Iru Den - Beautiful Slow Dance of Gastronomy

Dining at Iru Den is like doing a slow dance, where one slowly gets into mood and then start getting that feel good feeling that is so indulgent and memorable.

The Japanese food with European influences here pleases the palates at first, then it slowly builds up with layers of flavours to totally win over my heart. To add it on, the taste is unique, perfect for individuals looking for gastronomic surprises. Every dish is excellent.

Located within one of the extension of the iconic White and Black Bungalow, I enjoy a moment of repose amid the lush greenery and nostalgia while making my way through the gate at the left and then down the wooden walkway to get to Iru Den. The interior fully utilizes the structure of the bungalow to create the feel of a modern, stylish and classy den. It feels cosy, intimate and exclusive. I like the juxtapose of dark walls, furniture with ample of lights and a pillar with mirror finish.

The service crew is amazing, attentive and has very good knowledge of the food and wine here. This restaurant is one of the best restaurants I have been to.

Amuse Bouche of Shima Aji with Tonzawa and Myoga has this clean, sweet taste with hints of brininess. A very good appetite-whetting start. I have to admit that I am expecting a huge surprise of a sudden burst of refreshing sweetness based on well, my gut feeling. Well, the surprise comes not in a sudden pop-up, but in a slow, subtle fashion where the extra mild sweetness develops from a touch to a soft lingering presence. A very pleasant surprise.

Anago with Gobo and Tamago is creamy briny sweetness that I totally love. And as I bite more into it, the distinctive mild herbal flavour of gobo slowly manifests to add in hints of excitement to the overall taste.

Shima Aji Mizuna, Asparagus, Kabu Turnip, Amela is so beautiful in both looks and taste. The vegetables from Taiwan and Japan come with different textures and tastes, all of which are refreshing and carry a subtle sweetness. Shima Aji is the amazing star here. At first look, the delicate slices of Shima Aji look raw. When I savour it, the lovely intense smoky sweetness of grilled meat dances around the clean sweet taste of the fish. This is amazing.

Seseri: Jumbo Nameko, Poultry Jus from 3 hours of brewing, steamed egg custard, evoked feeling of bliss with each spoonful. It is so full of smooth earthy umami.

Uni Somen Wheat Noodle with Hanawasabi is the definitely one of the most memorable dishes. The fresh uni is so fresh, sweet, creamy and full of umami. Chef Owner Javier elevates it further with sprays of sake and the smooth flavourful wheat somen.

Ayu of Tofu Shinjo, Oba, Kataifi wins me over with its crispy textures in different forms with the creamy flesh within revealed when biting into it. I love the feel of juxtapose of the crunch of the deep fried vermicelli, the crisp of the fish skin and the softness of the flesh.

Irish Duck is so tender, juicy and rich in meaty flavour. The root vegetables add nice earthy flavours to the duck.

Donabe of Yumepirika Rice with Sakura Ebi is packed with intense briny sweetness laced with hints of char. The rice is starchy, smooth and carries a good bite. I scrap up every grain from the bowl because it is too delicious.

Since the rice is too awesome and I am too full, I request to takeaway the rest of the rice. Really, don’t be shy about it because good food should not be wasted. So the chef makes it into a cute onigiri for me to take home. I can tell you that it tastes heavenly when eating it on an empty stomach.

Black Glutinous Rice Parfait with Amazake and Mochi tastes so unique that I absolutely go crazy about ii. Such a joy to slowly savour it and bask in bliss. Great in texture due to the contrast between crispy rice cracker, frozen parfait and creamy ice-cream. The star component of this dessert is umami in it. Yes, umami! And it works beautifully. Who says desserts can only be about sweetness only? 😉

White Miso Madeleine features more umami ❤️ Love it, love it!

The Dark Chocolate petit fours is intense and earthy in taste, which is a good contrast from the dessert and madeleine in taste.

Awesome Beverage pairing from light, smooth, floral Sake, then to oh-so-sweet Sake, fruity white wine to intense smoky red wine. Highly recommend to add on this. But I do get a bit drunk after this 😝 

The main building

Entrance to Iru Den on the left of the main building

Yes, I like the old school colonial style of the sloped roof, and how it is complemented by the splash of sunlight streaming through lattice window, so I specially take a photo of it.

I also like this casting of light to show the shadow of the name of the restaurant onto the wall. It is ingenious, stylish, classy and mysterious.

Beautiful and impressive-looking dining area, and one can also see the chefs in action from here.

Japanese cuisine with European influences, under the right hands, is really tantalizing and almost magical.

27 Scotts Road

Nearest MRT: Newton