The Place Housed in a black and white colonial house on Scotts Road, Iru Den is a hidden restaurant helmed by Singaporean Chef/Owner Javier Low of Il Den, an intimate one man kitchen back in 2018 in Bugis Cube. Chef Javier’s move to open Iru Den in 2021 marks his evolution as a Chef and Chef/Owner. 

The entrance of Iru Den is right beside the carpark, where you walk through a short wooden passageway before arriving at the main entrance.

The space of Iru Den evokes a certain charm by virtue of the colonial house setting, where guests are seated around a counter setting with a view of the open kitchen. There is also a private room section for larger groups. 

Chef Javier’s culinary experience include the likes of Iggy’s in his early days, as well as Michelin starred Cenci in Kyoto where he spent a few years in Japan. With his training and background, the cuisine at Iru Den draws inspiration Modern European and Japanese cuisines. 

The Food The menu at Iru Den is a multi-course tasting menu where the 5 Course Business Lunch is at S$88++ and 8 Course Tasting Menu at S$188++, while dinner starts from S$188++ for 6 Course and 9 Course at S$298++ per person. 

In terms of Iru Den’s rotating Beverage Pairing (4 Glasses – S$80++ | 6 Glasses – S$120++), there is a strong showcase of natural, minimal intervention Sake from smaller, artisanal breweries, wines from the regions of France to Japan and China and non-alcoholic offerings that include house fermented pineapple beer and cold brew teas.  The beverage menu is curated by General Manager Joel Lim, former Group Head Sommelier of Park 90 and OUE Restaurant Group, so you are definitely in good hands should you need any specific recommendations.

I had the 9 Course Dinner Menu at S$298++ per person and here is what to expect: 

Amuse Bouche 
My dinner started with a trio of delicious starters – Shima Aji with Pearl Onion; Anago with Gobo and Tamago; and Wagyu Tartare with Oscietra Caviar.  

An impressive start to the meal where each starter shines on its own with its distinct flavours. The Shima Aji is light, fresh and easy on the palate, followed by the flavourful eel with a good grilled taste to it, and finally the wagyu tartare which is an explosion of umami along with the caviar. 

Shima Aji 
The first course is a garden salad of Mizuna, Asparagus, Kanu Turnip and Amela tomatoes. The best bit is definitely the dry aged Shima Aji belly which is seared with charcoal, so you get that rich smoky flavour for the fish. There is also the Ume Gazpacho dressing on the fish which complements the flavours well. 

Seseri 
Next up is a Chawanmushi course of Jumbo Nameko, Poultry Jus and Steamed Egg Custard. I love the smokiness on the egg custard, along with the tender cubes of grilled chicken neck and mushrooms from Taiwan. 

Signature Uni Somen 
This course is one of Chef Javier’s signature dishes – Wheat Noodle with Uni, Aka Ebi and Hanawasabi. Topped with copious amount of fresh Murasaki Uni, the noodle itself is fresh and tossed with bits of red shrimp. There is a tinge of smoked wasabi, along with a final sprinkle of sake before serving. The sauce is made from a blend of fermented wasabi leaves, sake, mirin and uni, which come together quite harmoniously.

Amadai 
Moving on to protein, I love that the team uses alternative sources of ingredients like this Amadai fish from Taiwan. It goes along with Takenoko, Burnt Spring Onion and Vegetable Jus, where the cubes of dashi-braised and salt-baked bamboo at the side of the Amadai hails from Taiwan as well. The bottom of the fish is scallion sauce and overall, a very well-balanced dish for me where all the components come well together. 

Irish Duck or F1 Iwate Beef 
For mains, I had the beef, which is served with caramelised onion, sweet potato chips, pan-fried baby yam, bone marrow jus and a puree of smoked eggplant. The charcoal grilled F1 beef is a mixed breed of Angus beef and A4 wagyu, so there is a nice balance of fattiness and beefy flavours.  

As part of the beverage paring, a palate cleanser of cold brew Oolong tea is served.

Donabe 
The last savoury course is the Yumepirika Rice with Snow Crab and Sakura Ebi, a hybrid of Singapore claypot rice and the classic Japanese Donabe. This signature rice course is cooked low and slow with an intense seafood bisque before being finished on high heat to achieve a crisp, charred exterior. An aromatic rice course which is light in flavour, yet delicious.  

Japanese daikon and turnip pickles are also served with the donabe along with a comforting white miso soup.  

Mango 
The pre-dessert course is Mango Salsa, Lemongrass and Mint. 

Kome 
For the main dessert, I had the Black Glutinous Rice Parfait with Amazake sorbet and Mochi which showcases the different textures of rice.

Lastly, Petit Fours include a trio of freshly baked Shrio Miso Madeleine, Black Sesame choux puff and Hazelnut Bon bons. While I am not really a dessert person most of the time, my favourite of the lot is the madeleine which spots a crispy texture at the edges and was especially fragrant. 

Rants If there is any gripe, I feel that the desserts could be bolder in flavours, if I were to compare it against the savoury courses.

Will I Return Again? A modern take on Japanese ingredients, Iru Den is for Japanese lovers who want something more than a typical traditional Japanese Omakase meal. Each course is consistently good, along with an interesting variety of beverage pairings. Head here for a celebratory meal or special occasion which is a destination dining on its own.  

This was an invited tasting, though all opinions expressed are our own.

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 4/5
Hole in the pocket: 4.5/5
Ambience: 4/5
Overall Experience: 4/5

Iru Den 
27 Scotts Road 
Singapore 228222 
Tel: +65 8923 1127 

Opening Hours 
Monday to Saturday: 12pm to 2.30 pm; 6pm to 11 pm 
Closed on Sunday 

Ranted by The Ranter