Glory Hallelujah! These are the words that will come tumbling out of your mouth when you first walk into Kofuku. These will most likely be your parting words too, because at this recently opened restaurant in Bandra, the modern Japanese decor is equally matched by the authentic Japanese cuisine. And yes, that includes the sushi!
To be clear upfront – Kofuku is not the answer to all of your sushi prayers (yes, I have those). But, if like me, you’ve been craving good quality, basic sushi at a reasonable price point, this restaurant’s limited but fresh selection of Tuna, Salmon, Octopus and Mackarel will more than hit the spot. Better yet, the Maki, Temaki and Nigiri are properly constructed: the sushi rice is perfectly cooked and seasoned (no mushy longrain here) and you won’t find any weird ketchupy sauces anywhere. Our only gripe is that the nori (seaweed wrap) is not as fresh and crispy as it could be, but we hope this is just a matter of finding better storage to fight Mumbai’s humid conditions.
What Kofuku lacks in sushi variety it makes up for in other Japanese (and Korean) dishes. The Tuna Tataki comes to the table beautifully seared and rare, dressed in tangy ponzu sauce, garnished with sesame seeds and spring onions. Equally good is the Salmon Carpaccio, which shows up sliced and ucooked, marinated in a soy ginger and kicked up with fresh jalapeno slices.
Soup lovers can’t go wrong with the Miso Soup (but stick with the authentic tofu version – their chicken miso proves why this option is rarely seen anywhere else). We also enjoyed our Seafood Kimchee Soup – hot, bright red, and spicy – but only order this if you enjoy the admittedly acquired taste of Korean kimchee (the real stuff, not the substitute that’s served at Chinese restaurants here).
Other standouts from our meal included the Grilled Shitake, which was smoky, sweet and surprisingly juicy (most likely reconstituted in water). We were also quite fond of the Beef Bulgogi – thinly sliced, tender, and savoury with a touch of sweet. Order this with a side of sticky rice and you’ll be planning your next visit before you hit the bottom of your bowl.
Kofuku brings much welcomed respite to Japanese food lovers who either cannot afford a trip to Wasabi or don’t care for the distance. Aside from the food, we were also very impressed with the prompt and courteous service, both from the management and the servers. But don’t take our word for it – the restaurant is usually packed with Japanese businessmen and diners, and that’s always a good sign.
Kofuku
Kenilworth Shopping Arcade
Level 2
Off Linking Road
Bandra West, MUMBAI 400050
Tel: +(91)(22)6710 5105 / +(91)(22)67101101 / (+91)8097244865