Ku-kai Izakaya is a Japanese-style restaurant on Admiralty Road West in Sembawang, holding a 3.8 rating on Google, with its Facebook page standing in for a website.
An izakaya is Japan's answer to the neighbourhood pub: a casual room where drinks come first and the kitchen turns out small plates made for sharing. The rhythm is to order a couple of dishes at a time across the evening rather than one main each, which is why izakayas suit groups and long, unhurried dinners. Menus generally lean on grilled skewers, fried morsels and rice or noodle dishes sturdy enough to soak up the drinks. Because each plate looks inexpensive, bills are best judged by how much you actually order rather than any single menu price.
For Sembawang residents, having one on the doorstep means a Japanese pub-style dinner without the trip into town.