Oishii Innovations Group, the team behind some of Kuala Lumpur’s most beloved Japanese dining venues, including Kyomo, minamo, Asumo, Itsumo and Kingyu, recently presented their latest concept: Kotsu Kotsu, now open at Desa Sri Hartamas.
After 10 years of operating in Malaysia, the team decided it was time to introduce another truly Japanese concept: the tradition of omiyage, Japan’s souvenir-giving culture. Here’s what you need to know:
“In Japan, our airports, train stations and department stores are filled with kiosks selling a countless variety of sweets sold specifically for gifts. This is because when visiting family or friends, or returning from travels, it is customary for us to take our favourite sweets as a gift,” said Group General Manager, Kota Furuya, in a press statement.
With kotsu kotsu, they combined this gifting culture with Japanese-style cakes, launching with eight recipes, including the signature kotsu kotsu Roll. Executive Pastry Chef, Rina Fukuda, added, “This style of cake is hard to find outside of Japan because it must be eaten on the day it is baked, thus it cannot be taken overseas as a souvenir, as the quality would deteriorate. These cakes are another aspect of Japanese culture that we wanted to share with Malaysians, so kotsu kotsu was born.”
As a practising Muslim, Executive Pastry Chef Sho Sasaki wanted to make Muslim-friendly cakes so that kotsu kotsu’s creations would be inclusive to all. The team spent 11 months developing and honing over 1000 new recipes to create the best representation of the types of cakes found in Japan, made here with halal ingredients. kotsu kotsu “こつこつ”, meaning “step by step”, reflects the overall steady and mindful effort to create and serve the best.
The brand debuts with its flagship creation, the kotsu kotsu Roll, in 3 flavours: smooth and subtle Classic (red bean); earthy, nutty Kinako (roasted soybean); and bittersweet Matcha (green tea). A selection of whole cakes is sliced to order, including the fluffy and refreshing ten-layer Fruit Cake, rich and intensely-flavoured Pistachio Cake, delicate Soufflé Cheesecake, tea-leaf-infused Chiffon Cake, silky mousse and moist sponge Chocolate Cake and uniquely layered and stacked roll cake, the kotsu kotsu Tower. In line with its philosophy, Kotsu Kotsu bakes all cakes fresh, twice a day.
Kotsu Kotsu Kuala Lumpur
- Operating hours: 12pm – 11pm (Daily)
- Location: 34, Jalan 24/70a, Desa Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
