Kubo, the newest Asian restaurant in South Bengaluru, opened without much fanfare in a quiet corner on a tree-lined road in Jayanagar roughly a month ago. Located on a terrace bordered by overgrown branches on one side, the brightly lit space is whimsical yet chic thanks to garlands of colourful faux flowers hanging from the ceiling, cane pendant lights and simple, minimalist furniture. However, it’s often these unassuming places that are pleasantly surprising and we certainly were after our visit.
The access to the restaurant is from the back of the property, and after a few minutes trying to figure out how to enter, we ascended the few stairs to the first-floor location. We settled down to a much-needed cooler — Lychee Lychee which was made with litchi juice and citrus. We also tried the Smokey Guava (guava juice, Tabasco, pomegranate, activated charcoal). While the latter was interesting and delicious, the litchi drink was just what we needed after a long drive on a hot afternoon.
The menu spans Japanese, Indonesian, Malaysian, Thai, Korean and Burmese cuisines, and focuses on the countries’ most popular dishes. We started with Butternut Squash Soup — pureed butternut with Asian spices, and topped with chilli oil. While soup is not the best dish to try during summer, we enjoyed the balance of mild flavours and the distinct hit of spice from the oil in this one. The Edamame Truffle Oil dumpling, encased in a silky beet red pocket and filled with chopped mushroom and al dente edamame was decadent owing to the strong truffle flavour and mix of different textures.
We also recommend the Yasai Furai maki (crispy vegetables, avocado and sweet soy) and the Wok Fired Angry Bird (boneless chicken tossed in a fiery sauce of roasted chilli peppers, spicy soy sauce and chilli oil). After sampling the starters, we moved on to the main course and chose the Malaysian staple, Nasi Lemak with Ayam Goreng. The dish came with all the accompaniments that one would expect from a traditional nasi lemak, such as roasted peanuts, pandan and coconut-flavoured rice, boiled eggs, sambal and fried anchovies. The ayam goreng or fried chicken was an interesting twist to the dish, but the lack of some curry or sauce to go with the rice made it a little dry.
Dessert was the quintessential Asian favourite, Red Rubies, water chestnut rubies and Thai pandan jelly in sweetened coconut milk and crushed ice. The classic dish never disappoints and this one didn’t either and the iciness was a welcome relief.
Ideal for casual lunches and dinners, this spot is a great place for fuss-free Asian food.
Rs.1,200++ for two. At Jayanagar