Izakaya Clifton Japanese Bar

Head up to Apsley Road and you'll find yourself in a proper Japanese drinking den—the kind of place where locals prop up the bar on a Tuesday night like they own the place. The menu's focused and unshowy: yakitori charred just right, cold beer that arrives at the correct temperature, and a sake list that rewards curiosity rather than showing off. It's got that convivial izakaya energy without the pretension, the sort of spot where you're equally comfortable alone at the counter or squeezed round a table with mates, watching the chefs work the grill. Redland's got plenty of decent restaurants, but this one feels like it actually belongs to the neighbourhood rather than just existing in it.