Housed in the beautifully preserved national monument, House of Tan Yeok Nee, Loca Niru is a fine-dining concept led by Executive Chef Shusuke Kubota. Having trained across French, Japanese and Southeast Asian kitchens, he shapes his tasting menu around the diversity of culinary influences. In the Hassun course, frog, a protein beloved in both French and Southeast Asian cooking, is wrapped in a delicate kadaif and served with curry leaf aioli and kuro shimichi. The philosophy also whispers in the pearlescent Isaki where the pan-seared Wakayama grunt is paired with a Nonya beurre blanc.
Each dish is presented exquisitely – even the vegetable dumpling arrives framed with a delicate potato tuile. The curated wine and sake pairings are just as considered. Sommelier Vincent Kwong complements Chef Shu’s dishes with pours such as the umami-driven Daishinshu Chokarakuchi Junmai Ginjo, selected for its clean-cut, versatile character. Altogether, the experience unfolds as quietly transportive.
