The Place Here’s an interesting location of a restaurant in Singapore. I checked out the three months old Loca Niru, a contemporary innovative fine-dining restaurant located in the 140-year-old House of Tan Yeok Nee managed by Gaia Lifestyle Group. 

Many might have overlooked this building (myself included) which is a stone’s throw from Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station. A brief history of House of Tan Yeok Nee – the last surviving “Four Grand Mansions” of Teochew architecture in Singapore which was built in 1885 and gazetted as a national monument. Today, the House has been restored as a cultural and lifestyle destination. 

The name Loca Niru is inspired by Zen idioms symbolising harmony, balance and coexistence — values that guide both its design and cuisine. The restaurant is helmed by Nagano borned Chef Shusuke “Chef Shu” Kubota where his cuisine at Loca Niru blends Japanese sensibilities, French technique, and Southeast Asian influences. 

The restaurant is located on level two of the house, and it is a gorgeous minimalist space designed by one of my personal favourite Japanese architect Keiji Ashizawa. 

On one side is the living room lounge area for pre-dinner drinks or just to chill, along with two private dining rooms of six seats each. 

The middle section of the space is a bar counter, followed by the main dining hall with regular tables and a 12-seat counter seating which overlooks the open kitchen. 

The Food The cuisines here is coined as Contemporary Innovative cuisine, honouring Japanese and global produce with French and Japanese techniques. There is only an 8-course Tasting Menu (S$298++ per person) for dinner service at the moment. 

In terms of the Beverage Programme, there are options for Sake Pairing (6 glasses, $148++) with premium labels from Japan, including Daishinshu Chokarakuchi Junmai, Wine Pairing (6 glasses, $188++), Wines by the glass (from $22++), and more. In addition, the bar serves cocktails, spirits, sparkling teas, juices and coffees as well. 

Here is what to expect from the 8-course menu: 

Hassun 
My meal started with a trio of appetisers.  

Amaebi tartare, marinated with kombu and homemade salted lemon, rests in a delicate house-made tart shell crowned with pomelo pulp and tosazu jelly. Garnished with tangerine flower, and bronze fennel. 

Smoked sturgeon and Japanese chestnut purée are layered within a charcoal pie tee shell with onion confit, grated chestnut, and pickled celtuce prepared in nukazuke, a traditional Japanese rice bran fermentation. It is finished with Oscietra caviar.  

Minced frog leg encased in crisp kadaif and dusted with shichimi powder is served with roasted garlic and curry leaf aioli, dill, parsley, and edible flowers.

Maguro 
Presented in a different way unlike the usual sashimi course, the sliced fatty tuna is served with scallion and mustard seed condiments, smoked tofu purée, and topped with roselle and calamansi vinegar. The sauce draws inspiration from ponzu, made using roselle and calamansi which cuts through the fattiness of the maguro.  

Awabi 
Braised abalone with vegetable stock chawanmushi, accompanied by seasonal mushrooms and mushroom consommé sauce. The chawanmushi uses a vegetable stock (bouillon de légumes) instead of the usual dashi stock.  

Oyasai 
This vegetarian course features steamed dumpling with Malaysian vegetables, served with kombu-infused soy milk and and seasoned with long pepper and Sarawak pepper. The dumpling sits atop pan-seared savoy cabbage and fermented Malaysian celery, along with a delicate potato tuile. A kombu-infused soya milk, seasoned with long pepper and Sarawak pepper, is then poured tableside. 

Isaki 
One of the signature dishes on the menu is this pan-seared Japanese grunt fish with tomato-lemon butter, pickled zucchini and a Nyonya beurre blanc infused with rempah. The Nyonya beurre blanc is a nice infusion of Southeast Asian flavour and it is nuanced such that it goes perfectly well with the Buah Keluak Bread. The fish is perfectly cooked to a nice texture along with a crisp skin.  

Buah Keluak Bread 
Served with the fish course, The Buah Keluak Bread is an award-winning creation and I must say it is so delish. It pays homage to Peranakan flavours with the rich and earthy paste for the bread, so soft in texture and goes well with the butter or the Nyonya beurre blanc. 

Wagyu 
For the mains, I had the Grilled Wagyu beef smoked with sugarcane, accompanied by burnt onion beef jus, salted pepper, and caramelised onions. Presented in a clean and minimalist style, the beef is tender and flavourful, and that burnt onion beef jus complements it just right.  

Hyuganatsu Kedondong 
The first dessert served was fresh Hyuganatsu citrus and kedondong jelly served with coconut mousse, perilla and kedondong sorbet and topped with shiso flower. The coconut mousse was chosen for its tropical flavour to add a Southeast Asian touch. The flavour is light and refreshing, which was befitting after the wagyu beef course.  

Chocolate 
The last course and second dessert is a tribute to Chef Shu’s love for tiramisu. This dessert layers cookie crumble with gula melaka sabayon, 68% Malaysian dark chocolate ice cream, and Japanese plum jam infused with nutmeg and topped with a cacao cookie tuille dusted with dehydrated cherry and roselle powder. It is a very balanced creation where all components come well together, yet not too heavy on the palate.  

Ochagashi 
Last but not least, the final snacks are a duo of Choux pastry and Marshmallow roll. The former is stuffed with matcha cream and topped with white chocolate gooseberry gel, while the latter has a layer of passionfruit jelly which is then rolled and coated in coconut crumble. 

Rants The fixed tasting menu price is admittedly on the high side. It is a pity the restaurant is not doing lunch service at the moment, though I understand from the team that there are plans for lunch service in the future. 

Will I Return Again? Loca Niru is the kind of restaurant to check out if you have a celebratory occasion, or to impress your date. Service is good, and the presentation of each course is executed with a minimalistic approach, synonymous with the space. The flavours across the menu are also more diverse especially with the tinge of Southeast Asian influences. I think this is a Michelin Star in the making.

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

Loca Niru 
House of Tan Yeok Nee 
101 Penang Road #02-01 
Singapore 238466 
Tel: +65 6592 5815 / +65 8227 4313  

Opening Hours 
Tuesday to Saturday: 6pm to 11pm 
Closed on Monday & Sunday 

Ranted by The Ranter