An artistic spirit meets Japanese fine dining at chef Akane Eno’s new incarnation of Ichigo Ichie

Of Akane Eno's many remarkable achievements, the most enduring will probably be as the first female chef to head a Japanese fine-dining restaurant in Singapore. Today, she remains the only woman to do so and recently celebrated her evolution with a sleek new home for her restaurant, Ichigo Ichie, in an intimate corner of Claymore Connect.

Established in February 2020, Ichigo Ichie was born with the fundamental value of interpreting Japanese flavours through Eno’s artistic sensibilities. Food and art have long defined how this former art history student engages with her craft — to her, they are one and the same.

The 46-year-old had a singular requirement when designing the new space: It had to feel like a home, a place where she could feed her guests and showcase her personal art collection, which include intricately etched glasses and lacquered wooden cups, such as one called Shi Un Ei by her friend and artist Eiko Tanaka. “Each piece has a personal significance and resonates with me, adding a unique, intimate touch to the space,” she explained.

Adorning one wall is a comely watercolour painting titled Ryō-bō by Japanese calligraphy artist Kazue Kurihara. “Ryōbō is a Zen saying that loosely translates to ‘forget both’, which means one should always see the importance of diverse perspectives, forget about dualistic oppositions, be open-minded and respect all,” she said. “I found it similar to the philosophy of ‘ichigo ichie’, which emphasises the uniqueness of each moment.”

Soft wood, polished marble, and textured slate coexist in a neutral palette with dark accents that express Eno’s quiet boldness. There are just 12 seats at the counter, six in a private dining room, and another space that will soon serve as a tea bar. Until then, tea plays a major part in Eno’s menus, the first sign appearing on a tray presented to guests at the start of the meal.

The options on this tray include gyokuro, hojicha, kuromoji-flavoured Japanese black tea and a beautifully rounded lapsang souchong served with camomile. Unexpectedly, there is a brew of lemongrass and cardamom, not quite what you’d expect at a Japanese restaurant, yet reflective of Eno’s openness to new flavours, a trait she attributes to her father.

“When my father was young, he was a backpacker and travelled all over the world by himself. He often hosted overseas guests and sometimes I would join them, always excited to try the unfamiliar foods they brought as souvenirs. My father also brought back small souvenirs from his business trips; their unusual designs or tastes always intrigued me,” she recalled of her youth.

“Although it was a long time ago, and I don’t remember exactly what I tried, one food I remember easily is papad or papadum with spices.”

Her fondness for revelatory flavours seeps quietly into her menu in dishes like hiramasa sashimi. Brushed with pickled fruit and served with blanched wild parsley, the slivers of fish harbour the pep of locally grown green chilli padi. Kanzuri, a fermented chilli paste made by a family of producers in the Niigata prefecture, imparts gentle kick to her signature miso somen served in a soothing prawn broth with uni and tonburi.