Target reached!
Any extra money raised in this Crowd Funder will go towards new kitchen equipment th...
Koba-Ko Ramen Bar
Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom
Aim
Koba-Ko has secured a permanent location in Kings Heath, Birmingham to open a ramen bar and we are in need of your help to make it happen!
Koba-Ko is inspired by the dedication and simplicity of Japanese culture. It will be a restaurant serving ramen, Japanese small plates, as well as a variety of beer, sake and simplistic cocktails to compliment the food and atmosphere.
The Crowdfunder goal is to open a local ramen bar in the heart of Kings Heath! Serving ramen and small plates with a menu of Japanese drinks.
Koba-Ko was founded by Sam and John in 2017, two friends with a passion for Japanese food. We started to explore, experiment and taught ourselves different styles of ramen at home, before expanding into the pop-up scene. Our first event was at Cherry Reds in Kings Heath, followed shortly by a very successful pop-up with Bonehead. With these two successful events under our belt, we set our sights on bringing our ramen into Birmingham's food scene.
In 2019 after a year of pop-ups, we had the opportunity to travel to Japan and see we how we stacked up against the real deal! Eating at least 2 bowls a day we were determined to learn more about ramen, experience the local culture and food scene.
We were very lucky to know and meet some people in Japan who helped guide our journey. Koba bar in Hiroshima (where we get our name) was an important part of this trip and we used it as a sort of headquarters and a place to meet new people. Bom, the owner, is known for welcoming everyone around the world to his bar and was a very gracious host in helping us find the hidden gems of Hiroshima, as well as Japan.
Koba means small comfortable space in Japanese, and Koba-Ko, our name, is a sibling of Koba.
Together John and i ran pop-ups until the pandemic forced us to go back to normal work and since then I have started again as a solo venture.
Taking the next step is me, Sam.
After finishing my A levels, I found a passion for cooking and set off on a journey to gain as much experience and knowledge as I could. With thirteen years of experience in a variety of kitchens, including fine dining, learning the ability to deliver high-quality service and food has shaped how I want the customer experience to be delivered at Koba-Ko.
Having worked with other independents within the industry in Birmingham, my reputation for collaboration has allowed Koba-Ko to grow and expand into a healthy pop-up restaurant, but it's time to take the next step for the business and create a space I can be creative in and hopefully provide the same arena for other new pop-ups.
Koba-Ko in Kings Heath is going to be an independent ramen restaurant serving bowls of ramen, small plates and a menu of beer, sake and cocktails. The aim is to deliver high-quality ramen and showcase some of the best Japanese ingredients we can find with minimum interference.
My aim is to expand to a small team to help me run this small restaurant just off Kings Heath high street and create the perfect spot to enjoy a hearty bowl of ramen in Birmingham!
We have built up funds for the initial costs to get going with the space but we will use the Crowdfunder money to fit the interior and buy furniture/equipment.
Rewards
Koba-Ko x One Star Doner Bar
Blow water jazz cafe
Bonehead x Koba-Ko - JFC
Koba-Ko OG Musette
Koba-ko x Lap Fai Lee
Koba-Ko X The Wilderness
T&C: We aim to complete all rewards within 12 months of the Crowdfunding finishing if we are successful.
Events will be held on specific dates and tickets are non-refundable.
Vouchers for Koba-Ko are valid for 12 months after our opening date.
This project successfully funded on 10th April 2023