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A well-kept secret in Orchard, Iru Den is a contemporary restaurant tucked away in a black-and-white colonial house along Scotts Road. Helming the kitchen is Singaporean chef Javier Low, whose experience includes stints at Michelin-starred establishments like Iggy's and Cenci in Kyoto. It was in Japan where he began developing his own unique style of cooking, which incorporates both Japanese and European sensibilities.
The vibe
The 31-seater space is bathed in a warm, inviting glow, with textured walls and dark wooden furnishings completing the look. An L-shaped chef's table is the centrepiece, framing an open kitchen where Chef Javier and his team of young chefs buzz around – these are the best seats in the house, where you can catch all of the action. There are also communal dining tables and private rooms by the side for guests who prefer a more intimate experience.
The food
Chef Javier plates up a multi-course menu (from $128 for the lunch menu) that celebrates the best seasonal produce from Taiwan. This big shift from a strong Japanese approach to fully embracing Taiwanese flavours happened in 2024, largely inspired by his wife Emily and the frequent trips the couple make back to her hometown in Pingtung. Now, over 90 percent of the ingredients on the menu are sourced from Taiwanese fishermen and farmers.
A trio of snacks kick off the meal: a refreshing pear tart, a deeply savoury carabinero prawn toast and a crispy, meaty oyster pancake. We are also treated to Chef Javier's rendition of a Taiwanese ye shi (night market) classic: fried chicken. His is dusted with fragrant five-spice and layered with Taiwanese green chillies and basil oil, before it's topped with Amur caviar – mild and pleasant, without an overly fishy taste.
After nine years, Iru Den's signature uni somen has been swapped out for cold, Taichung-style wheat noodles. They're still slippery smooth and firm in texture, coated in a tsuyu sauce and topped with karasumi from Donggang and negitoro. Seafood from Taiwan is often priced more competitively, and can taste as good as Japan's. In this dish, the tuna negitoro comes off the coast of Pingtung, a southern city in Taiwan that often exports its tuna to Japan.
Another standout: a 10-year-aged cai pu by Chef Javier's mother-in-law. The aged radish finds its way into a luscious butter, meant to be enjoyed with the spring onion bread on the inside, inspired by Taiwanese cong you bing (scallion pancake). It's easily our favourite course of the meal, the bread delightfully crispy on the outside, with a fluffy, airy centre folded in with fresh scallions.
We also enjoy the carabinero prawn with mapo tofu custard, where the highlight is sweet, lightly-grilled carabinero prawns painstakingly caught off the coast of Yilan County. They're paired with an umami-rich doubanjiang sauce and an intensely flavoured seafood broth extracted from prawn heads.
For mains, diners can pick between the dry-aged Irish duck breast and A4 Arita wagyu striploin. Both are executed well, though it's the Taiwanese-inspired accompaniments that really carry the dish: cabbage with shacha sauce, fermented pumpkin and bamboo shoots. And what is a Taiwanese feast without lu rou fan? Iru Den's version is decadent and rich with braised pork belly and plenty of lard – perhaps almost overwhelmingly so, which is why the bright pickled vegetables and sweet cherry tomatoes on the side are much needed.
Dessert ends on a playful note with a nostalgic tribute to tanghulu. Strawberries are presented fresh, pickled and tanghulu-style alongside a creamy amazake strawberry 'ice cream'.
The drink
Chef Javier's wife Emily heads the beverage programme at Iru Den, with sound picks of classic Old World wines, bottles from up-and-coming wine regions, experimental sake and more. The three-glass pairing ($68) is an approachable add-on. We sample an Alsace white whose stone fruit and honeyed notes become even more expressive alongside the signature cold noodles; sake from Miyagi Prefecture with a clean, dry finish that pairs well with the carabinero custard; and a medium-bodied Chianti with an enhanced sweetness when enjoyed with the wagyu.
Time Out tip:
If wine isn't your thing, Iru Den also offers a Taiwanese tea pairing experience that showcases the region's tea culture through hot teas, cold brews and sparkling infusions.
As spaces are limited at Iru Den, reservations are highly encouraged. Book a table here and find out more here.