We had heard about Koko a lot from our friends and colleagues at LBB, Mumbai and when we mentioned that Koko is opening in Bangalore, they said that we'd love their sushi, the whole Asian gastropub meets chic vibes and heady concoctions. And rightly we did when the couple of times we've been here already. Located bang next to The Leela Palace, Bangalore, Koko (stylised KOKO), which means 'grand' in Cantonese, go grand with their all-inclusive menu (there's a vegan, gluten-free, AND a Jain menu), three floors which include an alfresco space, KOKO Privé, the exclusive bar, and KOKO Suite, the private dining space for intimate evenings and closed celebrations, and a terrace seating complete with cabanas.
On multiple occasions we've been here, we've either picked the al fresco space or the indoor seating on the ground floor. The al fresco space is our favourite since it's modelled under a glass-like conservatory set-up, so during the day time there's a lot of lighting coming through and come evenings, making for a cosy space without being too loud. You can hear your partner over the music.
We love our Cantonese and Japanese fare and the Hamachi Maki, the Singapore Black Pepper Chicken Dumplings, and the Edamame Truffle Money Bag get our thumbs up. We do like our dumplings a lot and we know we're coming back for the Hong Kong Shumai and the Belgian Pork Belly Dumplings. The Lantern Chicken from the small plates section is another favourite of ours.
For mains, we recommend the Chilean Sea Bass served with a light coriander broth that you can't get enough of. For drinks, we recommend Bombyx Mori, Tom Yum Cup, and Funky Buddha. The Mori has a Bombay Sapphire-infused mulberry tea base and it's quite yum. Wrap up your meal with one of the signature desserts or just come back for more. Like we did.
We know where to set out GPS the next time we are looking to pair our Asian tapas fix with a side of luxe and chic vibes.
Location: Old Airport Road
Timings: 12 PM to 4 PM, 7 PM to 1.30 AM
Cost For Two: INR 3,500 (without alcohol)
