Kazu Sumiyaki Restaurant

M had a sumiyaki craving, and I had a foie gras craving. So her suggestion to this place was pretty welcomed to me, since foie gras is on the menu. And I like sumiyaki too. I've visited a small little place in Cuppage before, and I thought maybe it was Kazu but I forgot the name. Since that place was also M's suggestions back then, she's able to tell me that it's a different place. Said place had already closed down, but Kazu is also pretty good. Ok, I'll believe her.

Kazu is really small, and because it was a last minute decision, we weren't able to get reservations for the first seating. As such, we were given the second seating. I was there very early because of some mistiming issues, and wanted to try my luck at getting a seat earlier. I was pretty much ignored after standing at the door for 5 minutes at 6pm. When my presence was finally acknowledged, I was told very briskly by the waitress that reservations are full and I have no chance getting a table that night. So I tried to explain that we have a reservation at 8pm and I'm trying to see what's the earliest time I can get a table (because I was famished). Again was very briskly informed that 8pm reservations also full, no chance. By then I was annoyed because I've already explained that we have a reservation at 8pm. Finally she paused and looked through the list, saw our reservation, and told me to return at 8pm.

Too hungry, I went TCC for a snack while waiting for the rest to arrive. Then we returned to Kazu at 8pm. Because they are so busy, the waiters are bustling around us hurriedly. I remember that it was pretty hard to get their attentions. But after some browsing through the menu, and some discussion, and several attempts at getting their attention, our orders were finally placed.

I've always loved the garlic fried rice served at Japanese places. Kazu's doesn't fail. Fragrant garlic fried with perfect grains of well separated Japanese rice. Very delicious. We were served raw cabbage and a dish of miso dip each. The cabbage leaves went really really well with the miso. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and was contemplating ordering a second portion. But I think it was $5 for a bowl of raw cabbage, so I changed my mind.

Garlic fried rice

Cabbage and miso

Then came all our sumiyakis. Let me try to remember what we ordered. Chicken cartilage, squid, normal pork belly, kurobuta pork belly, beef wrapped enoki mushroom, chicken wing, scallops and of course, foie gras. The chicken cartilage was crunchy and yummy, great recommendation by M. We preferred the kurobuta pork belly to the regular, and so ordered a second serving. The scallops and beef wrapped mushrooms were pretty normal. The chicken wings were sort of dissected, so it was easier to eat. I liked the squid, grilled to crunchy perfection.

Mixed sumiyaki

Chicken wings

Finally it was the star of the night (as far as I'm concerned). A nice skewer of foie gras. The stick that I got was a little burnt at its tip, so that part was a little dry and doesn't have the melt-in-your-mouth feel. But as I ate further into the stick, the bigger pieces were crisp on the outside, and melt-in-your-mouth on the inside. I was blissed out. But truth be told, I personally prefer Shin Kushiya's foie gras. More fatty and artery clogging but oh so heavenly.

Foie gras

We ended the meal with a grilled sweet potato. It was a 45 minute wait, so something you should order at the start. It was perfectly grilled, with a charred skin, but soft interior. You slap on the butter, which melts immediately, and dig in. It was good. But I must warn, it's really expensive for a sweet potato. M wanted to order it, I didn't bother to look at the price, and I must say I was quite shocked when I saw the receipt. I just paid an incredulous amount for a root.

But overall, I do like the food, although the service has much room for improvement. They do stock a huge variety of sumiyakis, some that are not commonly found elsewhere. Ignoring the few outliers (especially the vegetables... $20 for eggplant, for example.), most of the items on the menu are reasonably priced. I think I may return to try more adventurous items.