Kotuwa - Menu

We had dinner here recently and while the food was generally good, the service experience—specifically from one male waiter—was disappointing enough to ruin the... read more We had dinner here recently and while the food was generally good, the service experience—specifically from one male waiter—was disappointing enough to ruin the evening. Food: Most dishes were flavorful and well-presented. Highlights included the Crab Cutlet, Jaffna Duck Curry, Dhal, and Egg Hopper. Cocktails were creative, and portions were decent though some felt overpriced (e.g., Chicken Kottu at $28). Overall, food rating: 4/5. Service Issue: Unfortunately, the dining experience was soured by the behavior of one waiter: Pushy from the start: At 6:30 p.m., while I was still within the 2-hour dining window (reservation at 6:00), he pressured me to order because the table had to be released by 8:00pm Rude comments: When my friend and I took some photos of our food (which had just all arrived), he came over and said, My goodness, why are you still taking photos? Just eat—the food is going cold. That comment really soured the mood. It was off-putting, especially since we were still within our reserved time. Who cares if the food gets cold? We’re the ones eating it. Even if it was meant as a joke, it didn’t land well and made things uncomfortable. From then on, he kept glancing at our table, as if calculating when to usher us out. I even noticed him clearing neighboring tables prematurely, while guests were still seated. Repeated interruptions: He kept hovering and watching our table. At 7:45 p.m., he asked if we wanted to pack the rest to go—while we were still eating. Inconsistent treatment: Other diners weren’t being rushed as intensely by him same way, even those seated before us. Why was our table being singled out? Was our specific table booked for someone else? Or was there another reason behind the different treatment? I truly can’t understand. He came again at 7:55 p.m. to inform us that the next guests would now be delayed until 8:15 p.m. At that point, his presence felt so intrusive that we no longer want to continue eating. Food is meant to be enjoyed. But being hovered over and rushed like that ruined our appetite. And hey, we spent about $100 per pax. This service is not it. Perhaps he held a supervisory role and felt the need to be the “bad cop,” while the other staff remained warm and courteous. Regardless, the disparity in service was jarring. This constant pressure made the meal stressful instead of enjoyable. Other staff were kind and professional, but this particular male waiter left a very negative impression. I genuinely wanted to enjoy the experience and write a review about the food, but due to the service, I can’t enjoy the food properly nor will I ever recommend this place to anyone. Meal type: Dinner Price per person: SGD 90–100 Food: 3 Service: 1 Atmosphere: 3