Homegrown Tokyo-inspired café makes its debut at the new One Shenton building, beside the Asia Square Tower.
Housed along the Shenton Way district where office personnel are aplenty, Kohii stands out in its austerity in essence of a casual, contemporary Japanese café and sandwich bar specialising in quality coffees and handmade sandwiches, made with the freshest of ingredients.
With almost 90% of the ingredients sourced from Japan, the well-travelled cosmopolitan executives who expect good quality with great value will be beguiled, simultaneously enjoying free WIFI in the cheery and chic alfresco setting.
Drinks
MangoMomo ($6.30)
For a deliciously fruity and thirst quenching beverage, Mango Momo is one of Kohii’s signature smoothies; it is a healthy marriage of mango and peaches with absolutely no sugar added, blended into a rich, icy concoction.
Banana Coco Maltese Frappe (Left). Apple and Cinnamon (right)
For something less rich, the refreshing and delightful palate cleansing Apple and Cinnamon smoothie makes the mark; it is the perfect beverage to beat the perennial heat!
Brewed Coffee ($5.00)
A Japanese café is not complete without quality Japanese coffee; Kohii imports UCC Coffee, a renown coffee brand in Japan with history dating back to 1933. It is aromatic and suitably robust; it is less intense than Robusta coffee (Kopi-Os), and will appeal to the ladies especially.
Salads
Assorted Seafood Salad $10.50
Salads come with a choice of one salad dressing with 3 to choose from: Soy Vinegrette, Goma and Miso. These 3 homemade dressings will complement the light and fresh mix of greens, creating unique tastes to suit different palettes.
Personally, Goma gets my vote. It is a slightly creamy dressing with rich sesame flavour, sufficiently thick, providing a nice coating on the greens without gliding off. The Miso dressing fares well too –it is a light and flavourful dressing; its mellow, savoury and sweet flavours are sure to perk up your salad. The Soy Vinegrette is passable; for those who like their dressings in a liquid state, this is an option.
Assorted Mixed Mushrooms Salad ($9.80)
The Mixed Mushrooms Salad is a vegetarian option; an assortment of mushrooms, all imported from Japan, is combined, creating a bounty of textures, in conjunction with natural juices retained in the mushrooms.
Soup
Pumpkin Soup ($7.50)
I realised I didn’t manage to snap a photo of the Pumpkin Soup, but how is that even possible, when we ordered a second serving because it was so delicious! Their pumpkin soup is made daily, composing of purely fresh pumpkin puree, with no cream added. It is less rich than the usual western rendition of pumpkin soup, with homely flavours and a smooth comforting consistency that will leave you wanting more.
Their signature Mixed Mushrooms Soup ($9.80) is so popular that they ran out of it when I was there!
Sandwiches
Sandwiches at Kohii are made with fresh ingredients upon order, and everything unsold will be thrown away at the end of the day. All sandwiches come standard with iceberg lettuce and Japanese cucumbers, with a leading ingredient or two to individualise them.
A choice of three types of bread – Wholemeal, Oatmeal and Plain – is offered, giving an option to the growing health-conscious group.
Tuna and Apple Sandwich with whole-meal bread ($7.80)
TheTuna and Apple Sandwich with whole-meal bread costs $5.90 in the Breakfast Set, and comes with coffee or tea. I didn’t enjoy the large chunks of apples; they aren’t exactly bite-sized and they create a mess, falling off the sandwich with each bite. The tuna didn’t impress either; it is dry and in dire needs of a dressing. However, I appreciate the refreshing pairing of apple and tuna; they could probably slice up the apples and spruce it up with some dressing for a more palatable sandwich. Despite the lack of devouring pleasures, this sandwich will appeal highly to the health conscious consumers.
Potato and Bacon with Oatmeal bread ($8.50)
The Potato and Bacon sandwich is delicious, although the boxy chunks of potatoes pose a hassle to consume if you were intending eat it like a burger. I ended up eating each ingredient separately to avoid the mess, cutting them up with the knife and fork provided. Chunks of food falling off your sandwich are the very last things you want on your office suit.
Teriyaki Chicken Breast with Oatmeal bread ($9.50)
I like how the breads are toasted prior to serving; you will find a warm, crisp bun with a fluffy interior that is neither dense nor too dry.
Chicken breasts are used at Kohii for its leanness, the Terriyaki Chicken Breast is a tad tough for my liking but the teriyaki sauce did help to moisten up the protein.
Curry Chicken with plain bread ($9.50)
The Curry Chicken sandwich is Kohii’s signature dish; with Japanese curry being widely popular in Japan, incorporating its piquant flavours into a sandwich can never go wrong.
Pesto Chicken ($8.50)
Of the three chicken sandwiches I’ve tried, the Pesto Chicken is a personal favourite. Cut in manageable strips, the chicken is coated with a delicious Italian sauce that is creamy and zingy, with a touch of herbs.
In conclusion:
Kohii gives the working bunch no excuse to pick up cold sandwiches at convenience kiosks, settle for MSG-laden hawker food or binge on greasy fast food.
The immaculate Japanese culture that focuses on quality and presentation will be experienced here. Providing pretty looking yet healthy sandwiches accompanied by a cast of palatable smoothies, with strong emphasis on warm and friendly service, Kohii will leave an impression.
Ongoing promotions:
Breakfast (8.30am to 11.00am): $5.90 Nett for a wholemeal sandwich and freshly brewed coffee or tea.
Lunch (11.00am to 2.00pm): $10 Nett for a sandwich (3 choices of bread), soup of the day, salad and freshly brewed coffee or tea.
Rainy Days Specials: Free coffee or tea with any item purchased, valid for Dine-in & Take-away.
Opening hours:
Monday to Friday: 8.30am-8.30pm
Saturday: 9.00am-3.00pm
Closed on Sundays & Public Holidays
Tel
Fax
www.kohii.asia