Ku-Kai Izakaya - Alfresco Bar @ SAF Yacht Club (next to Sembawang Camp) [Singapore]

Singaporeans love Japan and with the current travel restrictions imposed by the land of the rising sun; it's a fact that many people can't wait for the situation to improve! 

Well, you can curb a bit of that Japan wanderlust by venturing to the northern part of Singapore, where a lonesome yet iconic torii gate awaits your presence. It's not as spectacular as the one at Itsukushima Shrine but in our local context; better than not having any.

Getting to the place was quite a pain in the ass! The nearest public transport (bus) next to Sembawang Camp is almost 900 meters. Whatever the case, I decided to take grab as I was too lazy to walk in.

Stepping into SAF Yacht Club; I came here before a long time ago when Alex was still in the navy and it had changed so much! A lot more modern than before.

There was this ginormous structure that felt like a warehouse yet appeared to be parking for the yachts! Small yachts we are talking about here; you would have better luck finding the luxurious kinds at Sentosa Cove. 

Reached the instagrammable spot! Behind is Malaysia where the Johor Strait separates the two countries. Now that borders have open, I can't wait to go in and indulge! 

To the right would be Sembawang Shipyard, which was previously the Sembawang Naval Base that was established by the British back in 1938. It was said there were a lot of historical buildings within but sadly, we can't enter as access is restricted. 

My objective then was to the left of the torii gate.

Ku-Kai Izakaya; the Japanese equivalent of a English pub, and also the contributor of the instagrammable torii gate. No doubt a fantastic move as it definitely draws customers to this remote area, and makes them stay for some drink and food.

The key attraction for me would be the skewers of freshly grilled meat and vegetables, which is best washed down with ice cold beer! The aroma that seeped out from within the wooden hut was so tempting! 

Let's order! 

I noted from online reviews that despite its location, the izakaya was popular and I purposely dropped by at about 5.30 pm, in order to beat the crowd, and hopefully, a shorter wait for the food / drinks. 

My Suntory Premium Malt Draught and my friend's Lemon Chu-Hi! No complaint about my beer although the same can't be said about the chu-hi as it tasted just like carbonated lemon soda water with no alcoholic kick! How could it cost more than S$10?! 

Tako Wasabi - said to be a popular bar snack in izakayas, this was literally chopped raw octopus soaked in wasabi! Not a large portion.

Tasted pretty good; sauce was lightly salted, sweet with the wasabi adding a punch of spiciness to the palate. Thankfully, Alex wasn't with me as he would have rejected the raw snack.

Seafood Okonomiyaki - served like a pizza on a wooden board, I actually like okonomiyaki a lot even though you don't find a lot of Japanese restaurants in Singapore serving them. 

The one here was above average with quite a lot of crunchy cabbage within. And for a seafood pancake, I didn't taste any seafood! Maybe I gobbled too fast. Now that I am craving for Okonomiyaki, maybe I should check out Ajiya Okonomiyaki Restaurant near Beauty World which was given a strong recommendation by the Great Kon! 

Garlic Butter Fried Rice - I caught a whiff of the buttery aroma as this was served on the table. With exciting anticipation, I scooped a spoonful and put into my mouth. 

It was dry and surprisingly, bland. Neither the rolled omelette nor the prawns wow us. To be honest, this was disappointing; however, I am not going to waste the S$18.00.

Finally, our skewered meat and vegetables! 

Wait was okay; only 15 minutes. 

Chicken Thigh - the first thing I noticed was that this yakitori had a lot of meat! At S$4.80 a stick, it wasn't cheap but at least the operator didn't scrimp on the portion! I would have been pissed if it was about the same size as the yakitori from Tori-Q.

Juicy with a nicely grilled aroma; the only thing deterring it from being my favorite yakitori was that there wasn't enough yakitori sauce that would have significantly elevated the flavor.

Bacon Asparagus - a bit too liberal with the salt. 

Should have exchanged it for the chicken thigh

Shiitake Mushroom - despite its look which could have passed off as the dried mushrooms at my parent's place, this was in fact grilled perfectly with a soft, lightly salted texture that surprised me as I bit through it. 

Chicken Skin - again, a generous serving with a thin layer of crispiness that was lightly seasoned. A delight to have for deep fried / grilled chicken skin lovers. Shiok! 

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Sunset; can't see much as the izakaya faced more the east. From online photos, the place looked better at night but I can't wait as my blood was ferociously sucked by the mosquitoes! The itch was terribly bad and I am so glad I didn't get any dengue.

Nonetheless, I think I would go back again; maybe only for the beer and the skewers! And the next time I go, I shall be mindful to prepare mosquito repellent! 

Address

43 Admiralty Rd West, 

Within SAF Yacht Club,

Singapore 759962

Map

As above.

Directions

Go in from road next to Sembawang Camp.

Facebook Page

https://www.facebook.com/KuKaiIzakaya/

Pricing

Suntory Premium Malt Draught - S$9.30

Lemon Chu-Hi - S$10.30 

Tako Wasabi - S$7.00

Seafood Okonomiyaki - S$18.00

Garlic Butter Fried Rice - S$18.00

Chicken Thigh - S$4.80 a stick

Bacon Asparagus - S$5.80 a stick

Shiitake Mushroom - S$4.00

Chicken Skin - S$4.00

(Subject to Service Charge and GST)