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.
Jamu: Indonesian Herbal Medicine for Modern Well-Being
Dio Asahi | November 1, 2025
Across the Indonesian archipelago, a vibrant tradition of herbal healing has flourished for centuries. This is jamu, a cornerstone of Indonesian cultural heritage and a sophisticated system of traditional herbal medicine. Far more than just a refreshing drink, jamu represents a philosophy of balance, a deep connection to nature, and a form of indigenous medicine…
-
Padang Beef Rendang: The Complex Process Behind Indonesia’s Most Famous Dish
Eda Wong | October 30, 2025
This post may contain affiliate links. For full transparency, this article may contain affiliate links. To call Padang beef rendang simply a dish is to miss the soul of Indonesian cuisine. This legendary slow-cooked dry curry, a centerpiece of both festive tables and humble meals, has earned its fame as one of the world’s most…
-
Teh Tarik Malaysia: The Art and Science Behind Iconic Pulled Tea
Eat Drink Asia Team | October 28, 2025
In Malaysia, ordering a cup of teh tarik is about so much more than just enjoying a hot drink. Teh tarik, literally translated as “pulled tea,” is Malaysia’s national beverage, famous for its sweet, creamy taste, frothy top, and the spectacular pulling technique seen in bustling mamak stalls and coffee shops across the country. A…
-
The Legendary Penang Char Kway Teow: A Culinary Journey
Dio Asahi | October 25, 2025
The air in Penang is thick with anticipation, carrying the sounds and smells of Malaysian street food being crafted with expert care. Your attention is captured by one of the many street vendors, a master standing before a seasoned wok glowing over an intense fire. The rhythmic clanging of metal on metal is the soundtrack…
-
Traditional Korean Sikhye: Sweet Rice Punch Through the Seasons
Eda Wong | October 23, 2025
In the vibrant world of Korean food, beyond the fiery spice of gochujang and the savoury comfort of bulgogi, lies a gentler, more subtle delight. Meet traditional Korean sikhye (식혜), a beloved Korean sweet rice punch that holds a special place in the nation’s heart. With its cloudy, amber hue and delicate sweetness, this drink…
-
Authentic Jeonju Bibimbap: Why Korea’s Culinary Capital Makes It Best
Eat Drink Asia Team | October 21, 2025
Picture this: A steaming Korean rice bowl is placed before you in Jeonju, South Korea. Vibrant arcs of seasoned bean sprouts, glossy strips of Korean beef, a golden runny yolk resting atop perfectly cooked mixed rice, and a dollop of rich red bibimbap sauce invite you to mix it all together. As you stir, the…
-
Communal Dining Traditions in Asia: Shared Meals, Lasting Bonds, and Cultural Heritage
Dio Asahi | October 18, 2025
Imagine a dining table crowded with large platters of steaming food, the smell of spices in the air, small bowls arranged neatly around the shared table, and laughter echoing across the room. Across Asia, dining tables play a central role in communal dining traditions, serving as the focal point for etiquette, social interaction, and the…
-
Century-Old Dumpling Techniques: Ancient Wisdom in Modern Kitchens
Eda Wong | October 16, 2025
Her hands move in a blur, a dance of muscle memory refined over sixty years. In a small, steam-filled kitchen in Shanghai, an elderly woman transforms a humble circle of dumpling dough into a perfect, 20-pleat xiao long bao. Each pinch and fold is a syllable in a story passed down through generations-prime examples of…
-
Ca Phe Sua Da: The Cultural Phenomenon of Authentic Vietnamese Coffee
Eat Drink Asia Team | October 14, 2025
The dawn breaks over Hanoi, and the city awakens not to alarm clocks but to the clatter of tiny spoons and the metallic click of filters. The air fills with the dark, roasted aroma of authentic Vietnamese coffee drifting from bustling corners and sidewalk stalls. They are not rushing. Instead, they are waiting-waiting for the…
-
Cao Lầu Noodles: Hoi An’s Legendary Noodle Dish with Japanese Origins
Dio Asahi | October 11, 2025
Imagine sitting on a low stool in a bustling alleyway of Hoi An’s ancient town. The warm, fragrant air is thick with the scent of sizzling marinated pork, fresh herbs, and the unmistakable aroma of fish sauce and fried rice crackers. In front of you, a bowl of Cao Lau noodles gleams, their golden brown…
