Located in an easily missable corner of the otherwise busy 1st block of Jayanagar, Kubo has certainly become one of our favourite Pan-Asian diners for dishing out authentic culinary delights. We were at the restaurant to sample the new menu launched as part of the Peranakan Food Festival. Our experience, all cards on the deck, started on an underwhelming note and we had our inhibitions about the food. However, all our doubts went for a toss the minute the first dish, Tamarind Prawns graced our table.
It took us at least 3-4 bites of this Nyonya delight to fully appreciate its taste profile. What impressed us further was the Prawn Sambal. The deep-fried butterfly prawns, cooked in sambal sauce, were tangy and spicy.
The chef also whipped up a delectable plate of Lamb Rendang Buns using galangal mayo, fried shallots, Thai basil and roasted coconut. The delicacy, which we highly recommend you sample the next time you are at the restaurant, also comes topped with roasted coconut shavings. For us, it was a sweet addition that we wish we found more often in such savoury dishes.
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Before moving to the main course, we also tasted a small portion of Sayor Otak. Think minced silken tofu with stir-fried mushrooms, wrapped in a barbecued banana leaf. While we found the lemongrass too overpowering, the overall taste of the dish was good once we got used to its flavour. Afterwards, we sampled Char Kway Teow whilst also eyeing an adequate serving of Hainanese Chicken Rice. The former was just as colourful and spicy as you would want it to be but the latter was an absolute winner. We will just take an obvious leap here and say, winner winner, chicken dinner!
The thick chicken slices of breast and thigh were slow-cooked to perfection with ginger chilli and soy sauce and served with chicken soup and flavoured rice. We also tried the Nyonya Laksa Lemak, a traditional dish whose origins are often debated. But we chose to overlook where the dish comes from and focused solely on how it holds the potential to become our go-to comfort meal. The flavours are uncomplicated yet satisfying and the soft-boiled egg placed atop the yellow noodles only adds to the experience. By the last bite of the aforementioned dish, we were full and just in time arrived our dessert — Malaysian Black Rice Pudding. This was no regular pudding as the texture was slightly thicker than a milkshake plus pretty unconventional ingredients went into its making starting from sticky black rice, sweet coconut cream and coconut flakes.
After dessert, we sipped on some oolong tea which was a perfect finishing touch to this flavoursome and appetising dinner which we suggest you also indulge in this coming weekend.
Meal for two: 1,200 onwards. On till September 20. At Jayanagar.
Mail: muskankhullar@newindianexpress.com
Twitter: @Muskankhullar03