The 36-seater Loca Niru is housed in one of Singapore’s most unique addresses, The House of Tan Yeok Nee. Marking a historic moment, the 140-year-old House opens to the public for the first time, with Loca Niru being its inaugural fine dining concept.
Hour of Tan Yeok Nee / Photography by Darren Soh
Loca Niru / Image courtesy of Gaia Lifestyle Group
Located near Istana Park along Penang Road, the conserved heritage building re-opened in November 2025, after an extensive restoration spanning close to four years. Built in 1885, The House of Tan Yeok Nee, the once-residence of Teochew magnate Tan Yeok Nee, is the last remaining “Four Grand Mansions” in Singapore that belonged to Teochew tycoons in the 19th century. Over the years, it has housed the Salvation Army, an orphanage for girls, a university campus, and a traditional Chinese medicine hall.
In March 2022, the 140-year-old cultural landmark was sold to the Indonesian-Chinese Karim Family Foundation, who converted the stellar Chinese mansion into a premier cultural, lifestyle, and events destination, as part of the family’s Gaia Lifestyle Group. Located on the second level of the storied national monument, Loca Niru fittingly embodies past and present, as the name ‘Loca Niru’ is a Romanised derivative of the Zen idioms 'Hakuba Roka ni Iru’ and ‘Hakucho Roka ni Iru’, describing a white horse stepping into a field of white reeds and representing perfect balance and coexistence.
Helmed by Chef Shusuke ‘Shu’ Kubota (formerly of Omakase at Stevens), expect contemporary Japanese-French cuisine inspired by the philosophy of kotan – the Japanese way of living that honours simplicity, refinement, and subtlety.
Chai Karim / Image courtesy of Gaia Lifestyle Group
Says 28-year-old Chai Karim, Principal of Gaia Lifestyle Group and Karim Family Foundation, “Our vision was to breathe new life into a space that has stood as a silent witness to Singapore’s history for over 140 years. The House of Tan Yeok Nee is a gazetted national monument, and we felt strongly that heritage should not be locked away – it should be lived in, experienced, and celebrated.”
Karim leads the entertainment and F&B businesses within the broader Karim Group, dedicated to bringing diverse cultures and authentic culinary experiences to Singapore and Southeast Asia. The Group’s other F&B ventures include Chinese fine dining The Black Pearl at Odeon 333; Gyutan-Tan in Tras Street; and the first international outpost of Udon Shin from Tokyo, at Takashimaya Shopping Centre.
“We worked with artisans skilled in Teochew architecture to restore the property to its original glory, while introducing elements that make it relevant today,” she says. Elegance and simplicity are evident throughout the restaurant, through preserved wooden truss ceilings, the balance of natural wood with elegant brass, and artworks highlighting Japanese craftsmanship alongside Teochew carvings.
She continues, “It wasn’t a calculated move to enter fine dining this year, but a story that unfolded naturally. We were long-time admirers of Chef Shu’s culinary philosophy, and when the opportunity arose to work with him, it felt serendipitous. At the same time, we were exploring the future of the House of Tan Yeok Nee, and the idea of pairing a historic setting with a contemporary gastronomic experience just clicked, as Loca Niru embodies the idiom Hakuba Roka ni Iru.”
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Chef Shusuke Kubota / Image courtesy of Gaia Lifestyle Group
“Loca Niru brings an intimate kappo-style dining experience where every detail, from the menu to the design, reflects a philosophy of balance and refinement. Chef Shu’s cuisine marries Japanese sensibilities with French techniques, layered with Southeast Asian accents. It’s not just fusion for the sake of novelty; it’s a thoughtful dialogue between cultures. What truly sets us apart is the synergy between gastronomy and setting: Dining in a 140-year-old mansion restored with care, where every architectural detail tells a story.”
A graduate of the Tsuji Culinary Institute in Osaka, 33-year-old Chef Shu, who hails from Nagano prefecture, trained in France (including Domaine Les Crayeres in Champagne) and Tokyo, before moving to Singapore. “Our menu is contemporary innovative, combining Japanese sensibilities with French techniques along with international and Southeast Asian ingredients.” Like the idioms, Loca Niru reflects Chef Shu’s zen Buddhist philosophy of perfect balance and co-existence.
Chef Shu continues, “One highlight (of this balance) is the opening act of Hassun, a trio of appetisers featuring Amaebi tartare with kombu, salted lemon, pomelo and tosazu jelly; Smoked sturgeon and chestnut puree in a charcoal pie tee shell, finished with Oscietra caviar; and Minced frog leg wrapped in crisp kadaif, served with curry leaf aioli.”
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Photography by John Heng
Photography by John Heng
Another signature dish is Oyasai, a showcase of premium Southeast Asian produce, where a steamed dumpling with burdock, lotus root, and jicama crowns savoy cabbage and fermented Malaysian celery, topped with yacon and tomatillo salsa, completed with a kombu-infused soya milk poured tableside.
Chef Shu’s most prized creation? “Isaki, Japanese grunt fish,” he says. “The highlight is the sauce, a Nyonya-style beurre blanc. It is a classic French butter sauce, but we add Southeast Asian aromatics. This dish tells my story as a chef and reflects my cuisine at Loca Niru; it shows my journey through Japan, France, and Singapore. The sauce is inspired by the dish that helped me win runner-up in Japan’s prestigious RED-35 culinary competition in 2022. Another special element is the Buah Keluak bread served with the pan-seared isaki. We mix buah keluak paste into the dough, creating a unique pairing that goes well with the sauce or even on its own.” The course symbolises Chef Shu’s interpretation of cleaner, Peranakan-inspired flavours, where he pays respect to different flavours and cultures.
Other unique ingredient pairings on Chef Shu’s eight-course Tasting Menu ($298/person) include Minced frog leg with curry leaf aioli; Kombu-infused soya milk; Wagyu grilled with sugarcane fibre; and Kedondong jelly paired with Shine Muscat grapes. “These pairings bring together Japanese, French and Southeast Asian flavours in a unique way,” says Chef Shu.
“Beyond Loca Niru, we’re developing the first floor into a multi-concept, all-day dining venue that will open in Q2 next year at House of Tan Yeok Nee,” reveals Karim. “This space will be vibrant and accessible, complementing the fine-dining experience upstairs. We’re also planning to host cultural events and lifestyle experiences, turning the House into a dynamic hub where history meets modernity.”
Looking ahead, The Karim Foundation will also be exploring collaborations on a house-brand Japanese concept, and potentially bringing an international dessert brand to Southeast Asia for the first time. “While Japanese cuisine remains a strong pillar, we’re also looking at other Asian and global influences. Our focus is on creating experiences that balance quality, authenticity, and accessibility, while staying relevant to evolving dining trends.”
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