Kotuwa

I finally made my way to Kotuwa’s new location today, and what an interesting space it is. A school block has been repurposed into a really lovely area filled with restaurants, giving the whole place a unique character. The restaurant itself was dark and cosy, with lots of artistic cultural installations and structures throughout the space. Despite the darker, intimate setting, it was still incredibly colourful and vibrant, which created a really interesting contrast and gave the restaurant plenty of personality. I will admit, the school block setting is not necessarily my personal preference. I tend to gravitate towards more tranquil, intimate spaces, so this is a little outside my usual scene. That said, I can absolutely see the appeal, and if you enjoy a more lively, casual and social setting, I think you would really love this place… A LOT. We ordered the Crab Cutlet, Chicken Kottu, Egg Hopper, Watalappam Tart and a few drinks. The Crab Cutlet was a little underwhelming for me, but the Chicken Kottu was delicious. As someone who genuinely loves chicken kottu, I really enjoyed this one, especially paired with the curry that came alongside it. Incredibly savoury with a kick. The Egg Hopper had a really nice texture, and it was my first time having a hopper with an egg! We ended up eating that with the curry too, which was such a good combination. Now for the absolute star… the Watalappam Tart was incredible. It is made with coconut custard, jaggery, candied orange and spices, and the combination was absolutely sinful. The flavours worked so beautifully together that we actually ordered it twice! But honestly, what stood out to me was the service. I had already seen reviews from people mentioning how wonderful the service was, but coming down and experiencing it myself was something else. From beginning to end, every staff member we interacted with was so friendly, warm and genuinely bubbly. A special thank you to JP, who went above and beyond before we even arrived. He gave us directions, sent us pictures to help us navigate our way there and even waited outside to welcome us. It genuinely made us feel so important and appreciated that he would go out of his way to make sure we got there comfortably. And thank you to Karie for her wonderful drink recommendations and for checking up on us throughout the evening. She was lovely. Everyone here was great, and I am honestly just saddened that I did not manage to get everyone’s names because they all deserve a mention.

Great location, street level at New Bahru. You are greeted by a cosy and relaxing outdoor seating and warmly greeted with a bright and colourful interior! Think warm and cheerful! Comfortable seating and warm lighting. Their warm and friendly staff made our dining experience so much more enjoyable. We were promptly shown to our table and throughout our meal, service was exquisite. Attentive yet leaving you with enough of a quiet time to enjoy your meal. Perfect for me! We were guided through the menu and food selection which helped us in ordering just the right amount. Leaving us with just enough temptation for our next visit! We started with the Crab Cutlets and Mutton Rolls- both were delicious! Good amount of filling in each with a light batter. Flavours were balanced and just right. A little on the spicy side, but still bearable. These will definitely be on my list of orders for my next visit! The hoppers went well with the Isso Devil, prawns. Still raving about how tasty the dish was and spices, well balanced. We enjoyed the set with the perch. Again flavours married well together and the set allowed for tasting of a number of offerings in the menu. A good choice. We couldn’t find any secret compartment for dessert and will definitely make this a priority for our next visit! Come! Come hungry and enjoy exquisite Sri Lankan fare, as much as we did! Thank you Team Kotuwa! Thoroughly enjoyed our lunch!

Had lunch here and it was amazing. All the dishes were flavourful and expertly cooked, like you're back on a trip to Sri Lanka. We had the aubergine pickle, the special chicken dish, the butternut squash curry, and the plain hopper. Would definitely come back.

The food was great! the service was amazing. What would have been the icing on the cake would have been a cold Lion beer to go with the food. My friends really enjoyed it as well.

I visited Kotuwa with my wife yesterday for the happy hour cocktails. As the dining room was closed, we were asked by the staff to sit outdoors. Unfortunately, the weather was extremely hot and humid, which made it quite uncomfortable to sit outside. We initially intended to enjoy some of your bar snacks along with a few drinks, but after a couple of rounds, we decided to call it a day as we were already sweating and feeling uncomfortable. I would have appreciated it if Kotuwa could have made an exception and allowed patrons to sit in the air-conditioned dining room, especially given the harsh weather conditions. I did share this feedback with one of your staff members before leaving, but I wanted to reiterate it as I hope it can be taken into consideration for future guests. While we understand that the dining room may have been closed for operational reasons, some flexibility in such circumstances would have made the experience considerably more pleasant. Thank you. Regards, Indran

Situated in the ground floor of an apartment complex, the restaurant was unassuming. We managed to get an indoor table, as it was very hot and humid. We visited for the first time, having just returned from several weeks in Sri Lanka. The food at Kotuwa was every bit as good as the food in their home country! The service was attentive, without being intrusive. The menu offered good vegetarian options. The dall had great flavour and texture, the cauliflower curry was bursting with flavours, and not overpowered with coconut milk, it also retained the texture, where many other restaurants overcook it. The butternut squash dish was a complete contrast, with rich flavours developing in your mouth, with a warmth continuing to be present without being over spiced. The sambal flight was a great choice - one coconut, chilli and lime, the next aubergine based and the third tamarind with caramelised onion. They allowed the flavours to supplement the other dishes. A small portion of plain rice was sufficient for two people. The food was so good we booked a table and returned three days later and tried the Cashew yellow rice, and Okra - well worth trying. The mango beer was worth a try and very fruity, on our second visit the local lager was a good bet. We liked the scorched art on the tables too. If we are back in Singapore we will visit again!

If you're looking to try something different yet familiar, in an elevated style, Kotuwa is the place to plan your next date. Full Kudos to the staff 5/5 for their kind courtesy and attentiveness. The staff was very knowledgeable about the menu, and happy to help. We took most of their recommendations for and were not disappointed. The ambiance was quite pleasing and spacious as well. Food 4/5, the dishes were flavourful , nicely presented, and portion sizes were generous. Must try the Kotthu chicken prata, and fried calamari. We didn't try any of the drinks. The dessert (the tart slice) was so-so. My only feedback: some room to improve the perfection and consistency of the dishes. Some things like duck curry and the lamb rolls could be slightly on the overcooked or unevenly charred side. But all-in-all the food is satisfying and delightful.

Special food^^