Kotobuki - The Lesser Known Japanese Restaurant

After seeking shelter from the pouring rain, I found myself stranded in an unfamiliar shopping mall, which I soon found out to be ZhongShan Mall. With an empty stomach, my quest for food led me to a storefront of attractive wooden frames and striking bright red, reading - Kotubuki.

 HOT GREEN TEA ($1.50)
It is always a custom to order a drink of hot green tea, especially when one is served in a customised stone cup. With a comfortingly smooth and astringent quality, it is perfect during this rainy weather.

TONKOTSU RAMEN ($14.00) 
Every bowl of Ramen comes with its own distinctive look and taste, and the tonkotsu ramen at Kotobuki is served in a dispiriting oversized bowl, drowning the presentation in a saddening desultory manner.


Served in a hearty pork-flavoured creamy broth, the soft thin-straight yellow noodles were cooked just beyond overdoneness, and accompanied by different vegetables - crunchy beansprouts, marinated bamboo shoots, also known as menma to some. and oddly spinach.

Aside from the decent broth, the highlight would be the smoky-savoury char siew and ajitsuke tamago with its firm bouncy egg white and creamy yolk centre.

MISO RAMEN ($14.00)
Sometimes people make mistakes, and not ordering a different food item at Kotobuki is one of them. My partner Ashley ordered the ramen with miso as the soup's base. The fermented soy-bean gave the soup a combination of savoury, salty and sweet, with a hint of seaweed flavour. Otherwise, both bowls were nearly identical.

KAWA EBI ($8.00)
Though the ones Japanese river prawns served at Standing Sushi Bar may be cheaper and fried with a light batter, the version served at Kotobuki is simply deep fried. It is light and addictively crispy to snack on between bites of food or while having a drink. With a squeeze of lemon, the juices is absorbed into the prawns for a refreshing acidic bite.

Address: Zhong Shan Mall, 20 Ah Hood Road, #01-16, 329984
Opening Hours Lunch: 11:30 am - 3:00 pm
Opening Hours Dinner: 5:30 pm - 10:30 pm
Websitehttp://www.kotobuki.com.sg/
How we got here: 15-20 minutes walk from Novena MRT

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