Ingen Kyoto (ION Orchard)

Ichigo Parfait 2/5
Shoju Sencha 4/5
Sakura Mochi 4/5

Noting that the cafe has a minimum order of 1 drink per guest, I got the Kyoto “Shou/Ripe Pu’er” which set me back by $19.80 (ouch to my wallet). Really pricey as their range of teas starts at $12.80 but perhaps you are paying for the vibes and the space is truly lovely - a little slice of Japan in town.

New Year, new cafe.

Was eyeing their Yuki (Matcha) Parfait initially but was unfortunately sold on for the day, hence I had Ingen Kyoto’s Ichigo Parfait ($20.80) instead. Whilst I didn’t care for the raspberry jelly right at the bottom (as the texture was quite off for me - kinda gummy), the refreshing dollops of fromage blanc, pear jelly cubes and fresh aromatic strawberries worked well together. The sweet-tangy Strawberry Sake Sorbet was surprisingly good - not icy at all and the flavour was nicely balanced. Similarly, the puff pastry was a fun touch; adding some crisp textures without being cloying as it was light and wasn’t all that buttery.

If one has been to ION Orchard fairly recently, one would have likely passed by the hoardings of Ingen — there was nothing too descriptive on the hoardings however that describes the establishment. Located right beside the YUN NANS outlet at ION Orchard, Ingen actually takes over the former premises of the now-defunct outlet of Signature KOI at ION Orchard. Turns out, Ingen is a concept that is opened by the same folks whom have conceptualised Hvala, though we would think that jt is not particularly fair for one to associate Ingen too closely with Hvala considering the vast difference between the two concepts (to be further explained later). Ingen has pretty much transformed the entire space that had been left vacant by Signature KOI and gave it some very authentic Japanese tea room vibes — no doubt there is a long communal table that is to cater for more dine-in patrons, but the bar counter is definitely the place to be at here; a very intimate space to get to know more about tea from the folks behind the brew bar to say the least. The large use of wooden furnishings coupled with the dimly lit interior and the whole zen vibe that Hvala often carries in their locations — it is needless to say that there is a whole serene vibe to be sunk into whilst seated in the space. Outside of the tea room where one actually would end up in just as they enter Ingen from the shopping aisles of ION Orchard would be the retail area where they actually carry a variety of Japanese artisanal products; mostly intricate knick-knacks where one can purchase as well. Ingen is all about the experience; and the way it is done so is through the offering of desserts and Japanese tea via the menu — the desserts being a range of plated desserts, gateaux and parfait. Teas can be broadly classed into two categories — house teas which are more or less available on a permanent basis, as well as a section of curated teas available seasonally and classified according to tea type, and then by prefecture of which they are sourced from.

One way that Ingen ensures that patrons get the full experience is that all patrons must at least order a minimum of one tea item — this is irregardless of whether one goes for a dessert item here. We would really recommend having a seat at the bar counter — that is exactly where the magic happens as one will be able to catch how each different tea type is being brewed behind the counter. Just before everything arrives, the staff would place an origami swan with another piece of paper atop that contains a poem — something that allows patrons to ponder upon while waiting for their food to arrive / think about whilst dining. Both the tea and the dessert are timed to arrive the table together — the dessert that we had decided to go for was the Kabocha. Ingen described the Kabocha to be an item that consist of elements such as steamed pumpkin, chia seed mix, pumpkin coulis, Kombu honey jelly and toasted hazelnut. This was an interesting combination considering how it encompasses various textures as well as various flavours that hits the tastebuds — the natural sweetness of the pumpkin itself that is further enhanced by that of the pumpkin coulis, with the Kombu honey jelly adding yet another dimension of sweetness. To further give the plated dessert a nuttiness and a crunch, hazelnut is added for just that, while shreds of nori can also be found to give it somewhat of a umami note. Our choice of tea was the Hakusei White Tea — this would be one that is categorised as one of the curated teas that they have to offer and is sourced from Fukoka Prefecture in Japan. Said to be different from Chinese white tea, the Hakusei White Tea carries rather distinct umami notes that is more commonly associated with Sencha that is roast-y, but yet cleaner than the average Sencha in its tasting notes.

Each order of tea is entitled to three washes; patrons are also presented the brewed tea leaves with every wash to allow them to experience the aroma of the tea before tasting it — somewhat of a ritual for basic tea appreciation culture, but also a process integral to the entire experience where one would be able to learn about how the flavours of the tea gradually change with every wash. Whilst the flavours of the tea eventually becomes more toned down with each wash, we found that the Hakusei White Tea tasted really more clean and refreshing with a very slight floral note as opposed to before in the third wash. Intricacies like residual flavours in the tastebuds are also taken care of, with the serving of a small glass of sparkling water on the side to ensure patrons get to enjoy the tea with a clean palate. Unlike Hvala, Ingen isn’t that sort of a casual spot to go to for catch-up with friends over a glass of matcha latte; Ingen is pretty much an extension way above what Hvala was meant to be. Ingen is not all about green teas, while there are green tea offerings and that Hvala also does pretty much the same with their ceremonial matcha, Ingen presents themselves as more of a serious teahouse meant for tea enthusiasts. They seem to be tea purveyors in their own right, curating a whole line-up of really interesting teas that would fit those looking for a taste of familiarity, as well as something new and innovative that is still meant for the serious tea lover. All these also seem to be well-reflected in the desserts that Hvala serves up against the same that Ingen does; Ingen’s offerings being more formal yet inventive than the conventional cakes, tarts and gelato that Hvala serves. Same also can be said about the price of the items at Ingen which is definitely steeper than that of Hvala’s — think $15.80++ to $20.80++ for a dessert item, while the teas are priced from $12.80++ onwards. Whilst a concept not as accessible as Hvala, Ingen is a spot we feel that one should experience at least once for what they have to offer!