Kohaku Sabo
At a Glance
About Kohaku Sabo
Kohaku Sabo (琥珀茶房, literally 'Amber Teahouse') is a Japanese teahouse-style café on Level 2 of Chinatown Point that has earned a devoted following for its exceptional udon, creative Japanese desserts, and serene atmosphere. The name evokes the warm, amber tones of a traditional Japanese tearoom — and the interior delivers on that promise: wooden furnishings, understated lighting, and a contemplative calm that feels worlds away from the busy mall corridors outside. It shares Level 2 with Nanbantei (yakitori) and Tsukada Nojo (hotpot), making this floor of Chinatown Point an impressive concentration of quality Japanese dining.
The star of the menu is the Mentaiko Cream Sauce Udon with Ikura Topping (S$23.80++). Thick, chewy udon noodles — the kind that demand proper chopstick work — are coated in a rich mentaiko (pollock roe) cream sauce that is deeply savoury and satisfying. But what elevates this dish from good to exceptional is the topping: generous portions of uni (sea urchin) and ikura (salmon roe) add layers of briny, oceanic sweetness that transform each bite into something genuinely luxurious. For a neighbourhood café in Chinatown Point, this level of quality and presentation is remarkable. The dish has been featured in multiple Eatbook and food blog roundups as one of the best affordable uni dishes in Singapore.
The Sweet Potato Crème Brûlée (S$12.80++) is the dessert that brings diners back again and again. Instead of a traditional egg custard, Kohaku Sabo uses sweet potato — resulting in a silky-smooth, naturally sweet custard with a gentle earthiness that pairs perfectly with the thin, crackable caramelised sugar crust on top. It is a uniquely Japanese interpretation of the French classic, and it works beautifully. The crack of the sugar crust, the smooth sweet potato beneath, and the subtle warmth of the flavour create a dessert that is both comforting and sophisticated. Other dessert options include matcha-based sweets and seasonal specials.
Beyond the signatures, the menu includes a well-curated range of Japanese light meals: udon variations (including a simpler mentaiko udon without the premium toppings, Japanese curry udon), rice sets, Japanese curry rice, and a selection of matcha and tea drinks that complement the teahouse concept. The café operates on a slightly unusual schedule — closed between lunch and dinner on most days, so plan your visit accordingly. Lunch is served from 11:30am to 3pm and dinner from 5pm. Friday and weekend hours extend slightly later. The café has been open at this location since at least 2023 and has built a steady reputation through word of mouth and food blog features rather than aggressive marketing.
Recommended For
Menu & Pricing
Prices ++ (subject to service charge and GST). Break between lunch and dinner on weekdays. Check hours before visiting.
Udon
| Mentaiko Cream Sauce Udon with Ikura Topping — thick udon + mentaiko cream + uni + ikura | S$23.80++ |
| Mentaiko Udon — mentaiko cream sauce udon (without premium toppings) | ~S$16++ |
| Japanese Curry Udon — thick udon in Japanese curry broth | ~S$14++ |
Desserts
| Sweet Potato Crème Brûlée — silky sweet potato custard, caramelised sugar crust | S$12.80++ |
| Matcha Dessert — seasonal matcha-based sweet (varies) | ~S$10++ |
Rice & Light Meals
| Japanese Curry Rice — classic Japanese curry over rice | ~S$14++ |
| Rice Set — seasonal rice set with sides | ~S$16++ |
Drinks
| Matcha Latte — hot or iced | ~S$7++ |
| Japanese Tea Selection — sencha, hojicha, genmaicha | ~S$5++ |
Practical Information
Dietary Information
Photos
Sourced via Google Places — food-focused photography
Location
133 New Bridge Road, #02-34, Chinatown Point, Singapore 059413
Level 2 of Chinatown Point, same floor as Nanbantei and Tsukada Nojo. The café has a calm, Japanese teahouse aesthetic with wooden furnishings. Walk-in only.
📍 Open in Google MapsYour Dining Journey
From the teahouse calm to the mentaiko swirl — what to expect at Kohaku Sabo.
Enter the Teahouse
Kohaku Sabo is at #02-34 on Level 2 of Chinatown Point — the same floor as Nanbantei (yakitori) and Tsukada Nojo (hotpot). Step inside and the atmosphere shifts immediately: the wooden furnishings, warm amber lighting, and quiet music create a teahouse calm that feels like a genuine escape from the shopping mall outside. This is a space designed for slow, contemplative dining — not rushed lunches. The café is intimate in size, which adds to the feeling of being in a private Japanese tearoom.
Order the Signature Udon
The Mentaiko Cream Sauce Udon with Ikura Topping (S$23.80++) is the dish that has put Kohaku Sabo on the map. When it arrives, the presentation is immediately appealing: thick, glossy udon noodles coated in a rich, blush-pink mentaiko cream sauce, crowned with glistening jewels of uni (sea urchin) and ikura (salmon roe). The first twirl of udon around your chopsticks delivers a wave of creamy, savoury mentaiko flavour, while each pop of ikura adds a briny sweetness that lifts the entire dish. The uni provides a rich, oceanic creaminess that makes this feel genuinely luxurious. For S$23.80++ in a Chinatown Point café, this is remarkable value for a dish that includes both uni and ikura.
Crack the Crème Brûlée
After the savoury richness of the udon, the Sweet Potato Crème Brûlée (S$12.80++) is the perfect sweet conclusion. The thin caramelised sugar crust on top gives a satisfying crack when you tap it with your spoon — beneath it is a silky-smooth sweet potato custard that is naturally sweet, gently earthy, and utterly comforting. It is not as heavy as a traditional French crème brûlée, which makes it a better finish to a meal. Pair it with a Matcha Latte or Japanese tea for the full Kohaku Sabo teahouse experience. The dessert is beautiful enough to photograph but delicious enough that you will not want to wait.
Kohaku Sabo is exactly the kind of restaurant that rewards those who look beyond the obvious. Chinatown Point has well-known names like Genki Sushi and Nanbantei, but Kohaku Sabo — tucked quietly on Level 2 with no flashy signage — offers what may be the most satisfying individual dish in the entire mall: the Mentaiko Cream Sauce Udon with Uni and Ikura. At S$23.80++ for a dish that includes both uni and ikura in generous portions, the value is outstanding. The Sweet Potato Crème Brûlée is the best dessert in the building, full stop. The teahouse atmosphere makes it a destination in its own right — not just a place to eat, but a place to slow down. For the food-blog-reading, quality-seeking diner who values substance over hype, Kohaku Sabo is essential.