Tucked in a discreet corner of Claymore Connect, the fine-dining restaurant is guided by the Japanese philosophy of ichigo ichie.
Taken from the saying of 16th-century Japanese tea master Sen no Rikyū, it encourages cherishing each meeting as once-in-a-lifetime. Chef Akane Eno translates this as genuine, heartfelt hospitality, engaging each diner across the intimate counter.
Tea has always been woven into the dining experience – served as a welcome drink and even infused into desserts.
So, it’s fitting that it now takes centrestage in a seasonal seven-course, tea-focused menu ($288). After a refreshing cold-brewed Gui Fei Oolong from Taiwan, the meal begins on a high note with a luxurious starter of Japanese horsehair crab, Murasaki Uni and white asparagus from Hokkaido. In the next course, she uses Pomelo Blossom Dan Cong tea to imbue the Hamaguri (Asian hard clam) dashi with a floral aroma and delicate bitterness.
Eno’s use of tea as a culinary ingredient is as considered as it is imaginative. The approach is masterfully articulated in the sashimi course, where Japanese sea bass is kissed with Gyokuro tea oil, accentuating the fish’s natural sweetness and umami.
Another standout is the Unagi, patiently grilled over charcoal until shatteringly crisp. It’s skillfully smoked with houjicha, which subtly undercuts the rich eel with a light toasty character.
The Donabe – Japanese abalone and young burdock root on Koshihikari rice – is paired with a rare 1998 Liu Bao, an aged Chinese tea with a deep, pleasing earthiness. It’s a soul-satisfying finale to a beautifully layered meal.
