Ippoh Tempura Bar by Ginza Ippoh
Nestled in the chic and elegant COMO Dempsey, this cosy, tempura- focused spot offers set lunches and dinners in an intimate setting. Although the small space can only seat up to 18 people, it’s not cramped at all; we sat by the bar and there was plenty of room between each diner. It’s not the best option for the entire family because of its small seating capacity, but the relaxed atmosphere makes it great for casual dates or one-on-one business lunches. I’d recommend snagging a seat at the bar counter, where you can watch live cooking at its best!
There are three lunch sets available: Tsubaki ($70), Momiji ($85) and Ume ($100). All sets come with a piece of kakiage (mixed seafood and vegetable tempura), rice and miso soup, as well as a scoop of green tea ice cream. The only difference lies with how many pieces of tempura you’ll get; the cheapest option entitles you to eight, followed by 10 and 11 respectively. We opted for Momiji: two prawns, three seafood (fish and scallop), four vegetables and the original shrimp toast. If you’re feeling picky, you can also order off the à la carte menu (minimum order of $70 for lunch and $140 for dinner). We’re definitely returning to try the oh-so-indulgent uni tempura with caviar ($25), which is included in the Ume set.
The restaurant prides itself for its light, crisp and delicately battered Osaka-style tempura made using fresh, premium and seasonal ingredients. Each item is dipped into the fresh batter – which is made on the spot – right before it goes into a huge, golden wok filled with prime safflower oil from Japan. As each piece is fried-toorder and presented individually, there was no rush in pacing ourselves and we didn’t have to worry about the tempura turning soggy. Everything was absolutely fresh, but our favourite picks were the Hokkaido scallop, miso soup and kakiage. The house-made tempura sauce and rice were standouts, too – you can really taste the quality in both the ingredients used and the method of preparation.
Must-try: The kakiage
Tip: Make sure to reserve a seat in advance; when we arrived on a weekday for lunch the restaurant had to turn down walk-in customers, as they were fully booked. Psst! End your meal with drinks at The Dempsey Cookhouse and Bar right next door (the restaurants are literally separated by The Dempsey Cookhouse’s beautiful, plantcovered bar).