Kuuraku Brigade Road, Bangalore

When you wish to eat other cuisines after too many Indian cuisines, there are plenty of choices around Brigade Road

I spotted the signboard for the restaurant the previous night while having Korean barbecue and decided to give it a try the next evening. Located in the same building, the Japanese Izakaya is in the A block, which is closer to the main street. We were very early, so we were one of the first few in the restaurant

The interior of the restaurant is typical of Japanese Izakaya restaurants, where you can enjoy counter seats for a firsthand experience of watching the chefs cook the food, as well as the standard wooden tables and chairs found in typical Japanese restaurants. The space is not huge and can seat approximately 12 groups of customers only

The first item we had for snacking was the edamame beans, which were roasted with salt which had a charred flavour but were very addictive. While this is commonly found in all Japanese restaurants, they really did manage to cook this perfectly with just enough salt, charred flavours and softness of the beans

One item we definitely needed to order was the grilled skewers, which would be perfect with our drinks. We had the usual chicken meatballs, chicken with green onions, chicken thigh wrapped with skin, pork belly with radish, chicken soft bone and chicken liver. The skewers were well grilled and had a good chargrilled flavour while still maintaining the juiciness of the meat. The natural flavour of the meat was brought out with the complementary dip of salt or chilli powder

Next, we had a round of fried food items like the gyoza, tempura prawns and corn tempura, which were all quite delicious. The batter was all light but crispy and not overly oily, so it was perfect with the dips provided. The meats were fresh and juicy with balanced flavours

Lastly, this one dish really stood out for its simplicity yet refreshing taste. The tofu with spicy chicken sauce came with chopped spring onions, fried shallots, sesame oil and some other spicy chicken bits. The creaminess of the tofu pared down the spicy sauce for a pleasantly refreshing starter dish. It was great in between the grilled food and the fried food to balance the grease of the meal

Overall, the meal was perfect for us, and the flavours were pretty authentic compared to Izakaya in Singapore or Japan. The service took a while, but they were polite and attentive. The food was delicious, especially when paired with their cocktails and highballs and is great for an after-work meal

Address: 1st Floor, Forum Rex Walk, Shanthala Nagar, Ashok Nagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560001, India

Opening hours: 12 pm to 2.30 pm and 6 pm to 10.30 pm ( Mon to Fri), 12 pm to 11 pm ( Sat and Sun)