It was a weekday when we decided to try Kotobuki for dinner.

As a start, we ordered serving of the Unagi Roll ($20) to share. Portion was generous, and I liked that the Unagi placed on top of the roll was still warm. Very tasty.Next, we ordered Salmon Sashimi. 5 pieces that were well cut, and very fresh, but slightly pricey ($20).Finally, we had cold soba with tempura ($18). Generous serving again, and tasty.I will be back again to try other dishes, but will attempt to order before 7pm, as they offer 20% discount for orders placed before 7pm.

We were there for Lunar New Year lo hei, thinking it'd be nice to have Teochew style for a change. We started off with the lo hei which was good. I like how Teochew style is more simple compared to Cantonese ones.Next we had ngoh hiang. Crispy without being too oily. Tasted good.Steamed promfret was nicely done with salted vegetables. Next dish was claypot sea cucumber and fish maw with mushrooms. Tasty.Subsequently, we had white cabbage with mushrooms. This was nicely done with the cabbage not too soggy.We also tried their steamed cold crab. Very good.What is Teochew cuisine without duck? Their braised duck was tender and appetizing.Finally, we had a serving of fried rice to share. This was average in taste.I will definitely be back again. Without reservations, it is difficult to get seats as typically this restaurant is crowded even on weekday nights.

This is one of the stalls at the newly renovated and reopened Balestier Food Centre.
It usually has somewhat of a queue. We decided to give it a try for lunch.The laksa ($4) though tasty, was average in texture, it was a bit thick.The minced mushroom meat noodle ($4) was very good. It was also served with a bowl of soup, which was slightly sour. Satisfying.Will definitely come back again to try the other noodles!

Our group of 11 was there for lunch Lo Hei, which was about $688 for a set for 10.

We made a reservation for a private room which was very spacious. There was an unblocked view of the golf course.

First dish was Prosperity Salmon "Yu Sheng" with Pine Nuts. Average.Next, we had Braised Shark's Fin with Shredded Chicken. This was a creamy broth and it was tasty.Thereafter, we were served Sauteed Prawns and Scallops in Cream Sauce with Seasonable Vegetables. The sauce was pretty good.Next, we had Wok Fried Spare Ribs with Grapes Sauce. This was a tad sweet.We were then served a steamed fish, which albeit fresh, tasted a little muddy for my liking.Subsequently, we had Roasted Chicken marinated with Chinese Wine. This dish was pretty good and the chicken was tender.Our last dish was the Wok-Fried Glutinous Rice with Preserved Meat. This was fragrant and not too oily.Last but not least, for dessert, we had a combination of Chinese Pastries, which included Red Bean Pancake with Sesame Seeds Overall, portions were huge, we had to takeaway some of the dishes.
Taste was pretty good.
Service was average.
Ambience was nice.
We will likely be back again.

As it was the eve of the Lunar New Year, we arrived at the restaurant to find many people crowded around the entrance, it was quite chaotic. After some commotion, and a short wait, we were finally seated at our reserved table.

We had selected one of the set menus with 7 dishes for a group of 11.

First up was the Lo Hei. Presentation was average, taste was fair. It was interesting as they had used plum sauce in place of traditional sweet sauce.Second dish was braised shark's fin with shredded chicken. It was a clear broth, taste was pretty good. The dish however was served without vinegar and pepper, which we had to request for, and both the vinegar and pepper came in small dishes. Would have been better if served in separate bottles and not in small dishes.Third dish was abalone with broccoli and radish, topped with Fa Choy.Fourth dish was steamed fish. It was nicely cooked and fresh.Fifth dish was coffee spare ribs. Tasted somewhat sweet.Sixth dish was Bok Choy with Sea Cucumber and Mushrooms.Last but not least, we had the Almond Cream with Taro cubes for dessert. A tad sweet for my liking.Overall, I felt the servers were not well-prepared for the crowds. Also, if seated deep inside the restaurant, it was pretty stuffy and hot, and it felt as though the AC was not working well. Food-wise, taste was fair.

Perhaps worth a try again on a normal day where service might have been better.