Ichigo Ichie

Ichigo Ichie is a Japanese fine-dining kappo restaurant at Claymore Connect, 442 Orchard Road. Chef-owner Akane Eno leads the kitchen. Kappo means "to cut and cook", so a meal moves between raw and cooked dishes, served one course at a time.

The name means "one life, one moment". It is a reminder that each meal happens only once. The restaurant also follows sanpō yoshi, an Edo-era business code built on trust and give-and-take.

The chef and the story

Chef Eno was born and raised in Tokyo. She studied art history at university, then took a one-year course at the well-known Tsuji cooking school in Osaka. From 2001 she spent eight years under master chef Masaru Furusawa at a kappo restaurant in Tokyo. Furusawa let her stand beside him at the counter, so she could watch and learn kappo up close.

She later moved to Singapore and became head chef at Sushi Kimura in 2017. The restaurant says that team earned one Michelin star in 2018 and 2019. Ichigo Ichie began in early 2019 as a Monday-night pop-up at Sushi Kimura. It opened as a full restaurant in February 2020 and has been at Claymore Connect since 2024.

What to order

Meals are set menus built around the seasons, so the details change through the year. The current choices are:

• Akebono (lunch): five courses, with starters, small portions of sashimi and ebi somen, a hot dish, a rice bowl and dessert.
• Shinonome (lunch): eight courses, adding a fried dish, donabe (clay pot) rice and Japanese fruit.
• Kurenai (dinner): nine courses, with premium sashimi, a wagyu course and donabe rice.
• Akane: a menu planned for you, which needs at least four days' notice by WhatsApp.

The dish people come for is the ebi somen. Thin, cold somen noodles come with kuruma prawn and sea urchin in a deep prawn broth. Chef Eno also likes to use ingredients you might not expect in Japanese cooking, such as cream cheese and curry leaves.

The setting

The restaurant has counter seating, where you can watch the chef slice, cook and plate each course. The Michelin Guide, which lists the restaurant, advises booking ahead, above all for a counter seat. With only set menus and seats facing the kitchen, it suits a special occasion or a long, slow meal.

Good to know before you go

• Booking: reserve online through the restaurant's website. If your time is full, call to join the waiting list for cancellations.
• Counter seats: book early if you want a seat facing the chef.
• Special menus: the Akane menu needs at least four days' notice, so plan ahead.
• Allergies: the menus are set in advance, so mention any dietary needs when you book.

Nearby

For more Japanese food in the area, try Sushi Oono or Yakiniquest. Iru Den on Scotts Road serves modern Taiwanese tasting menus. Before or after your meal, take a walk along Orchard Road. You can also browse more Japanese restaurants in Singapore, other fine dining restaurants or all restaurants in Orchard and River Valley. Current menus are on the Ichigo Ichie website.