We walked into Kazu sans reservation on a Friday night at 8.45pm - ok so I hear you say - what were you guys thinking? Dejected but not beaten, we proceeded to check out the other joints in Singapore's own "Little Tokyo" and were pleasantly to surprised to find Kushigin ("silver skewer" in Japanese) which greeted us with its open kitchen/ long chargrill facing the entrance. At least we could get a seat here if we were willing to return after 1/2 hour.

After some cold beers at Acid Bar, we were excited to find over 60 choices of yakitori offerings. Their succulent charcoal-grilled creations did not disappoint. Especially good were the tebasaki (grilled chicken wings at $2.80/stick), kawa (chicken skin at $2/stick) as well as the tomato cheese yaki (tomato wrapped in cheese and pork, at $4.20/stick). Also worth a special mention is the Tokusei Tsukene (their house special meatballs - a combi of beef, chicken at pork - at $6.50/ball) which was delicious and beautifully presented with grated radish to be mixed with a fresh quail's egg.

We also had our portion of carbs via the cold tororo soba (cold tea-flavoured soba with grated yam) which was very good.

The service was good, and I especially loved how the Japanese yakitori master behind the counter was only too kind to indulge me in practising my Japanese which I am currently taking (Hello! This is so pretty! When is your birthday?).

I would come back again and would say that their yakitori is largely on par with Kazu's, thought I do miss some of Kazu's offerings (eg pork belly with apple). Worth a visit especially if you belong to the "Kazu is overrated" camp. Ambience is laid-back and the place was full of Japanese businessmen who were there after work for a taste of home and not forgetting the alcohol.