A Nottingham cafe that opened six months has relaunched in a bid to get new customers to pop in. Kofuku, a cafe serving the best in Asian street food and classic dishes will now also be holding markets and live music events in the evening as part of the relaunch.
The cafe which was once Restaurant 88, was a Chinese Karaoke place before it became Kofuku. The hidden gem is tucked away between Sneinton Market and Hockley which can make it difficult to attract passersby who are keen to head to either of the city centre's busiest areas.
However, since the launch on Saturday, January 7, the cafe is now packed in the evenings. It has quickly gained a reputation for its chilled and laid-back atmosphere mixed with tasty dishes. Owner Yammie NG is keen to stress, this is just the start.
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"We are out of the town so there aren't many people passing by. It was good at the start because we had lots of Hong Kong people come over but then after a month or two, people have already tried so there are fewer visitors coming. We had added the music and live events so it's busier on those days," Yammie explained.
The cafe has had a few small changes in preparation for the relaunch including fresh paint and plans for the windows which currently play areas for Yammie's cat who often made an appearance.
"We can't do a lot because our landlord won't let us but we have done a bit of interior work. We covered up the old design and then added the green. I was also thinking because I do art that I could change the window area where the cats were to be an art installation," she said.
The menu has been paired back to just the popular noodle dishes and a few tasty street food snacks along with an array of teas. The dishes are not just from Hong Kong but from Japan and Singapore too.
If you are looking to try something different, the chefs at Kofuku make a delicious version of shark fin soup but with plant-based ingredients. There is also a selection of perfect winter warmers in the shape of rich beef brisket noodles served in a hot soup base which will definitely lift the spirits on a cold afternoon.
Cheese fans would be doing well to order the cheesy udon dish as it uses four different kinds of cheese to make the street food favourite. Has it been difficult to tempt Nottinghamians to try the more unusual dishes they may not have had before?
"We started off doing Asian food but we wanted to do a cafe so we cut it down a bit so now we have noodles and teas. Quite a lot of people order the Gyudon which is a Japanese dish and we have the Hong Kong and Singapore dishes too," She said.
"I wanted to try and do it so it feels more acceptable for the local people. They like the Japanese style food and we try to make the dishes prettier too."
It's easy to see what she means as herbal tea arrives with herbs and flowers that we can add to a glass teapot to let steep before pouring. Sake is warmed in a small black jug in front of us before being poured into tiny shot glasses ready to be sipped. It's less of a quick cuppa but more of an experience and what feels like a lovely treat despite the pouring rain outside.
The cafe is packed at 7pm as people pour in to hear the live music on that evening. It's not just about the music as there are plans to host art installations and markets within the building.
"We are doing live music this evening then we also have markets on a Saturday. We don't organise them but we host the event here. We get different handcrafters to join and sell here like jewellery or wallets."
She added: "We are trying to think of more things we can do in the future. We have contacted the societies at the university to see if they have events that they would like somewhere to organise. So we could do it for them."
Yammie says that the relaunch of the cafe has made her the proudest. She is delighted by the feedback from customers who love the food.
"I think my proudest moment has been the reopening. When I put the dishes out people were like, oh my god this is so pretty and a lot better than before.
She added: "I've already started the art installation already because I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do in the cafe. The area is perfect for it because you have the Writer's Studio and the City Arts as well."
