Fine Start

Executive Chef SHUSUKE KUBOTA creates elegant dishes by blending Japanese philosophy, French techniques, and Southeast Asian flavours at Loca Niru in the historic House of Tan Yeok Nee.

- By SAMANTHA FRANCIS

At Loca Niru, you feel as if you are straddling the past and present. It is the only F&B establishment located at the House of Tan Yeok Nee on Penang Road. Renowned for its Chinese architectural heritage, the site is the sole remaining mansion from Singapore's Four Grand Mansions built by Teochew tycoons in the 19th century.

Declared a national monument in 1974, it was purchased by the Karim Family Foundation for more than $100 million in 2022 and then restored. Today, it is a cultural and lifestyle hub with a Heritage Gallery.

As a dinner-only restaurant (it opens Tuesday to Saturday), Loca Niru's eight-course menu reflects the Japanese concept of kotan, a way of contemplative peace and subtlety. According to Executive Chef Shusuke “Shu” Kubota, the restaurant's name was derived from the Zen Buddhist idiom “hakuba roka ni iru”, which depicts a white horse blending seamlessly into a field of white reeds. “Our goal was to achieve harmony between the heritage building and modern dining,” he says.

The space was designed by Japanese architect Keiji Ashizawa to celebrate craftsmanship and natural materials with an elegant aesthetic, which also reveals Kubota's hometown heritage through woven straw works. Additionally, the 36-seat dining room fosters interaction with chefs and appreciation of their culinary artistry, while two private rooms provide an intimate setting for meaningful conversations.