest quality, freshest ingredients, and exceptional cooking. We do not aim to be the cheapest in Cardiff, we aim to consistently be the best. Old man Tenkaichi once said “you only travel this path once and it costs very little extra to do it first class!” That kind of sums us up!

We have highchairs available along with kids colouring sheets, so your little ones are occupied while you enjoy your meal

We don’t have a dedicated children’s menu, however in a Japanese restaurant, people normally order a variety of dishes and share, so please free to ask for a spare plate for your child and let them join in on a fun family experience

Yes, please ask for one when making your booking.

Absolutely, just ask your server, we are only too happy for you to extend your enjoyment past your visit! Maybe a couple of Gyoza’s whilst you watch TV!

Best way is to use our online ordering app, you can select what you want, choose a suitable pick-up time, pay for it securely and we will prepare your order ready for you to collect.

Sure, we have a small seating area where you can wait, if necessary, there’s no need to be outside in the rain or cold.

We use energy to cook food, refrigerate and chill produce, air condition / heat the premises and transport ingredients, so have a Carbon Footprint just like every person or business on the planet. Whilst we work hard to reduce our Carbon Footprint, we can never get rid of it entirely. But! We can offset our footprint by carrying out some carbon positive actions to balance things out a little. By calculating our annual Carbon Footprint and contributing an equivalent amount of Carbon savings to offset this, we become 100% carbon Neutral or “Net Zero.” Our financial contribution towards rainforest preservation in Asia for example, or our contributions towards sustainable wind energy production in the Caribbean, help us do this. Tenkaichi is proud to be leading the way environmentally and to be the first ‘Net Zero’ Japanese restaurant in the UK.

From a food perspective, it’s all about reducing the food miles, which reduces our footprint. Take our Salmon as an example. Not only is it fresh from the net, but by using our contacts in the highlands we get it delivered direct to Tenkaichi, reducing food miles when compared to most Salmon which arrives via plane from Faroes, Iceland or Norway, then travels to a central market, then wholesaler, retailer and finally restaurant. You have eaten your super fresh Salmon at Tenkaichi before other restaurants even receive their fish, and yours is fresher, tastier, and environmentally responsible!
We use local suppliers wherever possible, like partnering up with Yoello, who are also on City Road for our ordering app. By supporting local business, we help the local economy, which is the right thing to do, ethically responsible and helps keep our area a vibrant thriving corner of Cardiff.