Yup, enjoyed the Tontoro Ringo (Pork with Apple) the best, it made for a real delectable, sweet savoury treat!

We also enjoyed almost every other dish we ordered:

* A variety of Kushiyaki skewers (sorry wished I could remember which ones we orderd, but I can’t, except that they were all gratefully devoured!)
* Some special grilled Japanese beef (again, can’t really recall the exact name, but it costs around $60 -90 a 100g, I think) – served with a cute lil’ tray of condiments – sliced fried onions, grated ginger, Japanese lime, sauce.
* Foie Gras – gorgeously unctuous at the first bite, but I could really only stomach two out of the three portions on 1 stick. Too rich for me, but I’m sure Foie Gras fans will love it.
* Hotate with cheese on a shell
* Grilled Eggplant – this was probably the only dish that I had better elsewhere.

I also really appreciate the complimentary (?) side of raw cabbages – sweet and crunchy and complements the grilled stuff.

The food with rice and sake costs us around $150. It’s really pricey, but probably because we ordered the special beef, which was pretty good, even better than Wagyu.

The service is pretty OK, with friendly, knowledgeable waitresses who recommended great dishes. As more patrons fill up the place, it can be harder at times for the waitress to remember to top up your tea. But other than that, generally no major hiccups, unlike the wait I had to endure when I dined at Kushigin (another yakitori joint just 2 floors below). But of course, I acknowledge that could be because I had dined at an earlier time at Kazu’s when the pace is not as hectic for the waitresses.

The ambience is not what one would call fine-dining, but I really digged the small, cosy, noisy vibe. It's akin to a vibrant izakaya and adds to the authenticity of the place. I especially enjoyed sitting at the counter seat too as you get to watch the master chef in action and of course, eyeball more delectable dishes to add on to your orders! The whole sensory experience is great too, you get to taste your food amid the ambrosial smells and stimulating sounds of the grill.

Note: Had actually dined at Kazu about 1-2 weeks earlier but unfortunately had not written a review yet. That was till I dined at Kushigin today and compared it to Kazu, that I really appreciated the dining experience at Kazu on hindsight! Had checked out Kushigin with the thought that "Hey, if Kushigin can be as good as Kazu but at half its prices, I can have a more affordable place to satisfy my yakitori cravings!" But I guess sometimes, there's a reason why certain places are priced so, every extra penny paid makes a difference. And Kazu is worth every extra penny! We had a more than satisfying meal. Guess I’ll just have to trade 2 meals at the mediocre Kushigin for 1 superb meal at Kazu!

It was my second visit to Kazu last evening. This little restaurant tucked away with the other Japanese gems in cuppage was always full and no reservation meant you were likely to be turned away during the peak hours.

Once seated, we were greeted with the juicy bowl of complimentary cabbage, great for downing later with all the Kushiyaki coming our way.

Here's what we ordered.

Foie Gras
Enoki mushroom with pork belly
Avocado with pork belly
Asparagus with pork belly
Kurobuta Pork
Pork with Apple
Scallops
US Wagyu Short Rib
Sasami Mentai Chicken Fillet
Chicken Wing
Ika Geso (Squid tentacles)
Garlic Rice

If I ever needed ONE reason to return to Kazu, it would be the Foie Gras, which you can see is the top of my list. Having eaten foie gras at a couple of places, including the Equinox at Swissotel, I must say that Kazu was the place that blew me away with the Foie Gras served. Lightly crisp on the outside, and uber creamy in the inside. One bite sends the foie gras melting deliciously in the mouth and suddenly all the other senses just almost shut off as the delicacy is savoured, uninterrupted by anything else.

Another must try is the pork with apple. Sweet and juicy. I personally also like the avocado pork belly. The only order that I felt could be improved was the Ika Geso, which was not as crunchy as it could be, possibly because the squid tentacles were not 'fat' enough.

Many families with young kids visit this place, though tables of japanese men downing beer with there food were also seen. The kids do make a little of a din, but not enough to stop me from returning for the yummy foie gras.

We spent an average of $30 per person, didn't order too much as we weren't too hungry yet, it being an early dinner.
Will I return for more? Definitely. I'm already looking forward to it "p

From my previous review on Kushigin, you would know that I'm not a yakitori fan, but Kazu's reputation and the fact that I was in the vicinity aft 830pm were enough to make that my dinner destination.

As other reviewers noted, Kazu's strength doesn't lie in its service. Our order of fried rice took abt an hr..probably cos the chef forgot the order. (The long awaited fried rice wasn't any better than that served at even Sun with Moon..though it could be because the chef whipped it up in a hurry cos we wanted to cancel the order.) The staff did refill the tea pretty regularly though.

Food wise, Kazu's quality definitely met expectations. The flying fish sashimi (a seasonal dish) was so fresh, it tasted as though it had just leapt out of the sea and onto our plates. The tinge of saltiness in the fish was perfectly complemented by the ginger/horseradish on the side. Another must-try dish is the eel with salt. Melts in your mouth...=) The soft shell crab tasted very light but must eat it immediately cos it softens very fast!

Fyi, there's also a bowl of clam soup which isnt on the menu. It's a pretty good way to end off a meal. Sorta cleanse the palate especially after a dinner of grilled/fried stuff.

Lotsa Japanese folks here to add to the atmosphere ;)
No cheesy music played too!
Less smoky than Kushigin!

:( i had high hopes for this place.. but i am very disappointed. I never minded paying for good food but over here the servings are way too small. and also tables are placed way too closely to even have a decent conversation.

I had several dishes, mostly the norm.. but seriously they are pretty normal. Probably have to give them credit for the freshness and the quality thats all. . . wagyu beef a stick for $12 or $15. nothing amazing bland doesnt taste like waygu. dont try the okonomiyaki. whats worth mentioning is this gigantic scallop for $12 (Seasonal price) and the pork with apple. duck and cod fish is not bad bacon and oyster is alright as well..chicken skin is alright.. thats about all. the rest are average or below. ie pork belly with avocado, chicken wing, wagyu, etc.. most of the food there are realy overpriced! i tried the chicken with spicy fish roe.. that is the WORST. as well as the burnt caramel crepe. the tiramisu is not bad.. was disappointed that i did not get to try scallop with prawn wrapped in bacon thought :((

ambience - oily stuffy smokey noisy

service - sickening. seriously the restaurant know nuts about service. people who do not know the product well enough when we were asking about the selection of gelato (they pronounce it as jia lat toh) waited forever for the last two add-on dishes as well..

i dont understand why it is always packed given that the food is expensive yet portion is small. the first time i made a reservations in the end when i was there guess they forgot and i waited for half an hr in the end they let this family with no reservations in. i was damn pissed.. after which i tried again another time on a monday night.. it was packed as well. i spent $129 + for 2 pax

having read a number of good reviews, i visited the place with high expectations and left disappointed. the grill squid was like it wasn't even grilled. other stuff was okay but not particularly great.

tables were small & very crowded. Doesn't have many seats near the grill and not being able to sit at the counter near the grills just takes away the fun.

I must say the service was pretty good and the ratio of servers to diners was sufficient to ensure enough attention.