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| Chef Kazu: Owner and Head Chef |
- Yakitori: Literally means "Grilled Chicken" (From the Japanese words "Yaki" which means 'Grill', and "Tori" which means "Chicken") Shops which sell Yakitori more often than not specifically specialize in the various parts of the chicken like the breast, thigh, cartilage, liver and gizzard, just to name a few.
- Robatayaki: Raw items which are usually displayed in front of the customer, which they then pick the items for the Chef to cook it in an open hearth grill, which is the key differentiating factor. More information about the definition can be found here.
- Kushiyaki: Originating from the Japanese words "Kushi" (Skewer) and "Yaki" (Grill). Meats, vegetables, fish and other items are skewered and grilled over charcoal fire.
- Sumiyaki: Simply means "Charcoal Grill". A very wide spectrum of foods where Kushiyaki and Yakitori can be combined to fall within this category.
Most restaurants are generally not too uptight and strict about what they sell despite choosing to fall within a certain category, so consumers can get a wider variety of foods. The only common aspect of the four categories is that most of the items are grilled, but they also have other options like tempura and sashimi.
With that, now onto Kazu Sumiyaki proper.
With that, now onto Kazu Sumiyaki proper.
Kazu Sumiyaki has been touted by some as "The Holy Grail of Sumiyaki" in Singapore. Located in the sleazy Cuppage Plaza (Don't worry. It's still safe and relatively quiet), a haven for the local Japanese population with its bars, massage parlours and authentic Japanese restaurants, both locals and Japanese people fill the restaurant to maximum capacity on a daily basis and it's almost impossible to get a seat by walk-in unless you are prepared to wait for 30 minutes and above. Demand for seats here are extremely high, and the crowds inside are a stark contrast to the otherwise empty mall outside. The place, according to the waitress, has been open for 20 years, and recently have just completed a renovation of their premises.
With such an accolade bestowed on them and the crowds which speak for themselves, I wasted no time in making my due reservation and got seats at the counter in order to watch the Chef in action. With raised expectations, I was worried that the food might not make the mark, But how wrong I was.
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| Shirako Ponzu (Milt/Sperm of Cod topped with Ponzu Sauce and radish) |
Shirako. You either love it or hate it. I am glad to say that having conquered the psychological barrier of the idea of eating fish sperm a few years back, I now appreciate it for its creamy, smooth texture and the depth in flavour. Kazu did not disappoint. The milt was exactly what I expected it to be, save for a few veiny slivers. The ponzu sauce, citrusy and refreshing brought an important balance to qualify this as a wonderful starter for the meal.
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| Hotate Enoki Batayaki (Grilled whole Scallop with Enoki Mushrooms and Butter & Cheese Sauce) |
Relatively heavy for a 2nd starter but not cloyingly so, their grilled scallop was fresh and the mushrooms with the sauce added a burst of umami, with the wedge of yuzu playing the role of cutting through the richness. Served warm, this was sublime.
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| Grilled Lamb Rack (Sea salt on the side) |
A rather unusual start to the evening, our Sumiyaki adventure began with a bang. Take a rack of lamb, seasoned with salt and pepper, and grilled in the hands of a master, the lamb was juicy, smoky with none of that gamey smell and taste at all. This is a must order.
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| Bacon Kaki Yaki (Grilled Oyster wrapped in Bacon) |
Oyster and Bacon with salt and pepper. It's a natural combination. A wonderful surf and turf skewer that gave me the best of both worlds. One piece of the oyster with bacon was about the size of a fishball, and the oyster was just waiting to ooze out all the umami goodness.
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| Tomato Bacon Yaki (Grilled Japanese tomato wrapped in Bacon) |
Take a naturally sweet Japanese tomato, wrap it around in bacon (again) and grilled it over a carefully tended charcoal fire. Word of advice: Allow some time for it to cool, because when I ate it immediately, the tomato spurted hot scalding juices. But 3rd degree burns in my mouth aside, this was a wonderfully delightful item.
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| Kawa (Chicken Skin) |
Chicken Skin. This is a no-brainer, must order dish at any respectable Kushiyaki/Sumiyaki establishment. Grilling the skin till all the fats have completely rendered out, it becomes totally crispy and savoury. Add a little more salt to your liking, and this is heaven in a stick. Few things in life are better. For Kazu, the Chef left this dish unseasoned so do not be afraid to add your own salt.
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| Foie Gras |
Foie Gras on a stick. Why hasn't anyone thought of this before? Creamy, rich without the cumbersome veins usually present in lower grades of Foie Gras. At $6.50 a stick, this is a pretty good steal.
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| From left: 2 sticks of Buta Bara (Grilled Pork Belly) and 2 sticks of Tontoro (Fattier cut of pork belly) |
You can't really go wrong with pork belly grilled with salt. This was slightly crispy, with a firm bite, albeit a little oily.
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| Hotate and Ebi Bacon Negi Yaki (Grilled scallop and Prawn wrapped with Bacon and leek) |
This was a very popular dish which featured fresh seafood with once again, bacon and a leek which was grilled to perfection. The differing flavours and textures nicely interplayed with each other.
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| Tontoro Ringo (Fattier Cut of Pork Belly with Sliced Apples) |
This is a dish unique to Kazu. To add some dimension to the sinful pork, the Chef includes sliced apples. When grilled, sugars inside the apples will start to caramelize and the juices from the apple will start to flow onto the pork and coat it. This was the dish I was looking forward to, and Kazu delivered duly.
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| Gyu Tan (Beef Tongue) |
The beef tongue from Kazu possessed all the elements of a good beef with its deep and full bodied flavour. Another must-order especially for lovers of Beef Tongue
Other beef options not shown here include the US, Australian, and the Jo (Japanese) Wagyu.
I had the US and Jo Wagyu. Depending on your tolerance of beef marbling, the US Wagyu was decently tender and beefy with more bite, whereas the Jo Wagyu just burst with juices with a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
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| Iberico Pork Rib |
Concluding our meat massacre was the Iberico pork rib, a seasonal special item. It was grilled nicely but there wasn't really a unique aspect of it. The price is about $11 a rib so I would skip this and order something else instead. Good for a first time if you simply must have ribs, but otherwise, your money can be better spent on other items.
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| Yakiimo (Grilled Sweet Potato from Hokkaido. Butter used is also Hokkaido Butter) |
While searching online, many proclaimed this as the best sweet potato they have ever tasted and labelled this as a "die-die-must-try item". It was very, very well executed but sadly I am not a sweet potato fan so I was unable to enjoy it as much as other Yakiimo fanatics. That said, I still finished it, skin and all. The Yakiimo here was spoon-tender, an effect usually only achievable by boiling instead of grilling, which really showcases the skills of the Chef. The specially imported Hokkaido butter was the key catalyst in bringing the Yakiimo to a whole new level. Sweet Potato lovers should not miss out on this at all.
*If you wish to have the Yakiimo, order it first before the rest of your dishes because it takes 1 hour to prepare.
Service was a little iffy at the start because I had booked my slot way in advance and upon arrival, I was made to wait for about 10 minutes before I was shown to a table, and waiting a further 10 minutes before I was allowed to move to counter seating where I originally requested. (Which was much more spacious, and with a view of how the food was prepared). But as the meal went on, the staff managed to cope better and pay more attention to the guests, occasionally putting in their recommendations and checking on us more frequently. Food arrived promptly and were at least warm, if not piping hot. The staff were courteous, polite and cheery. The occasional lack of attention and lapses of service is simply Kazu being a victim of its own fame, and shortage of manpower which is very common in the F&B industry.
Overall, Kazu Sumiyaki was simply an experience to behold. It encompassed everything essential about Japanese cuisine. Fresh items, cooked and seasoned simply in the hands of a master and keeping the customers coming every day. With a glass of Sapporo beer, this was a fantastic way to end a hectic day with just very expertly grilled, sinful but oh-so- wonderful skewered meats and dishes, which really reminded me of the time I went to a Yakitori bar in Tokyo and saw blue and white collars concluding an honest day's work with craft beers, great food and drunked chatters of laughter.
As I type this, I am still thinking fervently of the food, and I am already looking forward to my next trip there. Kazu Sumiyaki rewards the patience of their guests with flavourful grilled items. As the back of the staffs' T-Shirts in Kanji indicate: One Skewer to reach the Soul, they certainly touched mine and provided a very complete Japanese experience, replicating a scene in Tokyo which triggered so many happy memories of the times I spent in Japan.
This was my first visit, and definitely the first of many more to come.
Kazu Sumiyaki
#04-05, Cuppage Plaza
5 Koek Road
Open Daily:
1800 - 2200
1800 - 2200
Tel: 6734 2492
Reservations are highly recommended.
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