By Dio Asahi for Eat Drink Asia.
The lift opens on the fourth floor of Cuppage Plaza and the smoke finds me before the door does. Charcoal, dark and earthy, threaded through with something richer — fat meeting fire. I follow it down a narrow corridor, past shuttered shops and flickering signage, until I reach Kazu Sumiyaki Restaurant. Inside, the room is small and warm and already full. Someone laughs at the counter. A skewer hits the grill with a soft hiss.
I take a seat where I can watch the chef work. He has been at this grill, I’m told, for more than thirty years. It shows in the way he doesn’t rush. He turns each skewer by feel, not by clock, reading the char the way you’d read a familiar face.
The foie gras arrives first. Crisp on the outside where the charcoal has done its work, then giving way to something soft and molten underneath — a single bite that seems to hold two textures at once. Then the sweet potato, its edges caught with smoke, the inside creamy and quietly sweet.
It reminds me of the best food in Japan — simple ingredients, treated with such care that time itself becomes part of the flavour.
Sumiyaki is a patient craft. The charcoal isn’t there for spectacle. It’s there to coax flavour out slowly, to let the heat settle into each piece rather than sear it into submission.
That patience is the whole point, and it’s becoming rare.
Around me, the room is a mix I don’t often see. Japanese expats loosening their ties after work, speaking low over shochu. Locals who found this place years ago and never left. The tables are small, the air is thick, the chairs a little worn. Nobody minds. There’s a kind of honesty to a room that doesn’t pretend — no soft lighting, no curated playlist, just the sound of the grill and the smell of it in your clothes long after you’ve gone.
It sits three floors above a street that has spent years polishing itself. Orchard Road, just minutes away, keeps reinventing what dining should look like — brighter, cleaner, faster. And here is Kazu, doing the opposite. Refusing to change what already works.
That’s the tension I keep turning over. We’ve grown used to convenience dressed up as care. Menus optimised, spaces designed to move you through. But a chef standing over the same charcoal for three decades isn’t convenient. It’s the slow accumulation of small decisions, made by hand, thousands of times over. You can taste that somewhere beneath the smoke — not perfection, but attention.
What feels worth recognising here isn’t novelty. It’s continuity. A grill that has outlasted trends. A room that never tried to be anything other than what it is. In a city that rewards the new, there’s something steadying about a place content to simply keep doing the thing it does well.
I finish the last skewer. The counter has emptied a little; the chef wipes the grill and starts again for the next order, the same motion I watched an hour ago.
I carry the smell of charcoal home with me. It fades by morning. The memory of that quiet, unhurried craft does not.
The Verdant Cup: A Celebration of Green Tea in Japan
Eda Wong | January 10, 2026
In Japan, green tea is much more than a beverage. It marks a moment of pause, hospitality, and tradition. The story of green tea in Japan weaves through centuries of culture, artistry, and daily life—bridging ancient rituals like the Japanese tea ceremony to everyday meals enjoyed at home. The origins and beginning of Japanese tea…
-
Japanese Green Tea from Japan: The Story of Matcha
Dio Asahi | January 8, 2026
On a misty April morning in Kyoto, I knelt on tatami in a small tea room outside Uji, Japan. The host, dressed in kimono, moved with quiet skill as she scooped matcha powder into a ceramic bowl. The air was filled with the aroma of aged wood mixed with the grassy scent of high quality…
-
Takoyaki: The Sizzling Heart of Japan Food Culture
Dio Asahi | January 3, 2026
What is Takoyaki and Why Does it Matter in Japanese Food Culture? In the bright heart of Osaka, the sizzle of takoyaki batter signals one of Japan food culture’s most beloved street foods. Lines form at street stalls drawn by the delicious food aromas of sweet-savory sauce and bonito flakes dancing on golden spheres. Takoyaki,…
-
Everything You Need for a Flawless Bubble Tea Cake
Eda Wong | January 1, 2026
The global bubble tea phenomenon has evolved beyond drinks into the world of baking, creating one of the most exciting dessert trends of recent years. Bubble tea cake combines the beloved flavors of milk tea with the satisfying chew of boba pearls, all wrapped up in an adorable bubble tea cake that’s perfect for any…
-
Pad Thai Dish: Everything You Need to Know About the Rice Noodles That Make It Authentic
Eat Drink Asia Team | December 30, 2025
Pad Thai is more than just a staple of Thai Food; it’s a Global Phenomenon. From bustling street carts in Bangkok to high-end Thai Restaurants in New York, this iconic Pad Thai Dish has captured the hearts and palates of food lovers everywhere. The best Pad Thai rivals what you would find in a typical…
-
Thailand Food Pad Thai: Thailand’s Iconic Stir-Fried Noodle Dish
Eda Wong | December 27, 2025
Few dishes capture the essence of Thailand food culture like authentic Pad Thai. This beloved stir fried noodle dish is more than a meal-it’s a symbol of Thai identity, a perfect balance of sweet, savoury, and sour flavors, and a window into the soul of Thai cuisine. Whether you want to eat Pad Thai from…
-
Why Fish Curry is a Special Indian Cuisine
Dio Asahi | December 25, 2025
Along India’s vast and vibrant coastline, stretching over 7,500 kilometers, the sea offers its generous bounty to a cuisine renowned for its regional variations. Nowhere is the diversity of the Indian subcontinent more deliciously expressed than in a humble bowl of fish curry. Through this article, we’ll journey across India’s coasts and kitchens, exploring the…
-
Tikka Masala: The Story Behind One of the Most Iconic Dishes in India’s Food Cuisine
Eat Drink Asia Team | December 23, 2025
Ask anyone to name a famous Indian dish, and chances are “Tikka Masala” will be one of the first things they say. This creamy, vibrant, and aromatic curry has become a global symbol for the food cuisine in India, celebrated from street food stalls in Delhi to upscale Indian restaurants around the world. Its rich…
-
Cuisines in India: A Journey Through the Diverse Regional Food Traditions of the Subcontinent
Dio Asahi | December 20, 2025
Indian cuisine is celebrated for its spectacular diversity, bursting with flavors, regional traditions, and culinary innovations. From the spice-laden gravies of Northern Indian cuisine and tandoor-fresh breads, to coconut-laced Southern Indian cuisine, fragrant rice dishes in the East, and the robust, spicy curries and street food of the West, the foods of India reflect not…
-
Green Tea with Milk: A Tale of Two Teas from Taiwan and Thailand
Eda Wong | December 18, 2025
The simple combination of green tea with milk has sparked a culinary phenomenon across Asia, creating a diverse family of beverages that are both comforting and refreshing. While many countries have embraced this pairing, two nations stand out for their iconic and wildly different interpretations: Taiwan and Thailand. Each has cultivated a unique culture around…
