By Hiruni Herath
Hot Butter Kottu – that’s not something you hear everyday but at Eastern Wok, it’s a staple in their menu that keeps customers coming back for more. A fusion of Chinese and Sri Lankan cuisine, the Hot Butter Kottu is tossed in chinese flavorings with the authenticity of Sri Lankan Kottu made out of Godhamba Roti. You might feel wary about trying out a new variation of Kottu after indulging in the Kottu that we are always used to. Cheese and Dolphin Kottus are still a bit sketchy in some restaurants so some people might not even want to bother trying a fusion Kottu but you will definitely be missing out if you don’t try the Hot Butter Kottu at Eastern Wok.
I’ve listed the Kottu in my order of preference with the last being the most favorite, but you definitely need to visit Eastern Wok to find out your favorite because they are all equally good with just slight differences. You might even get to try out their hot butter garlic sauce that they are introducing. It’s the perfect spicy and sweet accompaniment to the mouthwatering Kottu.
1. Chicken Kottu
The base in all the kottus are pretty much the same, with the choice of meat being the main difference. The Chicken might be the first on my list but that doesn’t mean that it’s not really good. But since we are all used to having Chicken Kottu, this didn’t really wow us. The chicken was not tough and overcooked as it usually is in Kottus. The flavors were also on point and the veggies tossed in Chinese seasoning definitely gave the Kottu a good kick.
Price: LKR 1000/-
2. Beef Kottu
After having overcooked beef in curries and other dishes, it was refreshing to taste the beef in the Hot Butter Kottu that was cooked to perfection. The medium rare beef was the perfect complement to the Kottu. We were actually wondering if we could ask for the beef and the Godhamba Roti separately and enjoy it but of course, we savored the Hot Butter Beef Kottu as it was, pure umami.
Price: LKR 1100/-
3. Prawn Kottu
We were pleasantly surprised when we were served the Hot Butter Prawn Kottu. The Jumbo Prawns were not expected and heightened the anticipation to taste the dish even more. And we weren’t disappointed when we took our first bite. The Prawns were melt in your mouth good and perfectly complemented by the Chinese seasonings and the Hot Butter Garlic sauce. Since they were jumbo prawns, there was less of it, which is my only complaint. We could have eaten bucketloads.
Price: LKR 1250/-
4. Hot Butter Cuttlefish Kottu
The true star of the four Kottus was the Hot Butter Cuttlefish Kottu. Honestly, I wavered between the Hot Butter Prawn Kottu and this one but in the end, the Hot Butter Cuttlefish was the clear winner. Everyone and their mother loves Hot Butter Cuttlefish and to find it in Kottu is just next level. You could even call the Hot Butter Cuttlefish Kottu the love child of two of the best Sri Lankan dishes, Kottu and HBC. And this love child does not disappoint.
Price: LKR 1250/-
We knew that we would be trying out Kottu dishes from a Chinese restaurant, which was already a novelty but when we arrived at Eastern Wok, we were blown away with the range of Hot Butter Kottus. Eastern Wok is the first Halal Chinese restaurant in Colombo and they’ve also been functioning for more than 25 years. Their new look at Kottu makes a refreshing and unique dish that embodies the fusion of two cultures, their history and cuisine. The generous portions with the meat cooked to perfection and the perfect seasonings makes this novel fusion dish a risk that was well worth taking. In conclusion, the fusion Hot Butter Kottu at Eastern Wok is a must try for any foodie.
Location – 38 Walukarama Rd, Colombo 03
Opening hours – 11 am – 11 pm
Contact number – 077 703 9329
Visit them on Facebook @EasternWok or Instagram @easternwok
