#04-05 Koek Rd, Cuppage Plaza

Kazu is a Sumiyaki Restaurant* that has occupied the same unit in the occasionally shady Cuppage plaza for over 20 years. It has undergone a few makeovers during that time but still has the same head chef/owner throughout - so the quality is assured.

The food is great - uncomplicated and vibrant in its flavour and taste, it will leave you desiring more. Kazu serves a variety of staple Japanese foods from fresh sashimi to yakitori. They also have a seasonal menu as well as items you will not see in your average Japanese restaurant outside of Japan. For example, they even have chicken sashimi (yes, raw chicken) to eat! Yes, I did eat it (more on that below) and as of about a week later, still alive - so it does seem safe. Drinks are also good. The Sake pictured below is divine and not even on the menu but is as smooth as silk. Highly recommended.

The indoor decor is modern, muted and stylish - imbued with an intimate atmosphere so you only notice who you're eating with, which is how it should be.

Although slightly pricier than a standard yakitori restaurant, the quality and range of food make it worth while for special occasions or just when you want to treat yourself.

I hope you enjoy the following pictures!

Tip: As of writing, due to Covid-19, there are only two seatings, 6pm and 8pm. I'd advise to go for the 8pm seating as you'll have that extra 30 minutes from 10pm till 10:30pm and won't be rushed off your seat.

*What is Sumiyaki? “Sumiyaki” it means “Charcoal Grilled” (Sumi meaning charcoal and Yaki meaning grilled), although they cook it in a central kitchen rather than in front of you.

The Lettuce/Miso Sauce is a simple but highly delightful starter

Ikura, Truffle, and Tofu with Wasabi dressing

Chicken Sashimi

It’s a universal teaching that chicken must be cooked before being eaten. There’s no gradations to cooking it, like steak. Well, those lessons never reached Japan - where Chicken Sashimi is a ubiquitous delicacy. Therefore, being in Singapore, I was surprised to see it on the menu. It definitely tingled my senses as an adventurous person, so I thought “why not”. And so I did.

For those wondering these chicken are not your average battery chickens; instead, organic free range chicken are used and, from slaughter to serving, it has to be less than 15 hours. For certain parts, such as the breast, they are lightly seared, but for others, are served as is. It’s then served with Garlic, Ginger, Onions, and Soya Sauce. Dip and eat as you would any other sashimi.

So my thoughts on it?

The meats were, being raw, had very little taste to them, with the Ginger and Garlic swiftly overpowering any remnant flavour they may have had. The textures of the meat were, naturally, soft - with the liver being a surprise departure from it’s cooked form.

However, I’d argue, like with Fugu (another dish that I’ve tried which you can die from), it is the element of risk which adds to the enjoyment of the dish, rather than the actual taste of the dish itself. It was, if anything, just an intriguing and stimulating experience.

So, would I recommend it? Try it if you’re adventurous, but do so at your own peril. (I survived however!)

As per tradition, you get to pick your own Sake Glass

$ - Inexpensive $$ - Moderate $$$ - Exorbitant

This all about the meals that have left an interminable impression on me. Instead of reviewing every eatery I come across (there are more than enough websites that do that), I'll only be writing about places I enjoy, that I've repeatedly visited and personally feel that it's worth your time to check out too. By definition, all these eateries will be 4/5 stars on my old rating system so won't need a ranking. I will indicate the price.