Ichigo Ichie

Indulged in an exquisite Japanese Kappo-style meal at Ichigo Ichie, a charming 10-counter seat restaurant by Chef Akane Eno at Robertson Quay last month. The 7-course lunch menu, Shinonome 東雲 ($188++), was a culinary journey that began with a well-crafted Sashimi Box. This appetizer featured an array of delights, including assorted sashimi, Nasu & Uni, Tosazu Jelly, Chyabaragai, Edamame, and Tamagoyaki. The chilled dashi vinegar jelly paired perfectly with the briny uni, and the sashimi slices (amberjack, chutoro, and medai) were incredibly fresh.

In Course 2, a refreshing Chawanmushi with roasted tomato and Yuzu Kosho provided a delightful tangy twist. The sweetness of the tomatoes and the citrusy notes of the condiment elevated the silky-soft steamed egg to comfort food perfection.

Next up was Chef Akane Eno's Signature Somen, serving as a palate cleanser of sorts before the hot dishes. Pairing quite the premium of ingredients - sweet Kuruma Ebi (Japanese Tiger Prawn), creamy Uni, a light soy-based prawn broth, and Tonburi (Vegetable Caviar). Course 4, Awabi Tojimushi, showcased plump slices of abalone wrapped in silky Yuba and crunchy renkon, bathed in a comforting dashi-like sauce.

My favourites emerged in the following two courses. Course 5 featured Hamo, Japanese pike conger eel, paired beautifully with sharp Kasundi (mustard sauce) and Yamatotoki. The deep-fried eel had a moist, flaky texture with a non-greasy crisp battered exterior. Course 6, Donabe rice, treated us to a wonderful mix of Miyazaki Beef Shigure-ni, with thinly shredded young ginger, and Arima sangho pepper on Koshihikari rice. Accompanied by steaming miso soup with aburaage, this rice dish had a mild, pleasant numbing heat and a fragrant ginger aftertaste. Lastly, Course 7 was a delightful conclusion with Houjicha ice cream, brown tea jelly, and a fruit platter featuring juicy muscat grapes and sweet musk melon.

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Feature :
💕Naibai Ohitashi
Boiled Naibai served with fresh yuba, Japanese Karashi mustard and roasted sesame.
💕Kurobuta Kakuni
Very special, the sweet potato skin served with tender kurobuta Kakuni and topped with negi and umeboshi.
💕Chawanmushi
Smooth and silky chawanmushi consist of smoked chestnuts,topped with dashi and bubu arare
💕Premium Sashimi
Feature trout from Lake Biwa and shin Ikura and Smoked yellowtail served with special housemade soy sauce
💕Chef Signature Miwa Somen
My fav, Somen with prawn broth that made from grilled Japanese tiger prawns until fragrant before adding sake and mirin. So it’s very umami and served with kuruma ebi, bafun uni, and tonburi. Served with yuzu and chilli paste on the side.
💕Barramundi Harumaki
House-made special miso is layered with Ah Hua Kelong barramundi, grilled maitake mushrooms and pickled chilli leaf, then rolled within a spring roll skin, fried till crispy and served with ginkgo.
💕Donabe
Donabe using Koshihikari rice and Iga Beef as known as ninja beef, that pan seared and simmered in special beef reduction sauce of dashi, soy sauce and Mirin.
Served with miso soup, pickled turnip and burdock root.
💕Dessert
Housemade green bean ice cream with kaga Boucha jelly and persimmon.

💰$188++ per person - 7 course menu lunch
💰$350++ per person - 9 course menu dinner

📍Ichigo Ichie
1 Nanson Rd, #02-07A
Intercontinental Robertson Quay
Singapore, 238909

Sashimi (Maguro, Aji, Onagadai, Ishidai)
Yuba, Kinjiso, Dashi Jelly
Hamaguri Clams, Tosazu Jelly, Namanori
Fried Sayori with Salt Flakes

(Part of the Shinonome 東雲 $188)

This was a good claypot rice I had while Ichigo Ichie was still doing delivery. It's a claypot rice that came with the sweetness of corn, and topped with Nodoguro marinated with Chef Akane's special sauce. This dish had all the flavours, while still tasting clean. And that to me is Chef Akane's style, always having the right amount of touch.
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Using dashi that Chef Akane made herself and koshihikari rice from Nagano, the rice were soft, moist, springy and slightly sweet, just like how sushi rice were meant to be like. For another dimension of sweetness, corn were also used, which also lifted the rice with its aroma.
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The Nodoguro was definitely tender and moist, with lots of natural oils from this fatty fish. It was marinated with Chef Akane's special sauce before grilling it, and served with fried diced cut Renkon, Kujyo neghi, and Kinira as condiments.
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Subtle, yet fantastic. A box expertly put together with just the right amount of touch.

Have you heard that Chef Akane now owns her own restaurant at Intercontinental Singapore Robertson Quay? I've always loved her kaiseki dishes at Sushi Kimura, and this restaurant will allow her to create omakase courses focusing on her kappo and kaiseki dishes.
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During her kaiseki omakase at Sushi Kimura, she served this claypot rice that came with the sweetness of dashi, housemade by Chef Akane no less. It was then topped with Ayu marinated with a special sauce. This dish had all the flavours, while still tasting clean. And that to me is Chef Akane's style, always having the right amount of touch.
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Hand on my heart, I don’t recall having tasted a more exquisite roast beef than this. Chef Akane said it is because she uses the rump which is more tender. Well, she knows best because I couldn’t get enough of those velvety-soft slices, especially when they were presented on steaming hot, fluffy kombu-cooked rice (imported from Nagano prefecture), and smothered in a superb sweetish, slightly viscous egg dashi sauce. Truly oishii in my opinion.